What is the change YOU are being in this world? Telling the story of change, one woman's voice at a time.

I feel so humbled and small. So many good fights are being fought by the women that answer the World Pulse call of “One voice at a time, millions of voices strong” to start a social change that empowers women and will revolutionize the world.

My own personal fights are tiny. So tiny compared to the ones I read from the amazing women on this platform. But, I'll share my little story with you. From an early age, I've been a non-conformist. I grew up in a conservative immigrant Egyptian family in Canada. What I was taught is to respect your parents and obey the rules. But, every fibre of my being has always told me to question rules, point out the inconsistencies, denounce fallacies and double standards... I've fought with family members to defend my “justice for all” perspective, even if that's meant that I would be called names and told ridiculous things like “You don't understand anything. It's wrong because, it is wrong.”

Women are the change. We shouldn't be told we don't understand. As such, it is your voices that I'm here to hear from, here to learn from and here to document. I want to start a project that binds all the strong women together. And that begins with one simple thing...Hearing and recording your voices! (Ok, and, maybe your face on a Webcam...but, only if you feel comfortable with that)

Here's the deal...I'm planning to go to the World Social Forum in Dakar in February 2011 and I want to put together a participatory workshop about women being the change they are seeing in the world and recording the positive, inspiring stories of strong women for this video project. And, I want this journey to start before the World Social Forum and with YOU. Yup....YOU! I want to collect as many women's voices of change. The idea is to get as many of you to answer this question: “What is the change YOU are being in this world?” Using Skype and the power of Web 2.0, I will record and put together the voices and faces from women all over the world to inspire the women I will meet at the World Social Forum in Dakar to tell their own stories. I want to make your voices a catalyst.

If you would like to take part in this project, it's simple! Here's what you have to do:

1) ADD me on SKYPE (www.skype.com) My user name is: nellybassily

2) We chat on SKYPE a little. We get to learn about each other. :) (I can converse with you in five different languages: English, French, Arabic, Spanish and Portuguese or you can teach me a new word in your mother tongue!)

3) I record your answer through Webcam or audio (your choice) to the following question: What is the change YOU are being in this world?

ARE YOU IN? Think you might know another woman who would be perfect to answer this question? Tell her to contact me on Skype! (or email me: nelly.bassily@gmail.com )

Thanks and hope to hear from as many of you as possible! :D
Much love and solidarity.