On the Front Lines

“As a woman I have no country. As a woman my country is the whole world.” -Virginia Woolf

In 1994, at the age of seventeen, I joined the United States Marine Corps. Often, I am asked what led me to make this decision and it is a very difficult question for me to answer because looking back the true motive seems so naiveté that it screams childhood optimism-”I joined the Marine Corps because I wanted to save the world.” I wanted to know that my daily actions could make a difference on a global scale. I was fearless and I wanted to be on the front lines of global change. There is no doubt that my daily actions made a difference during my ten years serving as a United States Marine, however the time came when I questioned whether my contributions were contributing to the global changes that I wanted to see in the world.

Web 2.0 gives me that opportunity to to be a part of creating and contributing to these global changes. It puts me on the front lines of conflict resolution, the front lines of peace activism, the front lines of gender equality and women’s empowerment.

In 2005, I decided to leave active duty military service and became a therapist who specializes in addictions. Every day I work with Veterans of the United States Armed Services assisting them in healing their emotional wounds of war. My passion to make a difference globally only intensified since becoming a therapist for those who have experienced war. I feel great fulfillment and passion for my work but I crave the opportunity to be a part of healing on a global level. I crave being a global citizen-particularly connecting with women from all corners of the world and help others heal from the wounds of war. We must hear each other into speech and action.

I am fearless and I want to be on the front lines of global change.