Archive for the 'Human Rights and Equality' Category

“I Cross The Street…”

Posted by Michelle Moquin on 25th July 2013

Good morning!

Cummings: ‘I cross the street’ when white women walk toward me

Washington (CNN) – Rep. Elijah Cummings, D-Maryland, has been a member of Congress for almost two decades.

Yet when he is walking down the street in Washington, D.C., at night and white women walk toward him, he says “I cross the street” to avoid making them uncomfortable.

Cummings says he rarely speaks about race or what life is like as a black man, but says President Barack Obama’s heartfelt remarks Friday afternoon made him more comfortable to do so.

“I think it’s important that he speak out and he brings a very unique perspective, because is the president and he has been extremely fortunate compared to most African-Americans, and yet still he can speak to the prejudices that most of us still face,” Cummings told CNN in a telephone interview.

Cummings lives in what calls the “inner city” of Baltimore, Maryland.

For emphasis, he says “when I say inner, I mean inner.”

The 10 term congressman says he loves to go shopping with his wife, because he likes to watch her try on dresses. But he won’t do it outside his district where people know him because “I don’t like the idea of people following me around.”

“People usually have the security guard following me, or questions with the overabundant, ‘can I help you?’ They think you’re going to do something wrong. We’ve seen it over and over again since childhood,” said Cummings.

He joked that it’s a bit better recently since, as the ranking member of the GOP-led House Oversight Committee, which is investigating IRS misconduct, Benghazi and more, he is on T.V. often and is recognized outside his district.

Still, he too talked about “feeling the tension” when he is in the elevator with a white woman.

“The tension… it’s hard to describe,” he said.

Some African-American leaders and activists have expressed frustration with Obama for not using his position to stir a national discussion about race. Cummings was not one of those people.

“It’s not that simple. People go crazy,” said Cummings.

“I see the way this country reacts to the littlest thing he says about race,” he said.

Plus, Cummings believes that before Obama was elected to his second and final term, it would have been “counterproductive to talk about these things because everything was in the prism of politics.”

“Now that he has the freedom to not worry about re-election, I think he has a better opportunity,” said Cummings.

A day earlier, Cummings’ race played out in an awkward moment during a tension-filled IRS hearing.

When admonishing Cummings, Rep. Darrell Issa, the Republican Oversight Committee chairman, referred to Cummings as “a little boy whose hand’s caught in the cookie jar.”

Later, Issa apologized to his African-American colleague for using the term “boy.”

“That is something I grew up with, it is intended to be about a small child, and in no way the use of boy or little boy to be anything else,” Issa said.

Cummings thanked Issa, saying he appreciated his words.

********

Readers: I can’t imagine being a person and feeling the need to act like Cummings does. How sad that one feels that way. It really says to me that we need to have so much compassion for others, and to walk in the shoes of others to truly understand what it is like to live as another human being…whether they are a different race or gender than ourselves. It is when we can do this, and are willing to do this, that we can become more compassionate and understanding of the challenges and plight of others.

Io9: Your comment has been on my mind. From what I know about the lives of aliens, from what has been told here, I can understand how difficult that would be. Human life seems to last for just a blip compared to the lives of aliens. I HOPE you’re well.

Zarita: I really enjoyed reading your comment, and hearing about your sister Sonja and Costa Del Azahar. It sounds simply beautiful! Thank you for the invitation to visit. I would love to one day. I was so sorry to hear about the train crash in Spain. What a horrible accident. My condolences go out to the families who lost their loved ones. Thanks for being a loyal reader. Hugs to you and Sonja.

Zen Lill: Thanks for posting that video of the young girl. I was so taken by her. What a smart child, articulating so well the disgusting behavior of adults toward children. I HOPE for her safety and that her message spreads far and wide.

Social Butterfly: Thank you. And thanks for posting the write on GMOs. I signed. This is so important.

Zalika: Your point as been made before. It was true then and it is still true today.

Ellen: Obama has to pick his battles. And, with the repubs in control, he has to make very tough decisions. What is the lesser of two evils? I HOPE this is a lesson that just because Obama is president doesn’t mean we get to rest on our laurels. The midterm elections are once again going to be VERY IMPORTANT.

Nyika: Now that is the kind of attitude I like to hear from a strong, capable woman. Good for you and your daughter. You know you have my love and support.

Baako: Thanks to you and the other males for caring and for being a loving brother toward your sisters. I wish all brothers and fathers would protect their sisters and mothers like you have done. You are a wonderful example that I HOPE inspires others. My best to you and your family.

Mike, TM: Very interesting. I think you know that answer. My guess is yes. Perhaps someone knows something and will share. I HOPE all is well with you.

Peace & Love…

Lastly, greed over a great story is surfacing from my “loyal”(?) readers. With all this back and forth about who owns what, that appears on my blog, let me reiterate that all material posted on my blog becomes the sole property of my blog. If you want to reserve any proprietary rights don’t post it to my blog. I will prominently display this caveat on my blog from now on to remind those who may have forgotten this notice.

Gratefully your blog host,

michelle

Aka BABE: We all know what this means by now :)

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“Though she be but little, she be fierce.” – William Shakespeare Midsummer Night’s Dream

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Posted in Health & Well Being, Human Rights and Equality, Political Powwow | 28 Comments »

Female Genital Mutilation: Declining?

Posted by Michelle Moquin on 23rd July 2013

Good morning.

BURKINA FASO: Female genital mutilation declining, says Minister

OUAGADOUGOU, 26 May 2003 (IRIN) – Twelve years after Burkina Faso launched a campaign that outlawed female genital mutilation (FGM) in 1996 and imposed heavy penalties on circumcisers, the number of women undergoing the harmful practise is declining, officials said.

Mariam Lamizana, the Burkinabe Minister for Social Welfare and Solidarity told IRIN that surveys done over three years among different age groups in various regions, indicated that FGM prevalence had dropped from the 1996 national average of 66.35 percent to between 16-43 percent.

It however remained high in some towns. In Boromo in the western Bale province, 150 km from Ouagadougou, 87 percent of the women were found to have undergone FGM. The town had the highest prevalence in the country.

“We have reached a point when the female circumcision is discussed in the community and demystified,” Lamizana told IRIN in an interview on 19 May. To raise awareness, she added, FGM was being treated as a health, human rights and violence issue in a campaign involving religious leaders and female circumcisers.

FGM [female circumcision] is a procedure where a woman’s external genital organs are removed or injured for cultural, religious or other non-therapeutic reasons. It has serious consequences including pain, hemorrhage, infection, ulceration, damage to the urethra and difficulties in birth. It could also lead to HIV/AIDS transmission.

In Burkina Faso, it is a deep-rooted cultural practice in 14 provinces where it is believed to “cleanse” women as part of their initiation. It involves cutting off the clitoris of girls of the same age in the community, usually by a traditional practitioner with crude instruments and without anesthesia.

The Burkina parliament outlawed FGM as part of a campaign led by a National Committee against Circumcision Practice (CNLPE). It set prison terms of upto five years and fines of upto US $1,500, for people found circumcising women. So far 300 people have been arrested. Fifteen were sentenced to jail for three to twelve months and others fined $85-$1,500.

On 17 May the CNLPE organised activities at Boromo to mark the country’s national day against FGM. Lamizana said during the function: “We are confirming on this day our firm determination to fight a non-stop battle so that no single Burkina girl will be threatened by this practice of another age.”

According to the World Health Organisation, most girls and women who have undergone FGM live in 28 African countries, including Burkina Faso. Some live in Asia and the Middle East; and increasingly among immigrants in Europe, Australia, Canada and the USA. Between 100-140 million girls and women worldwide have undergone it. Another 2 million are at risk of undergoing it each year.

******

Readers: This was written back in 2003 where it was reported the FGM was declining because of a campaign that outlawed FGM in 1996. That was 10 years ago that the decline was reported.

Obviously it is not declining enough because from what I have read and from what I have been told, it is still happening to too many women and girls. In fact, in 2008, it was reported that FGM was not declining but on the rise. And just last month, Miss Africa Netherlands (M.A.N.) and the Association of European Parliamentarians with Africa (AWEPA) in cooperation with the National Committee for International Cooperation and Sustainable Development held a workshop offering information about this act of violation of women’s rights.

It is known that due to the sensitivity of the subject, women and girls who have undergone FGM hardly talk about it – They keep silent. This workshop gave the opportunity to illuminate this horrific practice, break the silence, and learn and share knowledge, in HOPEs to come up with long lasting solutions to eradicate this harmful practice that is still prevalent today. Experts on the subject spoke about some of what is being done nationally and internationally (including political action) to stop FGM.

I don’t know the outcome of the workshop, but it is obvious that something more drastic needs to happen because not much has changed since the article was written in 2003. Girls and women are still subjected to this cruel and inhumane practice.

When will it finally end? What do we need to do? I say for every woman who is cut, the man who does the cutting loses his. You put something like that in place, it is sure to end quickly.

Comments? Blog me.

Peace & Love…

Gratefully your blog host,

michelle

Aka BABE: We all know what this means by now :)

Or if you would like to send a check via snail mail, please make checks payable to “Michelle Moquin”, and send to:

Michelle Moquin PO Box 29235 San Francisco, Ca. 94129

Thank you for your loyal support!

“Though she be but little, she be fierce.” – William Shakespeare Midsummer Night’s Dream

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Posted in Health & Well Being, Human Rights and Equality | 36 Comments »

Wonderful Women Of The World*

Posted by Michelle Moquin on 22nd June 2013

Good morning!

Here is an update on the female teacher who was fired from her job because of her abusive husband. Little did I know that in all but 6 states you can be fired from your job for being a victim of domestic violence. And shockingly California is not one of the 6 states.

Isn’t that crazy? Really…we need to be so much more involved when we punch that ticket at the voting booth. Just who are the representatives that passed this sort of bill? I have no idea, but I can tell you that the only party that is fighting to bar employment discrimination and protect employment rights of victims who have survived domestic violence, etc., are…guess who? The Democrats. No surprise there that the repubs aren’t supporting women.

Thank you to *WWOW, Senator Hannah-Beth Jackson (D-Santa Barbara), and Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-CA-40) for getting something going in California. Jackson introduced SB 400, a bill to protect the employment rights of survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking. And Roybal-Allard, introduced H.R.1229 – Security and Financial Empowerment Act.

Let’s HOPE these pass (write to them if you care about this), and more Senators from other states will join in and introduce similar bills.

Here’s the write:

In All But Six States, You Can Be Fired For Being A Victim Of Domestic Violence

By Bryce Covert on Jun 20, 2013 at 5:00 pm

Last week, Carie Charlesworth, a teacher in California and a victim of domestic violence, was fired from her job because her abusive husband invaded the school parking lot and put the school on lockdown. While her abuser was sent to prison, she was also punished for his crime by losing her employment.

The school’s action -– firing her because she is a victim of domestic abuse –- is sadly legal in most states. Just six, Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, New York, Oregon, and Rhode Island, have laws on the books that bar employment discrimination against victims of domestic abuse or sexual assault, according to an up-to-date document tracking these laws from Legal Momentum. State Senators in California introduced a non-discrimination bill in February, which has been referred to committee.

Illinois and Hawaii, as well as New York City and Westchester County, go further to mandate that employers offer victims reasonable accommodations so that they can stay at work: “things like allowing you to change your work telephone number or changing a shift so someone can’t stalk you and find you,” Michelle Caiola, a senior staff attorney at Legal Momentum, told ThinkProgress. Fourteen states protect victims who need to take time off of work to go to counseling, court, or seek medical attention due to their abuse.

For their part, the Bureau of Labor Statistics has found that only about 15 percent of employers have a workplace policy that specifically addresses domestic violence.

The laws are sparse, but the abuse at work is not. One study found that nearly three-quarters of abused women were harassed by their partner while at work. Homicide is a leading cause of workplace deaths for women, second only to roadway incidents.

But discrimination like the kind that Charlesworth experienced can lead victims to shy away from reporting. Of the 4 million workplace crimes committed against women from 1993-1990, less than half were reported to the police.

The loss of a job thanks to abuse can end up cutting off a lifeline to end that abuse. Three-quarters of women report staying with their abuser longer because of economic reasons. “We know that economic abuse is frequent in these situations, and abusers often try to get the victim fired in order to increase her financial dependency on him,” Kim Gandy, president and CEO of the National Network to End Domestic Violence, told ThinkProgress. By showing up at a partner’s workplace, in many states an abuser can put her job at risk, potentially driving her back into his arms.

Beyond the patchwork of state laws, “there is no real protection at the federal level for this,” Caiola said, although bills to provide employment protection are introduced “in every session.” In fact, the Security and Financial Empowerment Act was introduced in the house on March 15, which would bar employers from discriminating against domestic violence or sexual assault victims. The bill has been referred to committee and doesn’t have a vote scheduled.

*******

Readers: What are you thinking? Blog me.

Social Butterfly: Your comment made me laugh, because I have noticed the same thing with comments in past articles I have posted.

Peace out.

Gratefully your blog host,

michelle

Aka BABE: We all know what this means by now :)

Or if you would like to send a check via snail mail, please make checks payable to “Michelle Moquin”, and send to:

Michelle Moquin PO Box 29235 San Francisco, Ca. 94129

Thank you for your loyal support!

“Though she be but little, she be fierce.” – William Shakespeare Midsummer Night’s Dream

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Posted in Health & Well Being, Human Rights and Equality, Political Powwow | 1 Comment »

Flap Your Lips Friday

Posted by Michelle Moquin on 21st June 2013

Good morning.

I realize that I post many stories about the abuse and atrocities that girls and women go through. Why? Because even though it is prevalent here and around the world, I am still shocked by it all, and posting what I can gives a voice to these women. I don’t think I will ever get over it or used to it – thankfully. I don’t want to. I HOPE that no one turns a blind eye when it is so widespread.

Because if it becomes the norm, and more people start to say, “Oh it is just the way men are,” (Yes, some people already say this about men!) less will be done to stop it, and the more women will be abused and blamed for whatever reason…she shouldn’t have teased the boy…she shouldn’t have dressed like that…she shouldn’t have gone to the party alone…whatever. All excuses. And excuses that gives men permission to do it again, and again, and again. And all the while blaming the woman, when it is the man or the boy who is the perpetrator, and should be blamed.

I just get so sick of it. But not sick enough to not blog about it anymore. It is on my mind more than I would like it to be and more than I would like to admit. But I am a lucky one and so many others are not. So I feel the need to support my sisters in whatever means I know how.

I know because of the way I am, people, and even some readers here, say I am a “man hater.” Those words mean nothing to me. They have no effect on me whatsoever. Bring it on. If I or other women are such “man haters”, ( I will speak for myself) it is not because they are men – it is only because of the things men do. I find it baffling that men (and even women) even dare say to me that I am a “man hater,” when it is the men on this planet that are the haters. I mean, I am not the one doing harm. Women are not the ones showing hatred. Men are the ones that do the abusing, killing, and enslaving of women on this planet, world wide. I am only reporting it, and I am accused of hating? If anyone hates, it is the men hating the women. Why else would they be so destructive and abusive. It certainly isn’t because they love us to death. No pun intended.

And when I hear that women, stupid women, walk lockstep behind their man, taking on his thoughts and beliefs, even bending over to be spanked(!), I just get livid. And as I stated yesterday, I lose faith in womenkind. And I don’t want to. I want to believe that women will change because I have little faith that men will. They don’t need to. Many like the way it is. They don’t have anything to fear.

But we women, we have so much to fear when it comes to the men in our lives and their propensity to perpetrate sick behavior. Which is why we still need mothers and fathers to raise our young boys to respect girls and women. We can’t give up on that. And we also need our young sisters to support their sisters, by encouraging them to do so, and providing inspiring examples…so that they will grow up to be women who support women. Or women are just not going to survive.

This brings me to today’s write. Sadly, here is a perfect example of a young girl who was raped and her community is re-victimizing her by harassing her, and not supporting her, in a time where she really needs sisterly love and support.

Indiana Town Shames Rape Victim, Speculates About Her ‘Promiscuous Behavior’

Several high-profile cases of sexual assault have shown the consequences of rape culture: From Rehtaeh Parsons’ suicide to the Steubenville rape trial, these girls were re-victimized by the harassment and public shaming that followed the sexual assault.

Now, a 14-year-old in Elwood, Indiana who is eight months pregnant faces ongoing harassment simply because her neighborhood sees her as a very young pregnant girl. But a reporter at the Indianapolis Star writes that her town does not know the full story of the 17-year-old boy who physically overpowered her after she told him “no.” On Tuesday, he faces sentencing for three counts of child molestation.

At the same time the girl has encountered vicious public shaming from her community, she and her mother Kristy Green have spoken out because they worry her assailant will walk free in juvenile court:

“I can’t walk out the door without someone calling me a whore or slut,” the girl said. “I used to have a lot of friends, or people I thought were my friends, but as soon as this happened I just isolated myself.”

The repeated vandalism incidents at the family’s home — including the words “whore” and “slut” scrawled on the garage doors — were reported to police. But Green said no charges were filed because there were no witnesses to the acts.

Her daughter also has been the target of mean-spirited rumors and speculation that her pregnancy is the result of promiscuous behavior.

This ordeal is all too common for victims of sexual assault — a reality that affects not just U.S. teens in school, but also pervades military and sports culture. The Chicago Tribune Editorial Board recently noted that “it’s still news when a rape victim stands in front of the cameras to state what ought to be obvious, which is that she has nothing to be ashamed of.”

But the people in Elwood — lacking the details of the rape due to privacy in the juvenile court system — reverted to alienating the teen for her pregnancy because they assumed she must have been “promiscuous.” That’s true for many teen moms across the country, who are often on the receiving end of this stigma precisely at the time they most need support. Public awareness campaigns attempting to prevent teen pregnancy often put inordinate focus on “slut-shaming” abstinence over comprehensive sexual health resources.

******

Readers: What a rude awakening for any young girl, first to have to endure rape, and then go through rejection from girls she thought were her friends.

I have said enough this morning. Anything more to add here? It’s Friday…Blog me.

Mike, TM: I had heard nothing about this story until I googled it. And then I still didn’t find much out there, except for this write from 3 weeks ago. Todashev was interrogated in his home and was denied having a lawyer represent him. He was also accused of caring a knife and attacking an agent, which is difficult to do when he wasn’t in possession of one. Now the kid is dead, and reportedly murdered by the FBI. I’m curious to see what more will be revealed and what will come from this.

Social Butterfly: Nice to hear from you. Yeah, I bet that added day is an adjustment. Happy to hear life is good though. Thanks for posting the write on Ms. Deen. I have been hearing all about it on several stations. And the big question seems to be, “What does Oprah think of her now?” I love Oprah but her opinion on this matter is no better than anyone else’s, although she does have influence. Deen made racist remarks. It will be interesting to see what transpires.

Got to run – Enjoy the Summer Solstice! Peace out.

Gratefully your blog host,

michelle

Aka BABE: We all know what this means by now :)

Or if you would like to send a check via snail mail, please make checks payable to “Michelle Moquin”, and send to:

Michelle Moquin PO Box 29235 San Francisco, Ca. 94129

Thank you for your loyal support!

“Though she be but little, she be fierce.” – William Shakespeare Midsummer Night’s Dream

" Politics, god, Life, News, Music, Family, Personal, Travel, Random, Photography, Religion, Aliens, Art, Entertainment, Food, Books, Thoughts, Media, Culture, Love, Sex, Poetry, Prose, Friends, Technology, Humor, Health, Writing, Events, Movies, Sports, Video, Christianity, Atheist, Blogging, History, Work, Education, Business, Fashion, Barack Obama, People, Internet, Relationships, Faith, Photos, Videos, Hillary Clinton, School, Reviews, God, TV, Philosophy, Fun, Science, Environment, Design, The Page, Rants, Pictures, Church, Blog, Nature, Marketing, Television, Democrats, Parenting, Miscellaneous, Current Events, Film, Spirituality, Obama, Musings, Home, Human Rights, Society, Comedy, Me, Random Thoughts, Research, Government, Election 2008, Baseball, Opinion, Recipes, Children, Iraq, Funny, Women, Economics, America, Misc, Commentary, John McCain, Reflections, All, Celebrities, Inspiration, Lifestyle, Theology, Linux, Kids, Games, World, India, Literature, China, Ramblings, Fitness, Money, Review, War, Articles, Economy, Journal, Quotes, NBA, Crime, Anime, Islam, 2008, Stories, Prayer, Diary, Jesus, Buddha, Muslim, Israel, Europe, Links, Marriage, Fiction, American Idol, Software, Leadership, Pop culture, Rants, Video Games, Republicans, Updates, Political, Football, Healing, Blogs, Shopping, USA, Class, Matrix, Course, Work, Web 2.0, My Life, Psychology, Gay, Happiness, Advertising, Field Hockey, Hip-hop, sex, fucking, ass, Soccer, sox"

Posted in Health & Well Being, Human Rights and Equality, Love, Sex & Relationships | 26 Comments »

“Juneteenth” A Day Late

Posted by Michelle Moquin on 20th June 2013

Oops.

Good morning!

Well…I meant to post this on the 19th, yesterday, and I even had it already to go in my queue. But lately I have been losing track of the dates, not the day (that would be disasterous in my business), just what date it is. And days seem to fly by. Is anyone else feeling this way?

Anyway…what can I say? Better late than to not recognize such an important day. For many, June 19th is just another day. For so many others, Juneteenth was Freedom Day.

From the Huff Po:

What Do We Tell Our Children About Slavery?

June 19th may not be as widely celebrated today as it was for more than a century, but it remains one of the most important dates in this nation’s climb from slavery to freedom.

In the late spring of 1865 — two years after Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation into law, two months after the Civil War’s official end and within days of the president’s assassination — most slaves were still not free.

In Texas, the Confederacy’s southernmost hold, the task of informing the slaves went to Major General Gordon Granger. Riding into Galveston on June 19 armed with General Order No. 3, he made the announcement: from that day forward, all slaves would, at last and forever, be free.

June 19, or “Juneteenth,” as it is now called, commemorates African-American’s “independence day.” That this hard-won freedom has yet to be fully realized is no secret. That our images of slavery remain distorted is a surprise.

In this 150th anniversary year of the Emancipation Proclamation, two recent films pivot on the era: Lincoln and Django Unchained. In Lincoln, slaves are unbelievably absent; inDjango, they’re unbelievable.

On television, PBS aired a three-part documentary, The Abolitionists. In it, the role of slaves and free Blacks in abolition was — with the exception of Frederick Douglass (one of the most famous men of his day) — non-existent.

On the side of progress, a new biography, Thomas Jefferson: The Art of Power, by Jon Meacham, is the first to unequivocally relate the relationship between Jefferson and Sally Hemings. The enslaved 14-year-old half-sister of his deceased wife, he took her to Paris and kept her at Monticello, where he fathered their six children.

In 2010, nearly two centuries after his death, for his transgressions, the Texas Board of Education removed the third president of the United States from the state curriculum. With Texas as one of the country’s largest textbook-buying blocks, that statewide decision cast a chill on the publishing industry and endangered historical accuracy nationwide.

Slavery. It’s complicated.

As Mark Twain wrote in Life on the Mississippi (censored and expurgated for decades by his publisher for observations as pungent as this): “I missed one thing in the South — African slavery. That horror is gone, and permanently. Therefore, half the South is at last emancipated; half the South is free. But the White half is apparently as far from emancipation as ever.”

He was half-right. 150 years after Emancipation — because the refusal to confront slavery’s wrongs plunged the South into Jim Crow segregation — slavery’s grip remains powerful and painful. Black and White, it haunts us all, keeping us bound to the past. Straining every institution and discourse, its wounds cut deep.

So, how do we heal and move on? What can we tell our children about slavery to prevent the continued spread of its toxicity for generations to come?

1. Tell them the truth (in age-appropriate doses).
Slavery is a system of institutionalized terror that denies freedom to some for the benefit of others. Slavery in America lasted 246 years (1619-1865) and destroyed an estimated one hundred million lives.

2. Rethink the phrases we take for granted.
No one is “born a slave.” Nature does not make people slaves; people enslave other people. Slaves were people tortured for profit; priced and bartered like furniture.

3. Be clear about your values.
We condemn and punish those who steal a watch or a car. Are human beings not worth the consideration due a watch? Don’t absolve George Washington as a slave owner because he freed some of his slaves in his will. If you were his slave, would that satisfy you?

4. Model healing, not abuse.
Every child knows what is fair and what is not. Demonstrations that divide children into groups of slaves and masters reinforce privilege and powerlessness. Educate them to justice, not to slaveholding.

5. Avoid easy explanations and stereotypes.
Not every Northerner was an abolitionist nor every Southerner pro-slavery. The North ended slavery decades before the Civil War, but profited from it to the end. The whips, lashes and chains used to enforce slavery in the South were manufactured in the North.

6. Celebrate the good.
The more I learn of slaves, the more I know of heroes. Among them, Arnold Cragston, a slave by day who rowed others to freedom by night. In her Midnight School, Milla Granson taught fellow slaves to read and to write the passes that would set their minds and bodies free.

Today, on Juneteenth, we are reminded that only by confronting what is wrong can we make things right. To see ourselves as part of the struggle is to empower ourselves as part of the solution.

Janus Adams, author of Freedom Days: 365 Inspired Moments in Civil Rights History, is founder and publisher of BackPax children’s media. The newest title is STEAL AWAY: Escape to Freedom on the Underground Railroad – a book, audio, and board game set. Her website is: www.JanusAdams.com

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