Feb 15
Recently I read an article that told the story of a former child soldier who fought in the civil war in Burundi. The story recounted his tale and brushed on his use of narcotics as a means to escape his memories of the war. As I read this I could not help thinking; this man …
Feb 14
Read this post in English ¿Cuánta gente sabe que significa la palabra femicidio o feminicidio? Si buscan en Google la palabra, no encontraran una definición formal, además de las que da Wikipedia. Estas incluyen desde la perspectiva feministas, que describe el femicidio como asesinatos misóginos, hasta una definicion más amplios, como “todos los homicidios de mujeres, …
Feb 13
When we think of the homeless population, it is sometimes hard to understand all the differing circumstances of how these individuals lost their homes and also why they are unable to break the cycle of homelessness. I’d like to highlight challenges faced by homeless youth and how their particular condition is in dire need of …
Feb 13
The UN Secretary General chose a 22 member panel in 2010 to create a new blueprint for global sustainable development. At the end of last month the report, “Resilient People, Resilient Planet: A Future Worth Choosing,” was released to the public. Focus areas of the panel include the conservation of our planet, global equity, lessening …
Feb 09
American children face a new and exciting environment, especially in their preschools and elementary schools. The faces, languages, and cultures of children in our country are incredibly diversified, offering a huge opportunity for kids to learn about families that are different from theirs. In large part, this diversity is being embraced, as is evident with …
Feb 09
Immigration in the U.S. is a very hot topic that often gets simplified to one word: poverty. It can very well be that poverty is one of the key issues that has increased immigration trends to the U.S. However, it is often too easy to compile all the structural and political problems into one big …
Feb 08
The education system in Cambodia used to be the envy of most other Asian countries. Going as far back as the thirteenth century, Cambodians have valued knowledge and schooling and the power that they bring with them. In pre-revolutionary times, six levels of grade school existed, followed by four years of what would be the …
Feb 07
Last year a province in China called Guangdong made headlines as the residents rioted over a land dispute with the local officials in December 2011. The village residents of Wukan were upset that local officials were taking their farmlands and selling them to large companies for profit. The month long protests led to the corrupt …
Feb 06
Khalil, a six year old in first grade, attends elementary school in Southeast D.C. We just finished reading The Little Engine That Could, and began discussing what it means to overcome obstacles and believe in oneself. Khalil is one of the sweetest kids I know, with overwhelming positivity and optimism for the future. He always …
Feb 06
Most people think of women when the words “honor killing” are brought up. As I wrote in a previous post, women around the world are being murdered, typically by their relatives, due to the fact that they have somehow brought shame upon their family. In this post, though, I want to talk about victims of …
