HUGE Congratulations to all!

Dear Correspondents -

I have at last have returned home from a long week of travel - and I am here to shout congratulations from the tallest mountaintop for all of your accomplishments successfully completing the program!!!! My heart is bursting with pride for each and every one of you - your stories and voices have opened new worlds for me, awakened emotions and yearnings I didn't know I had, and strengthened my resolve to do all I can in the coming years to continue to lift your stories to millions more so we can collectively shift the world. I have no doubt that you will all go far.

As you know, this is just the beginning - this network is forever - you all are the historical first inaugural class!! We are starting the process of reviewing how we can improve the program thanks to your suggestions and designing the next steps with the Global Correspondents Network. Thank you for your patience as we lay plans for this special network in the coming weeks. World Pulse is now beginning to explore new alliances with other media outlets and we hope to be able to offer even more opportunities for your stories to reach new audiences over time.

Also, a special congratulations to Malaypinas, Sunita and Jackie. As you know the selection process was torturous. In truth, we wanted to select everyone and bring everyone, because each of your writings and unique voices would blow audiences away. If only we could!! Ugh!! We made our final selections in mind, however, knowing that these would be the three women with a very special responsibility to lift , not only their own stories, but the voices of the entire Voices of Our Future network. So as they travel and speak -- you will all feel the ripples and waves of the bigger audiences their voices awaken online. They will carry you on their shoulders, in their pockets and under their tongues. Web 2.0 is about community, and and our brand of citizen journalism about using our voices on behalf of our communities. These three women will be a voice for all of us, paving a way for your own voices to be heard by more people.

I am humbled, I am awed by you. I find myself sometimes crying, sometimes smiling to myself as I look out the window of an airplane recalling your words, sometimes waking in the middle of the night, practically feeling your fingers hitting the keyboards transmitting fresh messages. Ok, I am addicted to you! Hee. And I think it is safe to say the same thing about the whole team. We love you!

Shaking your hands and sending hugs all around to 21 nations.

Love,
Jensine