TATD: Fighting for Social Justice with TREE

 

Often times we think about the disparity minorities face and feel helpless.  However, there are people working towards equality and making an impact each day, fighting for the justice of those who are wronged, neglected and discriminated against.  Together Restoring Economic Empowerment, or TREE, is an example of a group making great efforts in fighting injustice.

 

 

Interview with TREE founder, Abre’ Conner 

 

When was TREE established and who created the organization?

Together Restoring Economic Empowerment (TREE) was founded in January 2015 with the goal of serving young people of color through social media platforms and on the ground community programming. Prior to the widespread media coverage on water issues in Flint and the keystone pipeline crisis emphasizing the importance for young people of color to engage in environmental justice conversation in various spaces, TREE created an infrastructure for rapid response to environmental justice, economic justice, and entertainment diversity and media bias.

Meet Cheyenne, Blogger of Little Girl.

While scrolling through my IG feed one day, I stumbled across Cheyenne’s account.  I saw she was a blogger living in Orlando, so of course I had to check out her site, Little Girl.

Moving to Florida after her boyfriend, Rafael Ramos, signed to play soccer for Orlando City S.C., Cheyenne created a blog documenting her experiences and adventures as an immigrant and resident of O-Town.

Much like Lorraine Ladish’s Viva Fifty! site, Little Girl. is a bilingual blog, incorporating both English and Portuguese language.

It’s so interesting to read someone’s experiences transitioning in Orlando, especially when it is a place that I call home.

Meet the Lovely Lorraine Ladish

 

As I’m sure you all can gather from my previous posts, BlogHer 17 was a spectacular experience!  I met so many kind, inspirational and ambitious people.  Bloggers are true, dedicated hustlers!  It isn’t as easy as it may seem.

While sitting in one of the BlogHer sessions, I felt a particularly special connection with panelist Lorraine Ladish.  There is just something about her!  Her energy, her story and certainly her good-hearted advice.

So of course, I had to interview her!

Ladish is the CEO and founder of Viva Fifty! , a bilingual (Spanish & English) site celebrating life when reaching 50+.  Although I, and most of my audience, am at the early stages of life, it is so rewarding to gain wisdom from those older than us.

Age and culture should be equally celebrated at all ages!  Viva Life!

 

 

 

 

 

Meet Lorraine Ladish

 

Tell me a bit about where you grew up.  How did it shape your character?

Dear Anti-Racists: The Time to Act Is Now

Are you against racism?  Are you appalled by the rally in Charlottesville carried on by repulsive, tiki torch carrying neo-Nazi/KKK white supremacist bigots?  Are you feeling bitter or sad that a life was lost due to pure hatred?

If you said yes to any of these, then read on.

The problem with countering racism in the current state of this country is that we are too passive.  We are either lazy, scared, afraid of judgement or believe that we are incapable of making a difference.  It is time we wake up people!  We need to be able to say we did something to prevent the spread of hate and intolerance, not remorse after every gruesome aftermath!  A hashtag won’t save us.  A meek retweet won’t change the country.  It takes so much more than that.

Meet Antonio: Polyglot & World Traveler

 

Don’t you just love looking at aesthetic Instagram feeds?  From mouthwatering food pics to cute new outfit ideas, IG definitely knows how to lure people in.

My favorite feeds are the ones that allow me to dream.  Ones that show me what the beautiful world has to offer.  @mikeantonio‘s feed is one of those special, dream-inducing accounts.

Blogger (polyglotabroad.com) and student, Antonio, grew up in the States, but now lives the life of a constant traveler.  Trekking his way through countries within South America, Europe, the Mediterranean and more, Antonio journeys with an open mind.  He immerses himself in each culture and allows it to shape his character and overall outlook on life.  In fact he speaks 4 languages fluently (English, Italian, Portuguese and Spanish) and 4 conversationally (Arabic, Croatian, Greek and French)!

He lives his life with the ultimate goal of becoming a global citizen.  If that isn’t inspirational, I don’t know what is!

Best Quotes from ‘I’m Judging You’ by Luvvie Ajayi

 

When Luvvie Ajayi walked onto the BlogHer 17 stage this past June, I instantly fell in love with her authenticity and sensational sense of humor.  Luvvie is the type of person that will tell it to you straight.  I respect that so much!

The outstanding and hilarious Luvvie Ajayi.

Quintessentially American: Meet Ash from Sri Lanka

Hey everyone!  I apologize for not posting last Tuesday.  I had a rather hectic week.  I may need to readjust my posting schedule in the next couple of weeks as I am about to enter college.  I will keep you posted on that : )

During my senior year of high school, I had the pleasure of meeting this week’s Quintessentially American subject.  Ash’s story is particularly interesting as she not only experienced being an immigrant in the United States, but also in England.  She has such a diversified and intelligent perspective on culture and how it defines us as human beings.

I hope you enjoy and learn from her story as much as I did!

4 Interesting Origins of Fourth of July Favorites

 

Happy Independence Day to all my fellow Americans!

I hope your day is filled with delicious barbecue and fireworks galore!  As this is a blog that celebrates diversity and culture, I thought it might be fun to showcase the origins of our most cherished Fourth of July customs and treats.

BlogHer 17 Generates Women Empowerment

 

“Vagina!”

We all screamed the word at the top of our lungs.  I look at the hundreds of women surrounding me. Some a bit bashful, others unapologetically bold.

“Come on!” Vagisil CEO, Keech Combe-Shetty, prompted us from the BlogHer 17 stage.

“Vagina!  We all came from them, half of us have them and the other half spends most of their lives trying to get back in them.”

Being a woman in this world remains challenging.

According to the World Economic Forum, the United States of America comes in at #45 in terms of gender equality. 44 countries outperform us!  What is up with the number 45 cursing American society within the past couple of years?

Orlando Spreads Pride and Acceptance

 

For more than 365 days, I struggled with the gripping reality that a block away from my high school, now Alma mater, 49 innocent lives were mercilessly taken.

The sad thing about living so close to tragedy is the instinctual human impulse to numb the pain.  To move on and try to forget.  Remembering hurts too much.

In these tough and trying times, we, the people of Orlando, defied human nature.

No, we did not wallow in our sorrows.

No, we did not forget our pain.