Weekly Action Alerts- 2.26
This week, you'll be standing up for immigrants and our LGBTQ friends, and amping up to participate in "A Day Without A Woman".
Weekly Action Alert- 2.13
Our very first Weekly Action Alert is all about getting to know yourself, those
representing you, and what you feel most passionately about fighting for. Plus,
sign one very important petition!
Weekly Action Alerts
You all know how important my activism and charity is to me, and how strongly I believe in the importance of each of us doing our part to make our world a better place for everyone and everything living in. As Alice Walker put it, "activism is our rent for living on this planet".
We can not rely on others to to fight our fight. We must not sit on our hands and expect other people to stand up for the oppressed and the silenced, to speak up on behalf of those who have no voice, to fight for peace and to solve the problems we face in this world. We especially cannot rely on our government. We must get out there as individuals and do the work ourselves. And we should never fall into the trap of thinking that we, as individuals, don't make a difference or impact the bigger picture. It is the collective force of average people like you or I that produces the most power, the most change. After all, we are stronger together.
It's so important to get involved, stay active and make our voices heard, especially given our current political climate. I get a lot of emails with questions from people who want to do more, so I'm super excited to be starting a new series called WEEKLY ACTION ALERTS, where I will put together a few different ways each week to take action on important issues. I will highlight different organizations and charities, petitions to sign, important phone calls you can make, upcoming protests, and more!
Peace and love,
Ash
Relevant Reads:
The Busy Girl's Guide: To Being Charitable
Feeling Broken By The Election? Here's What You Can Do About It
How To Help Preserve Your Reproductive Rights
We can not rely on others to to fight our fight. We must not sit on our hands and expect other people to stand up for the oppressed and the silenced, to speak up on behalf of those who have no voice, to fight for peace and to solve the problems we face in this world. We especially cannot rely on our government. We must get out there as individuals and do the work ourselves. And we should never fall into the trap of thinking that we, as individuals, don't make a difference or impact the bigger picture. It is the collective force of average people like you or I that produces the most power, the most change. After all, we are stronger together.
It's so important to get involved, stay active and make our voices heard, especially given our current political climate. I get a lot of emails with questions from people who want to do more, so I'm super excited to be starting a new series called WEEKLY ACTION ALERTS, where I will put together a few different ways each week to take action on important issues. I will highlight different organizations and charities, petitions to sign, important phone calls you can make, upcoming protests, and more!
Peace and love,
Ash
Relevant Reads:
The Busy Girl's Guide: To Being Charitable
Feeling Broken By The Election? Here's What You Can Do About It
How To Help Preserve Your Reproductive Rights
No Ban, No Wall
The gathering at airports around the nation the last couple of days in protest to the Muslim Ban have been nothing short of inspiring, and a clear message that the people will fight every attempt to instill hate in this country. The executive order Trump signed Friday suspended resettlement of Syrian refugees indefinitely, suspended all other refugee resettlement for 120 days, and banned the entry of nationals from predominately Muslim countries- Iraq, Syria, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia, and Yemen- for 90 days.
Trump's anti-Muslim policy is first and foremost unconstitutional. One of the principal beliefs of which our country was founded is that we have freedom of belief. The ban violates the first Amendment’s Establishment Clause, which prohibits the government from preferring or disfavoring any religion, as well as the Equal Protection Clause, the part of the Fourteenth Amendment that guarantees that everyone is entitled to equal protection under the law.
Beyond being illegal, Trump's Muslim Ban is immoral and inhumane. He is turning away refugees- families, women and children- that have managed to survive a brutal civil war and are at risk of being killed. Closing our borders to anyone, let alone some of the most vulnerable people in the world is outrageous.
I hope that other cities across the nation follow suit and that we can collectively refuse Trump's illegal and inhumane immigration policies, and instead opt for inclusiveness and respect for individual rights, and stand together to fight for our Muslim brothers and sisters and those that seek refuge from the horrors that face them at home.
I have been hysterical the last couple of days over this brutal ban accompanied by those who were detained. But I continue to be so moved by how we have been banning together in such large numbers in resistance to hate and in support of those being attacked. As sad and as anxious as I find myself consistently these days, you all really act as a big shoulder to lean on, and proof that there is hope so long as we continue to fight. We are better than this, and we must continue to rise up and demand that our country lives up it's ideals, our individual ideals, of inclusiveness and equality for all. Refugees and immigrants are welcome here!
Thank you to the ACLU for your work in blocking this ban, to all the attorneys working pro bono to fight for those detained, and thank YOU for your continued activism. Stay loud!
Piers Morgan Did Not Attend The Women's March & His Reasons Really Piss Me Off
My thoughts about the negative sentiment that has been surrounding the Women's March and feminism itself.
Come Together, Right Now
I am so grateful to the millions of brothers and sisters around the world who
participated in the Women's March on Saturday. I (not surprisingly) spent the
majority of the march in tears. I was, and still am, so overwhelmed by the
whole experience, the day, the energy, the love and what it all means for the
future.
The day was a surreal reflection of how a polarity of people around the world are feeling, and evidence that they will no longer stand for misogyny, xenophobia, violence towards women, discrimination, and other harmful issues. Over 2 million people marched against Trump and for peace in Washington D.C., Chicago, L.A., and NYC alone, and over 670 marches took place worldwide- what turned out to be the biggest inaugural protest in history!
I marched
For girls who cannot get an education. For those who are
forced to marry. For those who can't even drive a car. I marched for girls and
women who have been victims of sexual violence. I marched for my dark skin
sisters. For my muslim sisters. For my sister, who is gay, and for the entire
LGBTQ community. I marched for the children. Immigrants. Minorities. The disabled. I
marched for those who's voices are quieted. I marched for those who don't feel
strong. I marched for equal pay. For reproductive rights. For the right to my
body and for your right to yours. I marched because I want more women if
positions of power. I marched for social, economic and gender equality. I marched for justice. I marched because in
times of war and in peace talks women are rarely at the table. I marched
because rape culture is real. Because women are misrepresented in the media.
I marched for you. For me. For her. For those before us. For those
after us.
And when I fight, I am fighting for everyone- for a better world. MLK said it best- "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere". When women are attacked, we are all attacked, and it isn't until women obtain equal rights that we will see less poverty, less hunger, more peace, and a safer, healthier, more thriving world for all of us.
Everyone had their reasons for marching, but the message was all the same for the marchers across the world- we stand in solidarity for peace, love, justice and equality for all women, all people. We can, and we will, come together in undeniable numbers as a collective force and fight for these very things, settling for nothing short.
I have a feeling we as individuals, and as a community, with never be the same because of the Women's March. A fire has been lit that cannot be smothered by hate and ignorance. I hope that fire continues to burn in each of you. That we can each pass the flame with love to the next and let it spread like wildfire across the globe as a symbol of peace, love and community. We are all one. We must stand up for one another. We must empower and protect each other. For we are not free or safe until we all are. When a group of us is hungry, broken, attacked, suffering- WE ALL ARE.
I have a feeling we as individuals, and as a community, with never be the same because of the Women's March. A fire has been lit that cannot be smothered by hate and ignorance. I hope that fire continues to burn in each of you. That we can each pass the flame with love to the next and let it spread like wildfire across the globe as a symbol of peace, love and community. We are all one. We must stand up for one another. We must empower and protect each other. For we are not free or safe until we all are. When a group of us is hungry, broken, attacked, suffering- WE ALL ARE.
Come together, right now.
On the shoulders of those who came before us, and in service of generations to come....
On the shoulders of those who came before us, and in service of generations to come....
xx
Ash
READS TO REFERENCE
The Busy Girl's Guide To: Giving Back This Holiday Season
From playing Santa to underprivileged kids to helping vulnerable women achieve their dreams, here are 5 new, fun ways to give back this Holiday season!
What A Trump Presidency Means For Women's Health & How To Help Preserve Your Reproductive Rights
The outcome of the election has likely left you feeling very
anxious about the future of reproductive rights in America, and the
possibility of facing a huge set back for women's reproductive rights. Here, a
breakdown of President-Elect Trump's policy promises surrounding women's
health, plus what you can do help preserve your reproductive rights.
Feeling Broken By The Election? Here's What You Can Do About It
Now, more openly than ever in recent years, we are witnessing xenophobia, sexism, homophobia, racism and bigotry in full force, and our President Elect is leading it all. There is so much to be angry about and so much work to be done.
It is important for all us to speak up, and using social media as a platform to show our solidarity on these issues is a modern genius. However, our words, our anger, is not enough.
Do not rely on others to make the changes for you- to stand up for the oppressed and the silenced, to stand up for peace, to solve the problems we face in this world. We especially cannot rely on our government. We must get out there as individuals and do the work ourselves. Get involved with organizations you believe in, donate your time, your money, and make a positive impact. Most importantly, get involved at your local and state level, speak with officials, ask them to stand with you and fight for what you believe in, because this is where big change happens.
The collective force of each of our fight will be the only thing to save us. We have survived horrible parts of history before, including some not so great presidents, and we will do it again. Let's not mourn- let's organize. Here, how you can do your part!!
It is important for all us to speak up, and using social media as a platform to show our solidarity on these issues is a modern genius. However, our words, our anger, is not enough.
Do not rely on others to make the changes for you- to stand up for the oppressed and the silenced, to stand up for peace, to solve the problems we face in this world. We especially cannot rely on our government. We must get out there as individuals and do the work ourselves. Get involved with organizations you believe in, donate your time, your money, and make a positive impact. Most importantly, get involved at your local and state level, speak with officials, ask them to stand with you and fight for what you believe in, because this is where big change happens.
The collective force of each of our fight will be the only thing to save us. We have survived horrible parts of history before, including some not so great presidents, and we will do it again. Let's not mourn- let's organize. Here, how you can do your part!!
Election Reflection
Myself, and half of the American population, are frightened
and anxious by what the next few years will bring. I, likely like you, have no
words for how I am feeling. I cry for women that continue to be suppressed and oppressed. I cry for my fellow brothers and sisters that are being targeted for their religion, their ethnicity or for the color of their skin, for the disabled that are being mocked, for the LGBTQ community. I cry for this country and the millions of people that have chosen hate.
The world's worst nightmare is now leading this country, with half of the American population behind him. I, like so many of us, would have never imagined the number of hate-filled, ignorant people living among us that are hell bent on tearing this country apart, and it is a mind shattering wake-up call to how much work there is to be done in order to achieve full autonomy in that peaceful world that we dream of.With things like Obamacare, the EPA and women's reproductive rights likely the first to go, and a massive deportation of our immigrants close behind them (and that's just the beginning), anxiety levels and fear are understandably high.
Dark times lay ahead, no doubt. But where we are at now is only one step in the journey of this country. It is a true today as it was in the humble beginning of this country that there are highs and dark lows, each accompanied with uncertainty and unknowns. We are survived everything thus far, and will survive the next few years all the same, because there is nothing outside our collective abilities that we cannot accomplish with enough drive, enough force and enough fight.
We may have fear, but we must not be intimated. We must not kneel! We must fight for equality, for inclusiveness, for love. We must be warriors and champions for our cause. Now, more than ever, we must stand together and fight. Fight Trump, and his supporters in government. Fight any intimidation. Fight against efforts to weaken NATO, against efforts to deport undocumented Mexican immigrants, against bans on Muslim immigrants, against encouraging our allies to develop nuclear weapons. Fight against misogyny, sexism, racism, bigotry, homophobia, xenophobia.
Every great revolution, from civil rights to women's rights, and beyond, was achieved because ordinary people like you and I came together and fought. We no longer have the luxury of sitting back and not participating in democracy, we no longer have the ability to not be an activist. Every one of us must do their part.
Our resolve, our courage and our love is what will define history. Hate can win the day, but it cannot win history.
The Busy Girl's Guide: To Helping The Environment
Thinking about the state of our planet can be very daunting. We don't all have a boat load of resources at our fingertips to dedicate to saving our Earth but don't let that deter you from doing your part. Our combined small efforts make a a gigantic difference! Here, 8 small things you can do to reduce your carbon footprint and be on your way to saving the planet.
The Best Of Lenny Letter: The Women & The Messages
If you haven't heard of Lenny Letter, you need to get up to date and on the band wagon, along with the rest of its 400,000+ subscribers. The feminist weekly newsletter was started by Lena Dunham to give young females a platform to voice feminist issues. There is so much good shit to read on Lenny, but by far the most engaging are the celebrity interviews and first-person essays- which include a roster of the likes of Hillary Clinton, Gloria Steinem and Jennifer Lawrence. From celebrity written essays on body shaming, the wage gap, and beyond, to an interview with a feminist icon, check out my favorite Lenny Letter moments thus far.
The Busy Girl's Guide To: Being Charitable
There is no force more powerful than the collective power of ordinary people.
You can help mold the bigger picture in these four simple steps!
You can help mold the bigger picture in these four simple steps!
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