Saturday, December 11, 2010
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Putting the Heart in the Holidays
Maybe it's because I have really good parents, but I've always had a difficult time buying into the commercialized versions of popular holidays. I wrote a journal entry when I was 11 where I tried to describe holidays from the perspective of an alien who just arrived at earth and was reporting it's observations back to it's home planet (I was that kind of 12 year old...). I lost that journal (sadly), but I remember how absurd the descriptions of our holiday customs sounded when taken out of the context of "Christmas" or "Thanksgiving"... (Sitting on a fat stranger's lap and telling him our deepest desires? Awkward.)
I do, however, REALLY enjoy giving gifts to my friends and family. I especially like making things to give as gifts, but I've found myself busier this holiday season than ever before... So I NEED to go shopping. Which is tough when you have a LONG list and money is tight. I had considered making donations to personally relevant charities for everyone on my list, but admittedly, it's nice to be able to physically hand something to someone, as a gesture of your love and appreciation.
Q: What's a girl to do who's torn between giving her savings to worthwhile causes and buying Christmas presents?
A: Buying gifts through an organization that supports those charities she was going to contribute to anyways! DUH!
Change.org has created a FANTASTIC holiday gift guide highlighting organizations that support a tremendous variety of causes who sell holiday gifts that let you give to your loved ones AND give to those in need.
Check it out here!
You can find a gift for almost anyone to fit ANY budget! I've already bought two of my gifts from Made By Survivors, which employs and supports victims of human trafficking, but I can't tell you what (as I'm pretty sure the gift recipients read my blog...)
Happy Holidays!
You can find a gift for almost anyone to fit ANY budget! I've already bought two of my gifts from Made By Survivors, which employs and supports victims of human trafficking, but I can't tell you what (as I'm pretty sure the gift recipients read my blog...)
Happy Holidays!
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Let's Talk About Bullying
As Miss Brooklyn 2009 and Miss Greater NYC 2010, I promoted arts-in-education opportunities. My friend Claire Buffie, Miss New York 2010, is advocating for LGBT rights, with a particular focus on young people. She recently passed on to me this amazing new project that bridges our platforms of using art to make change, and opening pathways of understanding and hope for young people who are troubled by unaccepting peers. http://itgetsbetterplay.
With the recent string of unfortunate and preventable teen suicides as a result of bullying, we've decided to take the It Gets Better campaign to a new level: with a live, honest-account stage show made up of YOUR stories: "Let's Talk About Bullying"
We are anonymously collecting stories from across the NYC area: stories about being the victim of bullying, how you may have perpetuated it, witnessed it, are taking steps to stop it, and everything in between. We want to hear YOUR stories. Collected stories will be turned into monologues and pieced together for a night of live, honest theatre in an new, original play we're calling "Let's Talk About Bullying". Donations made from the play will be donated to a TBD organization that works with troubled and bullied teenagers.
We encourage everyone to submit your experiences- all replies will be ANONYMOUS so identities are protected. We're in this together. Let's end the vicious trend of teenage bullying. Through our efforts, we can hear stories that let us know IT GETS BETTER.
We're three NYC theatre artists: Actor Josh Jeffers, Actor/Activist Jacyln Hennell and Playwright Andrew Kramer, who believe in changing minds through the power of live theatre.
Join us in telling these stories.
To share your story: comment HERE (remember, NO name necessary and be SURE TO CHOOSE ANONYMOUS so comments are anonymously submitted) with your age, gender, and location and most importantly, your story. All stories will be read and formatted into stage monologues for our original play, LET'S TALK ABOUT BULLYING, to be performed in Late December in NYC. DUE TO TIME CONSTRAINTS, STORIES ACCEPTED UNTIL FRIDAY DEC. 3RD @ 5:00pm.
LET'S TALK ABOUT BULLYING
With the recent string of unfortunate and preventable teen suicides as a result of bullying, we've decided to take the It Gets Better campaign to a new level: with a live, honest-account stage show made up of YOUR stories: "Let's Talk About Bullying"
We are anonymously collecting stories from across the NYC area: stories about being the victim of bullying, how you may have perpetuated it, witnessed it, are taking steps to stop it, and everything in between. We want to hear YOUR stories. Collected stories will be turned into monologues and pieced together for a night of live, honest theatre in an new, original play we're calling "Let's Talk About Bullying". Donations made from the play will be donated to a TBD organization that works with troubled and bullied teenagers.
We encourage everyone to submit your experiences- all replies will be ANONYMOUS so identities are protected. We're in this together. Let's end the vicious trend of teenage bullying. Through our efforts, we can hear stories that let us know IT GETS BETTER.
We're three NYC theatre artists: Actor Josh Jeffers, Actor/Activist Jacyln Hennell and Playwright Andrew Kramer, who believe in changing minds through the power of live theatre.
Join us in telling these stories.
To share your story: comment HERE (remember, NO name necessary and be SURE TO CHOOSE ANONYMOUS so comments are anonymously submitted) with your age, gender, and location and most importantly, your story. All stories will be read and formatted into stage monologues for our original play, LET'S TALK ABOUT BULLYING, to be performed in Late December in NYC. DUE TO TIME CONSTRAINTS, STORIES ACCEPTED UNTIL FRIDAY DEC. 3RD @ 5:00pm.
Thursday, November 25, 2010
I'm Thankful For....
-A family (of relatives and friends) that provides me with unconditional love and support
-The amazing opportunities I've been blessed with this year
-A roof over my head, clothes on my back and having enough to eat
-A career that challenges and rewards me
-The opportunity to impact the lives of my students
-My health
-My happiness
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Block Institute's Expressive Arts Program
As many of you know, I've become increasingly involved with Brooklyn's Block Institute over the past few years, and have joined their staff as a drama and expressive arts instructor. My teaching schedule has become increasingly hectic, (I now work for Block Institute, Community Word Project and the YWCA), but truly loving the work that I do and the people I work with makes the workload feel much lighter! Last night's Visual Arts Seminar at Block Institute was no exception, and I left in a much better mood than I arrived in- how many people can say THAT about their jobs?
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
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