The Girl Effect
I’m honored to be joining forces with Tara Sophia Mohr and so many others to spread the word about The Girl Effect:
Given the chance, girls are uniquely capable of investing in their communities and making their lives, and the lives of their brothers, sisters and communities, better.
This is the ripple effect that happens when girls are given the support to realise their full potential. This is the Girl Effect.
To unleash it, we need to make the great, untapped, potential of girls known and visible both in their own societies and the rest of the world.
There’s no better way to fuel the Girl Effect than by spreading the word and letting others know what it’s all about.
~
I became an entrepreneur when I was twelve years old. My mom and I moved into a townhouse development after my parent’s divorce, so I had easy access to rows and rows of potential customers for my lawn mowing/car washing/baby sitting empire. I created flyers, made copies, and took them door to door. I secured a few customers and enjoyed my first experiences as an independent business owner.
It was incredibly easy.
I was healthy, I had a home, I was fed, and I lived in a safe neighborhood. I also had my own lawnmower ~ a small push mower, the likes of which I haven’t seen in years. Such simple tools and fundamental circumstances, not to mention the fact that there wasn’t anyone in my family or community discouraging me from going out, working hard, and earning my own money.
Not all girls have such extraordinary opportunities, and I’ve chosen to be a part of The Girl Effect campaign in honor of my twelve-year old self and those first steps I was able to take towards financial independence. That step led me to Swirly, and more than fifteen years as an independent, creative business owner. It all started there.
Learn about The Girl Effect.
Mobilize your own campaign.
Give, and make a difference. Details are here, and you can donate right here.
100 Books Project :: Pisa, Italy
{Book #93, left in Pisa, Italy by Book Fairy Suzanne Sperl.}
When you see the date on Suzanne’s blog entry about her Book Fairy adventure, you are going to give me a D- for promptness. Here’s her lovely story:
I was so honored to be a Book Fairy here in Italy for the lovely Christine Mason Miller. She is pure inspiration and it was a gift to be able to share that with someone over here.
At first I wondered just where and how I should leave her book. I thought of the obvious ~at some infamous tourist location ~ but then I worried that these days an unaccompanied package could conjure up feelings of unease and anxiety. So I thought more about it and decided that a cafe would be perfect. They are such a central location for this culture ~ a place where people meet, rest, watch, relax, unwind, or take in a bit of the day; a place for reflection, a place that resonates much with the pace of life here that has taken hold of my heart.
The day was rainy and cold, but I was hanging out with my dear girlfriend and her family, so the weather didn’t really matter. In fact, the chill was all the excuse we needed to duck into a little cafe and order a round of hot chocolates (in August??? I know but it WAS chilly!) We decided this was the perfect spot to leave the book to brighten up someone’s day ~ a day that may be dimmed otherwise due to the weather. My friend’s daughter helped to translate the message on the book into Italian…and we waited….and waited…and waited. Then as we were getting up to leave, our waiter noticed the book as he was clearing the table behind us. “Oh look what someone left behind,” he exclaimed (in Italian, of course) but then he read the message on the cover again and gently set the book on his tray and went back into the cafe…smiling. Mission accomplished!
What can I say besides Belllissimo!
Desire to Inspire Happenings
This is what I like to call Inspiration Central, where all the latest news and announcements about Desire to Inspire events, happenings, and shenanigans (because there will be shenanigans!) can be found.
Head to my Calendar page for all the latest & greatest in 2012!
2011 Contributor Parade
During the entire month of November 2011, each of the nineteen contributors to Desire to Inspire were introduced right here on my blog. A fun Give Away happened with every interview!
Contributor Love
Carolyn Rubenstein
Christine Castro Hughes
Jamie Ridler
Mary Anne Radmacher
Pixie Campbell
Vineeta Nair
Liz Kalloch
Penelope Dullaghan
Christen Olivarez
Anne Carmack
Tracey Clark
Mindy Tsonas
Carmen Torbus
2011 Online Book Tour
Come with me on a trip around the blogosphere! Direct links to each interview and feature will go up on the date they are posted. For 2012 events, see my Calendar page.
Monday, November 14
Book Excerpt Sneak Preview on Scoutie Girl
Tuesday, November 15
Gypsy Girl’s Guide Contributor Post
Wednesday, November 16
Guest Post on Roots of She
Thursday, November 17
Guest Post + Desire to Inspire Give Away on Shutter Sisters
Friday, November 18 (my birthday!)
Guest Post on Stories of Conflict and Love
Monday, November 21
60-Second Chapter Snippet + Desire to Inspire Give Away on Maya*Made
Tuesday, November 22
Guest Post on This Every Moment
Wednesday, November 23
Contributor Post + Give Away Goodie in The Wish Studio
Live Interview on Mark Lipinski’s Creative Mojo. A podcast of the complete program is right here!
Monday, November 28
Guest Post + Give Away Goodie on Simply Celebrate
Tuesday, November 29
Savor & Serve Interview with Jennifer Louden
Wednesday, November 30
60-Second Chapter Snippet + Give Away Goodie with Creative Thursday
Thursday, December 1
60-Second Chapter Snippet with contributor Marianne Elliott
Friday, December 2
60-Second Chapter Snippet with Jessica Swift
Sunday, December 4
60-Second Chapter Snippet + Give Away Goodie on Kelly Barton’s Sunday Soup
Monday, December 5
Guest Post + Desire to Inspire Give Away with Karen Maezen Miller
Tuesday, December 6
Guest Post on Do What You Love For Life
Wednesday, December 7
Photo Interview + Give Away Goodie with Traci Bautista
Thursday, December 8
Skype Interview with contributor Kate Swoboda
Friday, December 9
60-Second Chapter Snippet + Give Away Goodie with Contributor Carmen Torbus
Monday, December 12
Interview + Desire to Inspire Give Away with Stephanella Walsh
Tuesday, December 13
Podcast Interview with contributor Jamie Ridler
Wednesday, December 14
Interview with Jen Lee
Thursday, December 15
60-Second Chapter Snippet + Give Away Goodie with Contributor Jennifer Lee
And…The Desire to Inspire Book Launch! See photos from the event here.
Friday, December 16
60-Second Chapter Snippet + Give Away Goodie with My Red Tutu
Monday, December 19
We’ll wrap things up with Contributor Carolyn Rubenstein’s A Beautiful Ripple Effect
