A Mighty Girl - what an amazing name. And a perfect fit for a business devoted to the empowerment of girls. A Mighty Girl was founded, as a labour of love, by Carolyn Danckaert and Aaron Smith from Washington, D.C.. The founders had spent years looking for empowering and inspirational books for their four young nieces. In the end, they decided to create A Mighty Girl as a resource site to help others equally interested in supporting and celebrating girls. Carolyn and Aaron created their website and blog with the belief that all children should have the opportunity to read books,…

Who is driving our world's newish interest in climate change? Is it the old guard, hanging out in Scotland at the recent Climate Change Summit (UNFCCC COP 26)? They may have the power and the money, but who says they have the courage and commitment needed to make a real difference. Who is generating the groundswell of interest and publicity that political leaders crave? Young people. They have the energy, powerful social media tools and are driving the agenda. So let's harness that energy and use it to get excited about, not just climate change, but any issue that is…

Do you want to feel younger during your retirement years? Of course you do - we all do. And not just in our later years, but at any age. One part of the solution is to figure out how you want to live your life. Or if you are in or near retirement, a new large question may be hanging over your head. What am I going to do with the rest of my life? This is a big question and one I am just starting to get a handle on, I think. So I thought I would share some…

Need more evidence that girls’ education matters? Here are some powerful facts from one of my favourite organizations, Room to Read. Whether or not a girl stays in school has an astounding effect on not simply her quality of life, but that of her future family and community. Educated women earn more Providing girls with one extra year of education beyond average boosts her wages by 10-20%.  Educated women are healthier ​​​​​​​An extra year of girls’ education can reduce infant mortality by 5-10% and can reduce the spread of illness and disease.   Educated women help their country’s economy  When 10% more girls…

It is because of his kind and generous view of creativity and how to live in an ever changing world. Here is what I mean - a brief snippet from his recent blog. (Seth's Blog, October 17, 2021) Here is what Seth says about effort. "And then, perhaps, there’s a third option. Expending more effort than most people think is sufficient. This is attention to detail. Care in design. Follow through in customer service. This is an embrace of elegance and wabisabi and the opposite of laziness. This is bringing care (which is rare and precious) to work even if most people…

The short answer, it looks like the education of girls, in all communities, all around the world. The education of girls in communities where girls are discouraged or even prevented from going to school. The education of girls in families where only the boys have a chance for education and a real future. The continued education of girls past the age when many girls and young women are pressured into early marriage. These are the goals of a compassionate world where we all try to lift up each other and create and nurture opportunities for those with less advantage. A…

Thank you Debbie. I am not a dancer, choreographer, actor, director or producer. But, I do love that you have excelled in all of these ways. And I mean really excelled. It is hard to believe that any one person can be so creative and accomplished. Gail King said it right, "Debbie Allen is a creative supernova." And she did it again at the recent Primetime Emmy Awards, where she was given the Governors Award. The Governors Award is presented to those with an "outstanding achievement in the arts and sciences or management of television which is either of a cumulative nature…

Hania Azimi is becoming more creative and talented everyday. And I really appreciate all of her hard work. Recently, she has learned how to create and edit videos. Below is her first creation about a very important topic. Learning to Read in Your Own Language In this video, Hania reviews the importance and benefits of helping children learn to read in their own language. This helps children to learn to read better and faster. And it also helps them to learn to read in other languages, such as English. As Room to Read co-founder Erin Ganju said, “That’s how children…

I became a monthly donor over the past year and am very glad I did. I had many good reasons to choose Room to Read and to begin donating. Here is my rationale, some of which appears on page two of my website. WHY I BECAME A MONTHLY DONOR Last year I discovered a moving story about a Microsoft executive, John Wood, who came upon a school library in rural Nepal with no books in it – and no money to buy books for the children who attended the school. John grew up loving books and it broke his heart…

I must admit that I don't know much about Garth Brooks. I know a little. I know that he is a widely recognized and decorated country music star. He is one of the bestselling musicians on the planet. IN GOOD COMPANY I learned a little more from his recent appearance. He was one of the outstanding artists selected as Honorees at the 43rd Kennedy Center Honors. He was in good company with four other honorees this year -multi-disciplinary artist, choreographer, and actress Debbie Allen; singer-songwriter and activist Joan Baez; violinist Midori; and actor Dick Van Dyke. The award ceremony was…