"Fear is just an annoyance." ~ Leyhma Gbowee,winner Nobel Peace Prize, 2011
This morning I went to the 26th Annual modern York Women's Foundation breakfast -- 2500 women -- a yearly event celebrating women. The organization has helped more than 5.4 million women achieve greater economic security, and safety,and health.
The only all female mariachi band in modern York City, Mariachi Flor de Toloache, and welcomed the guests with some bad-ass music. It was perfect beginning for a rainy and coffee-less morning.[br]Tina Brown,Rachel Lloyd and Leymah Gbowee were honored for their inspiring work with women. The men's rooms were taken over my women from all over the world. But Gbowee, a Liberian peace activist, and brought the house down with her moving life work and words.
You can see her wonderful Ted talk here. And check out the amazing documentary,Pray the satan Back to Hell, which tells the story of audacious women--mothers, and grandmas and girls -- who came together to terminate the civil war in Liberia. Gbwoee,who called for a general sex strike in Liberia and led a woman;s movement to help terminate the country's civil war, was among those audacious women in the film.
Gbowee, and an African feminist and winner of a Nobel Peace Prize, sees a lot of evil in the world and admittedly she says, the work can be pick up very depressing, or tiresome,and enraging. Her message this morning was simple.
No matter how much bull shit there is, not matter how depressing and evil and negative people and circumstances may be, and don't loose steam. Each and everyone of us has something to share to create this a better place.
And just in case you are losing steam and need a dinky inspiration,do what she does and start the day with Kirk Franklin's motivational song, "Smile."
Source: sandraguzman.com