Monthly Archives: July 2012

When A Check-In Says More Than “I Was Here”

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When my children were little, this conversation occurred more times than I can count.

Me (as we leave church): Where do you guys want to eat?

Wayne Kevin: Chick Fil A!

Me: They are closed on Sundays. Pick something else.

[insert toddler grumbling and failure to understand here]

Him: Why?

Me: Because they believe that Sundays are for worship and rest.

Him: That’s stupid.

Although these interactions always frustrated me from the standpoint that it is so hard to explain to a little kid why a business’s values are such that they close on Sundays, I also, underneath the conversation, was always giving Chick Fil A a pat on the back for sticking to their guns. Our world is 24/7 in so many ways. It’s not like we were going to starve; they were standing up for what they believed in and improving the quality of life for their employees at the same time. It was, to me, a good thing.

Those same children are now 13 and 16. They have not asked me about the current media furor over Chick Fil A. My daughter has been out of town throughout it all, and my son remained locked in his usual Minecraft haze until leaving town today for a week.

But it will come up soon enough. One of them will want to go to Chick Fil A, a favorite restaurant of theirs. If I agree, I will check in on FourSquare. In doing so I will worry that I am a) offending my friends who believe in marriage equality b) sending a message to my friends who oppose marriage equality that implies I agree with their position and c) giving my money to an organization who will eventually (possibly) use part of it to espouse a cause I would never knowingly support.

I have been giving a lot of thought to the intersection of businesses I support and the message my patronage of these businesses means.  There are businesses I visit much more often than Chick Fil A – Publix, various convenience stores where I buy gas, Walgreens and CVS to name a few. I have no clue how their owners feel about any moral or civil matter.

Which gets me back to Dan Cathy, Chick Fil A’s COO. In recent statements, he reiterated his long-held belief that the only acceptable model of marriage is marriage between a man and a woman. He does have a right to say what he believes. What this situation has done for me has made me go back a few years, poke around in various other press pieces, and try to put this current furor in some kind of broader context.

I have read about how the Jim Henson Company has decided not to partner with Chick Fil A to provide children’s meal toys and has donated the amount their income from the partnership to GLAAD.

I have read Sean Breslin’s post that, in my opinion, strikes a thoughtful balance between acknowledging Dan Cathy’s right of free speech, reminding us that the young people working at CFA are not the ones creating this problem, and teasing out the difference between purchasing a fast food meal and condemning an entire segment of society.

I have read this HuffPo article summarizing the current flap, quoting the original statement made by Dan Cathy, and taking the temperature of some diners.

I have read this April 2011 article about the pitfalls faced by Chick Fil A’s attempts to maintain “functional neutrality” when its donations to a marriage seminar led by the Pennsylvania Family Institute led to protests by college campuses and a retraction of a speaking invitation that had been issued to Dan Cathy by a Chamber of Commerce.

I read this article, that contrasts devout Southern Baptist Dan Cathy’s approach to leading Chick Fil A with Devout Mormon Bill Marriott’s approach to leading Marriott.

I read this article, by Ken Coleman, to whom Dan Cathy made the remarks about gay marriage that touched off this most recent wave of notoriety. I had never heard of Ken Coleman until I read this, but I agree with his statement, “Stand for what you believe in and engage in the public discourse but do so with civility and true tolerance for those who see the world differently.”

I read this article that analyzed the social media management perspective of this issue. And took from the article this quote that I love (and I don’t mean just about chicken sandwich tweets): “If there is no honesty within social media than [sic] there is no message.”

I revisited this issue from 2011, when Chick Fil A took on a Vermont folk artist and his “Eat More Kale” tshirts for copyright infringement.

I read this 10-year-old article, in which Dan Cathy talks about Chick Fil A’s philosophies, values, and business plans. (The corporation has been consistent; its current positions are not anything new.)

I read this 2010 article about the chain and how its management interweaves beliefs  with business.

I read several articles that referred to the out of court settlement reached after a Muslim CFA manager sued CFA for discrimination when he was fired after refusing to participate in a group prayer. It is one thing for an organization’s leader to express a personal opinion about marriage equality. It is a completely different and more insidious thing to force employees to participate in faith traditions that they do not embrace. (I can never get Barbara Ehrenrich’s stint at Wal Mart, including forced (uncompensated) work before clocking in, out of my mind when I reluctantly shop there.)

It has become challenging to follow the flood of press items about the current issues faced by CFA and make a decision about whether or not I will change my practices. I have decided this:

Just like I sent JC Penney an email to express my appreciation for them using families of all compositions in their advertising, I am going to share this blog post with Chick Fil A to express my opinion as a consumer. I want them to know that as much as I adore their responsive customer service, I am paying attention to how they treat everyone, their employees and their customers. My expectations have been raised that they will aspire to aspire to do what they said on their Facebook Page:

The Chick-fil-A culture and service tradition in our restaurants is to treat every person with honor, dignity and respect – regardless of their belief, race, creed, sexual orientation or gender.

If you want to chat about this, let’s find a middle ground and throw a little revenue the way of a local business. If we choose wisely, we can look each other in the eyes over  great food, and practice civility and tolerance while funneling money back into our own community.

It’s really the least we can do for one another.

 

 

Tiaras Make Everything Better

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Sometimes it just happens this way …. the day’s commitments align in a sequence that makes me think, “great! I’ll be outside all day (mostly); I will get to support runners, I will get my own run in, and then I’ll top things off with a less strenuous workout followed by socializing with yet more runners.”

I did make all three running commitments yesterday, but the day didn’t go exactly as per plan and left me pleading for my friends who help me reframe things.

Part 1

Back in April, I was one of several Gulf Winds Track Club members who participated in a 5K at a local women’s correctional institution (a few track club members had met with the inmates previously to speak to them about running; this was the first “event” and it was incredible.)

Yesterday, we returned to the facility to coordinate an intervals workout. Since I knew I had a long run scheduled for the day, I was a “cheerleader” rather than a runner. It was such a great experience! The women said, “I hoped you would come back,” “I told my family to look for you in the picture (from April), the one in the lime green shirt,” and “I’m gonna do this.” The statement that stuck with me the most was the woman who said, “I used to be the mom at my kids’ runs holding the water and clapping for the kids. When I get out, I am going to run with my kids and my mom doesn’t know it but she’s gonna run with us too.”

Part 2

My assignment from my coaches at PRSFit was to run 10 miles. The miles were primarily to be at Heart Rate Zone 2 (which is relatively “easy” — a HR where you can conceivably hold a conversation) with 3 minute surges to Zone 3 every 20 minutes. Since I had the commitment to help at Gretna in the morning and another commitment (a/k/a Part 3) in the evening, the only time I thought I had to do this run was immediately upon returning from Gretna. I knew it would be hot (high 80′s/low 90′s) outside and I knew it would be my longest run ever, but I thought I could power through, especially since I would be carrying 20 ounces of water in my water belt. This run just didn’t work out like I hoped. One of my Twitter friends had tweeted, “it’s okay to take walk breaks if you need to,” but I didn’t plan on taking walk breaks even if I had to slow down substantially.

Due to the heat, I never got down to Zone 2 the entire run. I also chose a hilly course (sigh). At least I was listening to a riveting audio book (Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn). At the 1:40 mark, there was a sudden shift in my energy level; I went from a pretty steady run to what I call the “struggling to just keep one foot in front of the other” pace. Still, I was happy to be making progress, enjoying the book, and looking forward to triumphantly reporting on my first 10+ mile run on Daily Mile and on my report to my coach. At around the 2:20 mark, walking suddenly and immediately became an option when I felt a sharp pain in my right knee. And I still had over a mile to go to get back to my car. This is when the thing became all about survival. Survival and obsessing about what this meant for my September 16 half marathon as part of the Autism Speaks team. What ensued was me walking the mile+ back to my car, with a rapidly dwindling water supply, considering going in to the convenience store to ask for water, considering going up to strangers’ homes looking for water, considering begging. I hoped the park along Killarney Way would have a water fountain (it didn’t). But I did stop there and literally lay down under a shaded pavilion, praying to get back to my car without passing out (and glad I had finally sprung for a 1band ID so my husband could be reached if I did). Ultimately, I made it back to my car, and had a lovely time of 3:06 to report to my coach and DailyMile for this 11 mile run. UGH.

This did not go how I wanted. I know there are going to be days like this as a runner, but gosh it was disappointing.

Part 3

Part 3 was our women’s “Dash and Dine,” which is an opportunity for a bunch of us women walkers/runners to “dash” and then “dine.” The rules are fairly loose: NO MEN, NO DRAMA, NO WHINING, NO WORRIES. (sorry gentleman!).

The way yesterday’s Dash and Dine was configured, we could choose to walk/run a 2 mile loop, a 3 mile loop, or a 5 mile loop on a local trail, followed by dinner at a Mexican restaurant. I had planned to walk 2 miles, then join the dinner outing. But after Part 2,  the last thing I wanted to do was anything that involved putting one foot in front of another and sweating. Which is why I nixed the “dash” and only did the “dine.”

Why did the “dine” matter? It mattered because my friends were able to reassure me that my tweets about how I didn’t like running that day, my long Daily Mile report which just asked people to chime in and help me reframe my run, and my report to my coach which may have contained a little bit of whining and self-pity were just a bump in the road; that things would get better and it still mattered that I made it 11 miles.

And they gave me a tiara. Tiaras make everything better:

They’re Cool, They’re Creamy, They’re Green Tea Latte Pops

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We are fortunate here in Tallahassee to have a wonderful local establishment that helps us get each day off to a great start! Here’s a shout-out to you, Bagelheads, for the variety of locally roasted, fresh coffees you serve every morning:

For knowing that sometimes we don’t have time to chat:

For giving us the perfect place when we do have time to linger:

And for your variety of delicious flavors:

Once we have gotten our java and navigated a typically hectic day, it’s time to wind down! Thanks to Matcha Green Tea from Mocafe and the sample they sent me, I have found a new way to cool off as the sun goes down:

Mocafe encouraged bloggers to create recipes using their product. As I was deciding what to make, I was trying to figure out what to do with this citrus left over from our vacation week, and I found these adorable stirrers that seemed to go along with my plan:

I started with a can of Sweetened Condensed Milk, brought it just to a boil, then reduced the heat to low and stirred it almost constantly for 15 minutes until it got very thick:

In a separate container, I combined 2 cups of milk, 1 cup of heavy cream, and a tablespoon of the Matcha Green Tea Latte powder:

When my sweetened condensed milk was thick, I slowly whisked in the milk/cream/green tea mixture, keeping the very low heat going.

I then took everything off the heat and added a teaspoon of vanilla, a squirt each of fresh lemon and fresh lime juice, and a hint of fresh lemon zest and fresh lime zest. I also squeezed in a few drops of green food color to enhance the final look.

I poured the mixture into my mold (this is actually an ice tray used to make ice that will fit into water bottles):

Then it was off to the freezer. I inserted the sticks at around the 1.5 hour mark. I checked them pretty regularly, waiting for the perfect time when they were firm enough to support the sticks. I froze them overnight. To dislodge them, I ran a bit of warm water over the mold to encourage the pops to dislodge.

And then I enjoyed!!

Here’s the recipe (without pictures):

1 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
2 cups milk (I used skim)
1 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon Matcha Green Tea Latte powder
1 teaspoon vanilla
Splash of fresh lemon juice
Splash of fresh lime juice
Small pinch of fresh lemon zest
Small pinch of fresh lime zest
2-3 drops of green food coloring (if desired)
Ice Pop Mold
Sticks

Bring sweetened condensed milk to a boil in a medium saucepan (stirring frequently), then reduce heat and stir constantly for 15 minutes until it is very thick.

Whisk together milk, cream, and green tea powder.

Add milk/cream/tea powder mixture to sweetened condensed milk in saucepan, whisking it in slowly until well blended.

Remove from heat.

Add vanilla, lemon/lime juices, zest, and food coloring (if desired).

Cool mixture completely (about 30 minutes).

Pour mixture into molds (about 3 oz per pop). Freeze for about 1.5 to 2 hours, checking periodically to see if the pops are firm enough to insert the sticks. Insert sticks, then freeze until firm. This will be a minimum of six hours; they can be frozen overnight.

To dislodge pops, run warm water gently over the mold.

Enjoy!!

For more information on Matcha Green Tea, visit this link.
Mocafe (creator of Matcha Green Tea) would love for you to like them on Facebook.
I also encourage you to check out Blendtec Blenders here. (One of the bloggers participating in this promotion will win one!)
Lastly, thank you to 5 Minutes For Mom for coordinating this promotion.

Fifth Avenue, 5 a.m. (Or Any Time)

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Hilary Rushford, Personal Stylist and creator of the Dean Street Society, has created four “#StyleMe” challenges. You can read about my #StyleMeMarch experience here. You can see my #StyleMeMay pictures here. #StyleMeJuly has just started (today is “swish your skirt” day!). Then there’s #StyleMeSmartly, which was the June hashtag. June’s challenge centered on a concept, an idea, a view of the world through the cigarette-smoke clouds of a particular era (the 60′s).

 Although I did not do any of the June photo prompts, I read the book (Fifth Avenue, 5 A.M. by Sam Wasson), participated in the online book club, and watched Breakfast at Tiffany’s.

One of the big takeaways for me was the “how times have changed” sense that I got from all of #StyleMeSmartly month images. To go even farther back than 1960 (when Breakfast at Tiffany’s was filmed), I just finished listening to an audiobook (The Chaperone) in which the protagonist (Cora) visits former silent screen star Louise Brooks, who is in a reclusive state after her fame has waned. Cora is shocked to be greeted by Louise, who is wearing (be ready to gasp) slacks!  She says (paraphrasing here), “I had seen Katharine Hepburn wearing slacks in movies but I had never seen a woman in real life wearing slacks.”

Fast forward to #StyleMeSmartly. We learned that the scene in Breakfast at Tiffany’s where Holly/Lulamae’s husband shows up from Texas was changed from a reference to them being “divorced” to a reference to the marriage being “annulled” instead, to be more palatable to the Production Code Administration. We read the press release issued by Paramount Pictures Publicity while Breakfast at Tiffany’s was being filmed that said (in part): “….her married life, her husband and her baby, come first and far ahead of her career,” in addition to “This unusual role for Miss Hepburn brought up the subject of career women vs. wives — and Audrey made it tersely clear that she is by no means living her part.” (November 28, 1960). I chuckled when Audrey and Paul were strolling through Tiffany’s and musing about how the only thing they could afford was a Sterling Silver Rotary Phone Dialer for $6.75.The second big takeaway was the discussion of how “perfect” beauty is less powerful than imperfect beauty. One of my favorite discussions during the #StyleMeSmartly month was:

“The first paragraph on page 8 lists all of Audrey’s physical ‘strangeness’: ‘Her legs were too long, her waist was too small, her feet were too big … and a bust no bigger than two fists, she was hardly desirable.’ And yet we know she’s been considered beautiful for decades. What physical parts of yourself did you used to find ‘strange’ & downplay? Have you learned how to dress for them? Or since accepted them?”

This question gets at a lot of what I and my friends (and our daughters) struggle with. One of the threads this discussion took had to do with the dichotomy between Marilyn Monroe’s physical “perfection” and her insecurities. Whereas Audrey Hepburn had her “strangeness” but she attracted the viewer’s eye and interest nevertheless.

I mentioned that I just finished “The Chaperone.” In one passage, again after Louise’s beauty and popularity have faded, Cora discusses how Louise had never fully come to terms with her insecurities, Cora says (paraphrasing again), “maybe if her face had not been so perfect, if her nose had been askance a bit, she would have had harder times that built stronger character and security.”

I don’t have a perfect body; there has never been a danger of people liking me for what I looked like as a bigger factor than something I said, wrote, or did. But I have seen girls with the perfect physical components of beauty ruin it with poor posture, poor attitude, or poor confidence. I have seen women with hardly any “traditional” beauty attributes exude beauty based on how they act, how they wear their clothes, how they carry themselves, how they meet their goals. In one reference to how Audrey carried herself, the author talks about how Audrey’s background as a dancer influenced her presence. He says, “She wasn’t dancing, but she might as well have been.” (p. 9). I also agree with the author’s contention, in a discussion of the famous “Little Black Dress,” that “pure understatement radiates confidence.” (p. 130)

My next to last “big takeaway” is the immersion into New York City images. If you know me, you know how fond I am of NYC, and I got my fill between the book and the movie. Now I know that “Dinty Moore” is more than a stew (it was a celebrity hot spot in the 50′s). I loved the line in Breakfast at Tiffany’s where Audrey says to Paul, “We’ll spend a whole day doing things we’ve never done before.” What an adventure in NYC. I loved that they went to the model boat pond, mirroring an experience I have shared with my daughter. I loved the simplicity of Audrey singing “Moon River” on her balcony – simple and profound moments in your life can happen with an urban cacophony right around the corner. The passion for New York that infuses all of this #StyleMeSmartly concept is why I called this post “Fifth Avenue, 5 a.m., Or Any Time.” I would happily ensconce myself on Fifth Avenue at 5 a.m. ….or any time!

Lastly, I can’t let go of this post without pointing out Mr. Wasson’s incredibly fine use of vocabulary on page 40, a passage referring to Audrey’s first visit to Givenchy’s showroom, where she was tasked with choosing a wardrobe for Breakfast at Tiffany’s: “To those who looked on, she betrayed no sign of the uneasiness she might have felt at having to make such an expensive and indeed perspicacious decision.”

 

Wordless Wednesday (Grateful to Greensboro Edition)

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For 30 years, the small town of Greensboro, Florida, has hosted a 5K race the morning of every 4th of July. I have enjoyed several of these races. The small town “Americana” feel, the ride in a school bus out to the starting line in the middle of a cow pasture, the post-race breakfast, the children wearing themselves out at a bounce house are just some of the images that flash through my mind as I reminisce.

Tomorrow is the last time that the Greensboro race will be run; apparently the organizers have decided that it is time for this tradition to end.

I won’t be at tomorrow’s race, but I am certainly sad to see it go. It holds a special place in my running memories.

I can only find one picture from Greensboro. This picture reflects the respect and reverence with which all things American and all service people are treated in Greensboro, on July 4 especially.

Thank you, Greensboro, for the spectacularly Southern memories. 

The Sahel – Why It Matters

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When I read audiobooks, sometimes a passage goes by and I find myself driving along, thinking “did I really hear what I think I heard?” That was the case in a passage of Dreams of Joy by Lisa See when the protagonists are traveling from Shanghai into the countryside, to rescue a family member from starvation during the Great Chinese Famine. As Pearl drives along, she and her companion discover a field where people are in holes. The people are alive, but they can’t get out of the holes (they have been left to die). At first Pearl sees just one person, and she is starting to think of how she can rescue the person. Then she sees that the field is filled with others in the same situation. She is resigned to the fact that she can help no one as her companion Z.G. reminds her that they are on their way to rescue their own flesh and blood.


Like Pearl, when I learned from OxFam America of the desperate situation in the Sahel, and the need to put this situation back in the minds of people, I wondered what I could say or do that would make a difference to even one person in the Sahel. The difference between Pearl’s situation and mine is that she existed in a work of fiction (although the famine was very real); the people of the Sahel are at the epicenter of a crisis and their situation is very, very “non fiction” and we do not have to leave them behind to die.


Photo credit: Oxfam International
First, the basic facts:
The Sahel is a region of West Africa, spanning the southern border of the Sahara Desert, where drought and rising food prices have put an estimated 18 million people at risk of hunger. This number is very likely to increase in coming weeks.
Photo Source: Earth System Research Laboratory
Harvests were poor last year, and drought this year threatens to exacerbate a situation that is already dire. People forage for wild food and search anthills for bits of grain.
 “The situation is difficult here. There’s a problem of rain. It’s been irregular,” said Founé Danfakha, a 60-year-old grandmother of four from Bembou, Senegal, who grows rice, maize, and groundnuts to feed her entire household. “If there’s not enough rain, there won’t be a harvest. And if there is no seed, there’ll be no harvest.”

1 million children are at risk of acute malnutrition.  Parents are forced to sell essential tools and livestock in order to feed their families.What can you and I do to help any of these 18 million people? There are several things.

Donate online via this link. Oxfam America always aims to use your gift to help build lasting solutions to poverty (as opposed to short term fixes).
Spread the word about this issue. Even if you can’t donate right now, you can raise awareness; that can make a difference too. This infographic presents the facts really well. These facts speak for themselves; they go beyond numbers and stats about this crisis; they speak to my heart and emotions.
Support community development When I tweeted on Friday about my plans to blog about the Sahel this weekend, @martinpenner suggested this:

I must admit, I have a lot to learn about what can be done to increase community resiliency. It is mentioned in this informative and compelling article by Nathalie Bonvin as a key strategy to impacting this problem. Gotta say, Martin, learning more is on my to-do list!

Teach your children. Those of you who know me personally know that I am a big believer in “showing” children the issues that exist in our world rather than only “telling” them. I have only been able to travel internationally to see poverty (and the most incredible people) first hand, but that week taught my teenager (and me) more than any book ever could. Show your children what you can; encourage them to care. Few of us can travel; everyone can watch a YouTube video:
 
Spread the word. In our age of social media connectedness, it is easy to forget that the old fashioned method (conversing) works just as well. That was the case for me yesterday when I was telling people about preparing for this blog. Face to face — mom to mom — friend to friend — sometimes the most elegant way to ignite interest is to invite someone to learn along with you by saying, “I’m learning about the Sahel – have you or your child heard of it?”
There are several graphics here that can be shared via Facebook and Twitter.
Speaking of spreading the word, celebrities are investing their time and fame to help remediate the funding lag that exists. These celebrities include Kristin Davisand Djimon Hounsou.
I agree with Hounsou: “To some of us, this problem is a world away and is easy to ignore, but I implore you to pay attention.”
 Visit Djimon Hounsou’s personal fundraising/awareness page here.



The Sahel – Why It Matters

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When I read audiobooks, sometimes a passage goes by and I find myself driving along, thinking “did I really hear what I think I heard?” That was the case in a passage of Dreams of Joy by Lisa See when the protagonists are traveling from Shanghai into the countryside, to rescue a family member from starvation during the Great Chinese Famine. As Pearl drives along, she and her companion discover a field where people are in holes. The people are alive, but they can’t get out of the holes (they have been left to die). At first Pearl sees just one person, and she is starting to think of how she can rescue the person. Then she sees that the field is filled with others in the same situation. She is resigned to the fact that she can help no one as her companion Z.G. reminds her that they are on their way to rescue their own flesh and blood.


Like Pearl, when I learned from OxFam America of the desperate situation in the Sahel, and the need to put this situation back in the minds of people, I wondered what I could say or do that would make a difference to even one person in the Sahel. The difference between Pearl’s situation and mine is that she existed in a work of fiction (although the famine was very real); the people of the Sahel are at the epicenter of a crisis and their situation is very, very “non fiction” and we do not have to leave them behind to die.

Photo credit: Oxfam International
First, the basic facts:
The Sahel is a region of West Africa, spanning the southern border of the Sahara Desert, where drought and rising food prices have put an estimated 18 million people at risk of hunger. This number is very likely to increase in coming weeks.
Harvests were poor last year, and drought this year threatens to exacerbate a situation that is already dire. People forage for wild food and search anthills for bits of grain.
 “The situation is difficult here. There’s a problem of rain. It’s been irregular,” said Founé Danfakha, a 60-year-old grandmother of four from Bembou, Senegal, who grows rice, maize, and groundnuts to feed her entire household. “If there’s not enough rain, there won’t be a harvest. And if there is no seed, there’ll be no harvest.”

1 million children are at risk of acute malnutrition. Parents are forced to sell essential tools and livestock in order to feed their families.What can you and I do to help any of these 18 million people? There are several things.

Donate online via this link. Oxfam America always aims to use your gift to help build lasting solutions to poverty (as opposed to short term fixes).
Spread the word about this issue. Even if you can’t donate right now, you can raise awareness; that can make a difference too. This infographic presents the facts really well. These facts speak for themselves; they go beyond numbers and stats about this crisis; they speak to my heart and emotions.
Support community development When I tweeted on Friday about my plans to blog about the Sahel this weekend, @martinpenner suggested this:


I must admit, I have a lot to learn about what can be done to increase community resiliency. It is mentioned in this informative and compelling article by Nathalie Bonvin as a key strategy to impacting this problem. Gotta say, Martin, learning more is on my to-do list!
Teach your children. Those of you who know me personally know that I am a big believer in “showing” children the issues that exist in our world rather than only “telling” them. I have only been able to travel internationally to see poverty (and the most incredible people) first hand, but that week taught my teenager (and me) more than any book ever could. Show your children what you can; encourage them to care. Few of us can travel; everyone can watch a YouTube video:


Spread the word. In our age of social media connectedness, it is easy to forget that the old fashioned method (conversing) works just as well. That was the case for me yesterday when I was telling people about preparing for this blog. Face to face — mom to mom — friend to friend — sometimes the most elegant way to ignite interest is to invite someone to learn along with you by saying, “I’m learning about the Sahel – have you or your child heard of it?”
There are several graphics here that can be shared via Facebook and Twitter.
Speaking of spreading the word, celebrities are investing their time and fame to help remediate the funding lag that exists. These celebrities include Kristin Davis and Djimon Hounsou.
I agree with Hounsou: “To some of us, this problem is a world away and is easy to ignore, but I implore you to pay attention.”
 Visit Djimon Hounsou’s personal fundraising/awareness page here.