A Message From The Creator
A Message From The Creator
“Live life fully while you’re here. Experience everything. Take care of yourself and your friends. Have fun, be crazy, be weird. Go out and screw up! You’re going to anyway, so you might as well enjoy the process. Take the opportunity to learn from your mistakes: find the cause of your problem and eliminate it. Don’t try to be perfect; just be an excellent example of being human.”
― Tony Robbins
Inspirational Woman Of The Day
Rosa Louise Parks
Rosa Louise Parks was nationally recognized as the “mother of the modern day civil rights movement” in America. Her refusal to surrender her seat to a white male passenger on a Montgomery, Alabama bus, December 1, 1955, triggered a wave of protest December 5, 1955 that reverberated throughout the United States. Her quiet courageous act changed America, its view of black people and redirected the course of history.
Mrs. Parks was born Rosa Louise McCauley, February 4, 1913 in Tuskegee, Alabama. She was the first child of James and Leona Edwards McCauley. Her brother, Sylvester McCauley, now deceased, was born August 20, 1915. Later, the family moved to Pine Level, Alabama where Rosa was reared and educated in the rural school. When she completed her educationin Pine Level at age eleven, her mother, Leona, enrolled her in Montgomery Industrial School for Girls (Miss White’s School for Girls), a private institution. After finishing Miss White’s School, she went on to Alabama State Teacher’s College High School. She, however, was unable to graduate with her class, because of the illness of her grandmother Rose Edwards and later her death.
As Rosa Parks prepared to return to Alabama State Teacher’s College, her mother also became ill, therefore, she continued to take care of their home and care for her mother while her brother, Sylvester, worked outside of the home. She received her high school diploma in 1934, after her marriage to Raymond Parks, December 18, 1932. Raymond, now deceased was born in Wedowee, Alabama, Randolph County, February 12, 1903, received little formal education due to racial segregation. He was a self-educated person with the assistance of his mother, Geri Parks. His immaculate dress and his thorough knowledge of domestic affairs and current events made most think he was college educated. He supported and encouraged Rosa’s desire to complete her formal education.
Mr. Parks was an early activist in the effort to free the “Scottsboro Boys,” a celebrated case in the 1930’s. Together, Raymond and Rosa worked in the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP’s) programs. He was an active member and she served as secretary and later youth leader of the local branch. At the time of her arrest, she was preparing for a major youth conference.
After the arrest of Rosa Parks, black people of Montgomery and sympathizers of other races organized and promoted a boycott of the city bus line that lasted 381 days. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was appointed the spokesperson for the Bus Boycott and taught nonviolence to all participants. Contingent with the protest in Montgomery, others took shape throughout the south and the country. They took form as sit-ins, eat-ins, swim-ins, and similar causes. Thousands of courageous people joined the “protest” to demand equal rights for all people.
Mrs. Parks moved to Detroit, Michigan in 1957. In 1964 she became a deaconess in the African Methodist Episcopal Church (AME).
Congressman John Conyers First Congressional District of Michigan employed Mrs. Parks, from 1965 to 1988. In February, 1987, she co-founded the Rosa and Raymond Parks Institute for Self Development with Ms. Elaine Eason Steele in honor of her husband, Raymond (1903-1977). The purpose is to motivate and direct youth not targeted by other programs to achieve their highest potential. Rosa Parks sees the energy of young people as a real force for change. It is among her most treasured themes of human priorities as she speaks to young people of all ages at schools, colleges, and national organizations around the world.
The Rosa and Raymond Parks Institute for Self Development’s “Pathways to Freedom program, traces the underground railroad into the civil rights movement and beyond. Youth, ages 11 through 17, meet and talk with Mrs. Parks and other national leaders as they participate in educational and historical research throughout the world. They journey primarily by bus as “freedom riders” did in the 1960’s,the theme: “Where have we been? Where are we going?”
As a role model for youth she was stimulated by their enthusiasm to learn as much about her life as possible. A modest person, she always encourages them to research the lives of other contributors to world peace. The Institute and The Rosa Parks Legacy are her legacies to people of good will.
Mrs. Parks received more than forty-three honorary doctorate degrees, including one from SOKA UNIVERSITY, Tokyo Japan, hundreds of plaques, certificates, citations, awards and keys to many cities. Among them are the NAACP’s Spingarn Medal, the UAW’s Social Justice Award, the Martin Luther King, Jr. Non – Violent Peace Prize and the ROSA PARKS PEACE PRIZE in 1994, Stockholm Sweden, to name a few. In September 1996 President William J. Clinton, the forty second President of the United States of America gave Mrs. Parks the MEDAL OF FREEDOM, the highest award given to a civilian citizen.
Published Act no.28 of 1997 designated the first Monday following February 4, as Mrs Rosa Parks’ Day in the state of Michigan, her home state. She is the first living person to be honored with a holiday.
She was voted by Time Magazine as one of the 100 most Influential people of the 20th century. A Museum and Library is being built in her honor, in Montgomery, AL and will open in the fall of the year 2000 (ground breaking April 21, 1998). On September 2, 1998 The Rosa L. Parks Learning Center was dedicated at Botsford Commons, a senior community in Michigan. Through the use of computer technology, youth will mentor seniors on the use of computers. (Mrs. Parks was a member of the first graduating class on November 24, 1998). On September 26, 1998 Mrs. Parks was the recipient of the first International Freedom Conductor’s Award by the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center in Cincinnati, Ohio.
She attended her first “State of the Union Address” in January 1999. Mrs. Parks received a unanimous bipartisan standing ovation when President William Jefferson Clinton acknowledged her. Representative Julia Carson of Indianapolis, Indiana introduced H. R. Bill 573 on February 4, 1999, which would award Mrs. Rosa Parks the Congressional Gold Medal of Honor if it passed the House of Representatives and the Senate by a majority. The bill was passed unanimously in the Senate on April 19, and with one descenting vote in the House of Representatives on April 20. President Clinton signed it into law on May 3, 1999. Mrs. Parks was one of only 250 individuals at the time, including the American Red Cross to receive this honor. President George Washington was the first to receive the Congressional Gold Medal of Honor. President Nelson Mandela is also listed among the select few of world leaders who have received the medal.
In the winter of 2000 Mrs. Parks met Pope John-Paul II in St. Louis, MO and read a statement to him asking for racial healing. She received the NAACP Image Award for Best Supporting Actress in the Television series, TOUCHED BY AN ANGEL, “Black like Monica”. Troy State University at Montgomery opened The Rosa Parks Library and Museum on the site where Mrs. Parks was arrested December 1, 1955. It opened on the 45th Anniversary of her arrest and the Montgomery Bus Boycott.
“The Rosa Parks Story” was filmed in Montgomery, Alabama May 2001, an aired February 24, 2002 on the CBS television network. Mrs. Parks continues to receive numerous awards including the very first Lifetime Achievement Award ever given by The Institute for Research on Women & Gender, Stanford University. She received the Gandhi, King, Ikeda award for peace and on October 29, 2003 Mrs. Parks was an International Institute Heritage Hall of fame honoree. On February 4, 2004 Mrs. Parks 91st birthday was celebrated at the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History. On December 21, 2004 the 49th Anniversary of the Mrs. Parks’ arrest was commemorated with a Civil Rights and Hip-Hop Forum at the Franklin Settlement in Detroit, Michigan.
On February 4, 2005 Mrs. Parks’ 92nd birthday was celebrate at Calvary Baptist Church in Detroit, MI. Students from the Detroit Public Schools did “Willing to be Arrested,” a reenactment of Mrs. Parks arrest. February 6, 2005 Mrs. Parks received the first annual Cardinal Dearden Peace Award at Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Detroit, MI. February 19 – 20, composer Hannibal Lokumbe premiered an original symphony “Dear Mrs. Parks.” Mr. Lokumbe did this original work as part of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra’s ” Classical Roots Series.” The beginning of many events that will commemorate the 50th Anniversary of Mrs. Parks’ arrest December 1, 1955.
Mrs. Parks has written four books, Rosa Parks: My Story: by Rosa Parks with Jim Haskins, Quiet Strength by Rosa Parks with Gregory J. Reed, Dear Mrs. Parks: A Dialogue With Today’s Youth by Rosa Parks with Gregory J, Reed, this book received the NAACP’s Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work, (Children’s) in 1996 and her latest book, I AM ROSA PARKS by Rosa Parks with Jim Haskins, for preschoolers.
A quiet exemplification of courage, dignity, and determination; Rosa Parks was a symbol to all to remain free. Rosa Parks made her peaceful transition October 24, 2005.
Inspiration Of A Working Woman
By Laura Marie Given
SIMPLE STEPS TO IMPROVE YOUR WORK-LIFE BALANCE
If you can’t remember the last time you saw your friends, you haven’t put on your sneakers in months, or you regularly find yourself checking your phone even when it hasn’t beeped, then you probably need to step back and shift your priorities. There’s something to be said for hard work, but if all those tireless hours take away from what makes you you, then it’s time to strive for some balance. Follow these easy steps to add more leisure to your life.
- Create “break” appointments. If you struggle to tear away from work on your own, then why not pencil it in? Create a phone alert, add it to your Outlook calendar, and consider that “me” time into a must-do.
- Put exercise on your to-do list. One of the best ways to clear your mind and de-stress is to get your body moving, so do what you can to stick to your fitness routine. Whether it’s an early-morning gym session or a late-night walk around the block, those precious moments are sure to help you stay sane.
- Limit at-home work hours. Technology makes it easy to work 24 hours a day, but that doesn’t mean you should. If you need to work at home, then set a time limit beforehand so that you don’t overdo it.
- Leave your phone at home. Truth is, you don’t need to be connected all the time; that isn’t healthy. When you’re heading to the gym or the grocery store, leave your phone behind and check out for a while.
Read on for more ways to improve your work-life balance.
- Turn off your computer extra early. If you find yourself tossing and turning because you can’t stop thinking about work, then try tuning out a bit earlier by shutting down your laptop several hours before turning in.
- Don’t charge your phone by the bed. Can’t help checking your smartphone every time it lights up or beeps? Do yourself a favor and leave it in another room — out of sight, out of mind.
- Schedule social time with friends. When you’re extra busy and exhausted, going out can be the last thing you’d like to do — but it’s also crucial that you maintain a life outside the office. Make plans far in advance so that bailing simply isn’t an option.
- Put hobbies into your planner. Whether you love to read, paint, or play music, it’s important that you keep up with the pastimes that make you feel most like yourself. Hold yourself accountable by signing up for a class with a friend or hosting a weekly book club meeting.
Women In The News
Jenna Goudreau, Forbes Staff
Why Women’s Pay Growth Slows At Age 30 And Peaks By 39
A new analysis by compensation research firm PayScale maps out exactly when college-educated women begin earning less than their male counterparts—and it’s right from the beginning.
According to PayScale’s massive database of salary and demographic data from millions of full-time workers, female college graduates initially earn a median of $31,900 and male college graduates earn a median of $40,800, a difference of $8,900. From ages 22 to 30, men and women experience near identical wage growth in percentage terms. They generally see their salaries grow by 60% to $51,000 for women and $65,300 for men.
However, age 30 seems to be the pivoting point. That’s when women’s earnings growth slows substantially while men’s remains steady. By age 39, college-educated women working full-time stop getting raises and see their salaries peak at about $60,000. Their male peers, on the other hand, continue seeing wage increases through age 48, when they earn a median of $95,000 a year.
Francine Blau, professor of economics and industrial and labor relations at Cornell University, offers some cautions when reading the data: It’s not a random sample, as users opt in to providing information, and so may differ from other sources. It also doesn’t follow people over time. Rather, they are comparing earnings based on gender and various ages at one point in time.
However, Blau’s own research has featured similar findings–women’s earnings remain flatter over time, which creates a wider gender pay gap as they grow older. She offers some possible explanations:
1. The initial differences may be due to market segregation. Men are more concentrated in high-paying fields like engineering and software development, while women are over-represented in jobs like nursing and teaching, which feature lower earnings over time. Blau says women may also be more likely to take jobs at smaller or lower-paying firms.
2. There may be a glass ceiling. “As they advance, women may encounter some obstacles and difficulties that men don’t,” says Blau. She notes it might be subtle or even unconscious discrimination about who’s the better fit for apromotion or high-level position.
3. Women’s slowing wages at age 30 may correlate with having children. Blau notes that some women may drop out of the labor force for a time or reduce their hours when they have young children. However, she adds that the amount of time women take for kids is often related to their incentives. If a woman feels her career options aren’t as good, she may take more time for family life.
4. Women may also receive lower salary offers than men, negotiate less successfully, and be more likely to stay with one employer for longer, rather than looking elsewhere for better offers.
Blau agrees that the data isn’t rosy but says there’s been enormous improvement over the last few decades, as more women have moved into professional occupations and the wage gap narrowed from 60% to 80%, providing hope that continued progress is possible.
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Inspiration Of Motherhood
By Dana Macario
Crib notes: Is this generation of moms too overprotective
The world often feels like a big, scary place. As parents, it’s our job to do everything we can to protect our kids. But, some are beginning to worry that our fear has led to over-protection, which means kids are living more sedentary lives — lives that aren’t healthy for them. We know that previous generations of kids had a lot more freedom to roam; to walk to and from school alone, to play around the neighborhood in the afternoons, and to just generally get out and run on their own. These days, kids are more likely to be driven to school and to hang out at home, watching TV after school. As the childhood obesity rate continues to rise, many say that our fears of letting kids out of our sight is partly to blame. As the Globe and Mail reports, free-range kid activist, Lenore Skenazy, has said “Your fear … is putting your kid at risk of something far less dramatic, like obesity … and something that’s more likely to happen than getting snatched off the street.” Do you think we’re exercising appropriate caution, or are we, as a generation of moms, being overly protective?
In a video that will make you cry, inspiring kids cheer on their classmate who suffers from Cerebral Palsy All too often, we come across stories of kids being bullied and picked on because they’re different. So imagine our delight when we came across this incredible and inspiring video of a group of fifth and sixth graders. At a track and field day in Ohio, one boy, who suffers from Cerebral Palsy, decided he was going to run the 400-meter race with his classmates. What, for most kids, is a fairly easy jaunt, was a real undertaking for this young trooper. In a video that Babble shared, you see him struggling along on his own, after the other kids sprinted off. Then, something incredible happens. First, his gym teacher joins him and walks along side him. That kind teacher is soon joined by one kid, then four, and before you know it, everyone’s stopped what they were doing and are running along with Matt W., chanting “Let’s go, Matt, let’s go.” Are you crying yet?
Little boy trades a toy soldier for a trip to Disney World, then gives it away If the last story hasn’t convinced you how amazing kids are these days, this next story ought to do it (and yeah, there’s a chance you might cry again). The story of Brendan Haas is the story of a little boy who traded in his toy soldier for a trip to Disney World — a trip he donated to the family of a fallen soldier. Several months ago, nine-year-old Brendan heard about a guy who started with a red paper clip and kept trading it for bigger and better things until he eventually traded his way into a house. Inspired, Brendan started the “A Soldier for a Soldier” project, where he traded a toy soldier for something bigger and better, eventually trading his way to a trip for Disney World. As whdh.com reported, he managed to convert that little, toy soldier into tickets to Disney World, air fare, a stay at the Disney Villas, and almost $900 in Disney gift certificates. Then, he did something amazing, he gave it all away. He held a raffle and gave the trip to the family of Lieutenant Timothy Steele, who was killed last August in Afghanistan. Lieutenant Steele had left behind a wife and a two-year-old daughter. That little girl, who’s already lost so much, will at least get to take a break from it all and have a fun vacation. Brendan, we salute you.
Grandma gets sued for falling while carrying her granddaughter They say that no good deed goes unpunished and that certainly seems to be the case for one Australian grandmother. While on a family vacation six years ago, a grandma offered to take her granddaughter downstairs after the baby wouldn’t go back to sleep after an early-morning feeding. The granny asked her daughter (the baby’s mom) to leave her bedside light on as she went down the stairs, but didn’t turn on the light in the rental house’s stairway, for fear of waking other family members. But the grandma stumbled and even though she grabbed for the railing, she still fell down the stairs, holding the baby the whole way down. Tragically, the baby was seriously injured in the fall and is now severely disabled as a result. As the Australian reports, the little girl’s parents have now sued the grandma for negligence and the court sided with the parents, deciding that granny was liable because she didn’t turn the stair lights on.
Toddler grounded. Another kid who won’t be flying the friendly skies anytime soon What is going on with kids and planes these days?! Are kids really more out-of-control than they used to be or are airlines less tolerant of small children? Yet another toddler has been kicked off a plane for being what his dad describes as “cranky.” As KIRO FM reports, the dad describes a three-year-old who was crying and not wanting to put his seatbelt on before takeoff. The little boy’s mother, who was seated elsewhere, eventually came over, giving the boy some water and his pacifier, settling him down. By then though, it was too late and the Alaska Airlines pilot had already turned the plane back towards the gate. The grumpy tot and his dad were then asked to leave. The airline claims it was a judgment call and says the crew was worried because the little “boy did not want to sit upright and keep his seatbelt on.” The airline offered to book the family on a later flight, but the family took a pass on that offer. Do you think airlines are being too tough on families with small children these days or are parents just blaming the airlines for their kids’ bad behavior?
Dana Macario is a TODAY Moms contributor and Seattle mom to two sleep-depriving toddlers.
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