VOF Week 4: Our Voices Matter

I hope to live my life in a way that is: 1) true to my divine existence, 2) consistent with what my ancestors wished, fought and died for, 3) in harmony with Mother Nature, 4) sustainable, 5) full of light and love.

My vision for my community is also my vision for the world: I know that we can all interact in ways that encourage love, respect, connectedness, empathy, open-mindedness, support, understanding, and acceptance. I believe that all of us have these qualities inherent in us, but ideally there are socialization processes where these qualities can be promoted and sustained.

In my self-development journey, I learn a great deal from others. In turn, I share this information with as many people as possible. I hope to be even a tiny part of educating the public about the needs of women and girls of African descent, a population that is often invisible in large-scale global women movements and too often perceived from a charity model, victim-status perspective.

Although we have specific global needs, I recognize that all of us have needs. My sisters are strong and powerful, often at the grassroots level where others don’t see us. We are diverse individuals, not one monolithic group. Personalized interaction helps us to connect and sharing the stories of our lives can make us more likely to bond toward common goals and causes.

It is my hope that women and girls will learn to use social media to express themselves, giving individual and collective voices to those who are historically marginalized and disenfranchised. As users of new technology and active participants in the development of their own media, we can all become agents of social change. Traditional media, educators, and youth are beginning to understand that these acts are revolutionary in their audacity and authenticity. There is a movement to reclaim our relevance and share our vision. Our voices matter.

Becoming a World Pulse Correspondent can help make this vision a reality. I would like to become a World Pulse Correspondent because it is a unique opportunity to participate in an exciting and relevant movement. It has been a long time coming; we are finally reclaiming our voices. I believe that I can make a positive difference as an active participant in the movement.

As a Correspondent for World Pulse, I can gain new skills and insights while increasing alliances and collaborative opportunities. With the development of new skills in Web 2.0, citizen journalism, coaching and support, I can share these tools with other women and girls, as well as educate the public. We are naturally powerful by design and there is power in our voices.

Due to technology, we can engage ourselves as agents of social change whenever and wherever we are. Being a part of a global women’s movement has never been like this before! Whether I am on an island in the Caribbean listening to the sounds of the ocean waves, in Ghana buying fabric in a local marketplace, or sitting at my desk in New Jersey, I will still be involved, inspired, and connected. When I communicate, people will read my words, listen, and even respond. Why? Because my voice matters.