You're probably wondering: how does encouraging children to make hope notes to Rwandan girls equate to activism? When we hear the word "activism", images of our mothers and grandmothers burning their bras, and engaging in acts of civil disobedience often come to mind. Activism often is associated with direct and militant action, but at its core, activism simply embodies an act, performed and done with a purpose, a calling, and a cause. An act of peace, like a hope note, can speak just as loudly as a megaphone or rally.
We believe that empowering girls - a vast locus of power that has still not been fully tapped into (see our "Why focus on girls?" section for more) - to care about other cultures in a world of so much difference and diversity is of utmost importance to the welfare of this world. Empowerment of a girl, of the individual, stands in direct opposition to some of the most powerfully insidious forces facing our global society. These mechanisms of power, as illustrated in sexism, racism, ethnocentrism, etc., all operate on the notion that a dominant majority dictates and commands others through fear and alienation.
Our efforts in helping to create powerful girls who have a compassionate global perspective may be small compared to larger organizations with greater activist range, but nevertheless they represent a positive step in resolving serious issues. Perhaps quiet, and maybe even a little understated, we believe that the work this blog features, having begun in the kitchen of two ordinary and powerful women, forms the very heart - a compassionate, inclusive one - of the type of activism that will change the world.
Pictures copyrighted by Jen Lemen.
