Join us for a delightful evening with Kathleen McIntire as she shares the recently launched Guiding Signs 101. Find your way back to you through the power of intuition, authenticity and living a life or heart and meaning. Let 2012 be the most joyous year of your life- simply being you! Please join us for this free event and invite friends to share the experience. Catered appetizers and drinks will be served.
January 26th 6-9pm. Haven Underground, 226 Broad St. Nevada City, CAFREE EVENT!Register Here!
"We're at a tipping point and in the next decade we're going to see change that we didn't expect. So many women are out there at the forefront pushing for peace." ~Jody Williams
On this episode of See Jane Do on KVMR host Elisa Parker speaks with Nobel Peace Prize winner Jody Williams. As the co-founder of the Nobel Women's Initiative, Jody Williams is doing extraordinary work to empower women and create peace and social justice. In this interview Jody shares the inspiration behind developing an organization with fellow Peace Prize sisters and why they chose to focus solely on issues concerning women. She shares her thoughts and concerns regarding nuclear power and the importance of everyone doing their part.
We'll also speak with activist and healer Kathleen McIntire who recently traveled with the Nobel Women's Initiative to Israel and Palestine.
Jody Williams received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1997 for her work to ban landmines through the International Campaign to Ban Landmines. At that time, she became the 10th woman - and third American woman-in its almost 100-year history to receive the Prize. Since her protests of the Vietnam War, she has been a life-long advocate of freedom, self-determination and human and civil rights.
Jody has since co-founded the Nobel Women's Initiative with Laureate Dr. Shirin Ebadi of Iran. She is joined by sister Laureates Wangari Maathai (Kenya), Rigoberta Menchu Tum (Guatemala) and Betty Williams and Mairead Maguire (Northern Ireland). Its mission is to use the prestige and access afforded by the Nobel Prize to spotlight and promote efforts of women's rights activists, researchers and organizations working to advance peace, justice and equality for women. By helping to advance the cause of women, the Nobel Women's Initiative advances all of humanity.
Also joining the program is Kathleen McIntire. Kathleen McIntire is a teacher and a healer. Through her passion she creates sacred space that allows room for transformation, awakening and healing within. Her deep commitment to women's issues has taken her around the world, most recently to Israel and Palestine with the Nobel Women's Initiative and to the Ecuadorian rainforest where she co-leads expeditions. Kathleen is also a trained facilitator for the Pachamama Alliance's "Awakening the Dreamer" symposium and certified practitioner of Cellular Memory Release ™.
"Be the kind of woman who, upon getting up in the morning, places her feet upon the ground and the Devil says, 'Oh crap. She's up!" ~Kathy LeMay Passion Into Action keynote speaker
It began to the beat of one drum as over 250 women joined together at the 2nd Annual Passion Into Action Women's Conference in Grass Valley, CA. From the moving performance by the Feather River Singers, to opening up with Nina Simons, crying & laughing with Kathy LeMay, being authentic and ready to lead with Tiffany Dufu, bringing women into circle with Jean Shinoda Bolen plus 17 amazing presenters, we are forever changed by this experience & thank each of you who participated in the event.
Nina Simons' passion for cultivating women's leadership and enhancing the planet is contagious and inspiring. She did an incredible job of engaging the participants and providing a safe space for them to open up and share. We so appreciate her ability to listen, her honesty and her sincerity.
Kathy LeMay wowed us with her presentation. We especially loved how she engaged the participants through her personal stories, out-of-the box thinking and sense of humor. She has redefined philanthropy and how we can utilize our passion to be of service to each other. While she has raised over $500 Million dollars for organizations she reminds us that giving to the greater good doesn't require millions.
Tiffany Dufu, new President of The White House Project is striving to train 8,000 women to take the lead in the United States and there is no doubt that she will achieve that goal! We especially appreciated her attention to authenticity and action in her presentation. It was such an honor to include Tiffany and two of her incredible team members, Liz Johnson and Nevada Littlewolf in the Passion Into Action line-up. Liz and Nevada were extremely inspired and moved by the energy, enthusiasm, and passion of the attendees. We hope to collaborate with The White House Project again in the future.
Activist and author Jean Shinoda Bolen is gathering women together and empowering them to create social change. Her personal stories around bringing women into circle, activism and her efforts to spearhead a 5th World Conference on Women are encouraging and hopeful. Jean speaks from the heart and inspires women to do what they love and share it with the world.
We are extremely grateful to the 17 talented and powerful women who took the time to share their passion and lead 15 workshops at the conference including: Patt Lind-Kyle, Kathleen McIntire, Sonika Tinker, Elizabeth Johnson, Jessica Reeder, Shawn Tuttle, Amber Clisura, Kim Stravers, Stacy Malkan, Carole Carson, Linda Joy Myers, Lisa Schrader, and to our Boston friends, Alexis Schroeder, Jeanne Dasaro, and Jennifer Cohen. We wish Chameli Ardagh a quick recovery and look forward to partnering with her on future events.
A year of planning goes into organizing this conference and we couldn't do it without your support. A sincere thanks to our fantastic volunteers, sponsors, exhibitors, Gather the Women, David Nicholson, Kial James, Haute Trash, Summer Thymes, Briar Patch, the Center for the Arts, Friendship Club, Sierra Mentoring Partnership, Sugar & Oats, Suzie Daggett, APPLE, Women Worldwide, Blossom Organics, Veritea, Nana's Baked Goods, Mayor Jan Arbuckle, Council Member Reinette Senum, Dawn Lorraine, Oberon, KVMR, Stephanie Camp, Jennifer Hall, Sadie Wight, supporters, friends, family and extraordinary participants who helped to create the magic of Passion Into Action.
So, what's next? We are developing the next plan of action to continue the synergy from the event and support each others work and passion.
Keynote Speakers:
Did you miss Passion Into Action? We are hosting a special screening of the four keynote presentations and panel discussions at the Magic Theater Sat. May 14th at 4:00 PM, Sunday May 15th at 1:00 PM, Sunday May 22nd at 1:00 PM, and Monday May 23rd at 7:00 PM. This will include special guests who will share tips and tools on how to put your passion into action. More info to come!
We look forward to aligning our work with the extraordinary presenters of Passion Into Action and will keep you posted.
Share the Passion
DVDs of keynote presentations including: Nina Simons, Kathy LeMay, Tiffany Dufu, and Jean Shinoda Bolen are available for purchase. The cost is $9 per DVD and also includes the panel discussion. To order your DVD contact us at info@seejanedo.com.
Soiree Into Action
We will continue to hold our quarterly Soiree Into Action events with a specific focus around uniting our community of women and sharing tools to put our passion into action. We are also looking to include teleseminars and webinars to include communities of women across the country. Do you have a topic you'd like to share or learn more about? Please contact us at info@seejanedo.com.
Your Voice
Within the next couple of days Passion Into Action participants will receive an online survey. As we look to possibly expand Passion Into Action in other small towns and rural communities we look to you for suggestions in order to enhance the PIA experience.
Connect with Us
Our radio program continues to feature the stories of everyday extraordinary women. We appreciate the support of our host station, KVMR as we move towards syndicating See Jane Do this year on other stations across the country.
You can also read about extraordinary women in our column in The Union Newspaper.
We are excited to speak at the Green Life Eco Fest May 21st-22nd and the National Federation of Community Broadcasters annual conference June 1st-4th.
Passion Into Action is a success because of your commitment to invest in "you", doing your part, sharing your stories, and following your heart. We appreciate your support and can't wait continue the momentum and energy this coming year.
"By learning more about who you are, you become the heroine of your own life, and can create positive change in the world" ~Linda Joy Myers
As a global community it feels like we're at a tipping point, the conditions of our planet could go either way depending on our actions. As a society of women, however it feels like we're on the verge of new possibilities. The dramatic shift that is necessary will require women to stand up along-side our brothers and lead the way towards a healthier future.
We can't think of a better time than now for women to collaborate and come together at an event like Passion Into Action.
Chameli Ardagh at Passion Into Action
Studies show that in times of stress women tend to gather together to share, communicate and connect. Men on the other hand tend to isolate themselves; figuring out a way to solve the problem on their own or fight it out. As we face current challenges it's no surprise that women are flocking to events like The Women's Conference, Gather the Women, TEDxGrass Valley and Passion Into Action. We refer to this phenomena as the "Water Cooler Revolution". Rather than gather in the kitchen at home or around a water cooler at work women are revolutionizing leadership and forming together in large numbers at meaningful events in order to find their purpose, identify role models and create solutions to a better world.
Passion Into Action
It seems there are several components necessary to facilitate the change that is needed. First, women need to come together. Second, as individuals we each need to do our part. And third, we need to figure out what that part is. We created Passion Into Action to address all of these issues; connecting with our community of women, discovering our passion and acquiring the tools to do so, and most important taking our passion and activating it into action with the support of others. Figuring out our purpose, our calling for the greater good and essentially what makes up happy is key to leading a collective force of positive change.
Passion Into Action is the ideal space to explore what moves you. We are thrilled to feature three extraordinary women who will provide techniques, exercises, stories and tools to define your passion.
Kathleen McIntire is a teacher and a healer. Through her passion she creates sacred space that allows room for transformation, awakening and healing within. Her deep commitment to women's issues has taken her around the world, most recently to Israel and Palestine with the Nobel Women's Initiative and to the Ecuadorian rainforest where she co-leads expeditions. Kathleen is also a trained facilitator for the Pachamama Alliance's "Awakening the Dreamer" symposium and certified practitioner of Cellular Memory Release ™.
Kathleen's workshopFrom Fear into Freedom
Riding the Waves of the Seven C's with the Power of The Grandmother spirit is designed to help create the highest and best for your life and examine where fear, denial and being in the "victim" holds you back. Kathleen says that one of the biggest take-aways from her workshop is to learn how to call in the Grandmother's Spirit and ride the waves of "The Seven C's" :
Courage
Confidence
Co-creation
Connection
Compassion
Clarity
Choosing
She believes that "the world is counting on each one of us NOW to step into these gifts and bring them forward into the world. Each one of us is a thread in the tapestry of wholeness, each gift is essential!"
Patt says the biggest take-away from her workshop, Tapping Into Your Passion is "for individuals to understand and know how to change their mind and literally rewire their brains and alter their DNA by using some very reliable tools that will open them up to a new level of freedom in their lives."
The power of story has the ability to transfer cultural beliefs from one generation to the next. These tales might carry sorrow, hope, joy, or strength. A story might shift our way of being in the world and reflect the path recently walked on. The power of the story reminds us that as the author, we must question how our personal story serves us and how our story will benefit those of the future?
Dr. Linda Joy Myers works with others to expand their lives into story. Linda has been a therapist in Berkeley for over thirty years, and combines her background in art, clinical work, and writing in her work. She received her MFA in Creative Writing from Mills College, and offers unique memoir workshops and trainings in the Bay Area and nationally. She is former president of the California Writers Club, Marin branch, and a member of Women's National Book Association. Myers is an award-winning fiction, poetry, and non-fiction writer, her first book "Becoming Whole: Writing Your Healing Story" was featured on the Marin Bestseller's list.
Dr. Myers is leading the workshop, The Heroine's Journey-Find your Path Through Writing Your Story.
She hopes the biggest take-away of her workshop is "learning about the power of creating your story and seeing yourself as a heroine of your own life helps you to understand your past, your identity, and how you can shape the future. Knowing that each step your ancestors have taken have brought you to this moment-where you are empowered-weaves the past and present into a colorful tapestry that helps inspire the world."
"The world is counting on each one of us NOW to step into these gifts and bring them forward into the world. Each one of us is a thread in the tapestry of wholeness, each gift is essential!"~Kathleen McIntire
Kathleen McIntire is a teacher and a healer. Through her passion she creates sacred space that allows room for transformation, awakening and healing within. Her deep commitment to women's issues has taken her around the world, most recently to Israel and Palestine with the Nobel Women's Initiative and to the Ecuadorian rainforest where she co-leads expeditions. Kathleen is also a trained facilitator for the Pachamama Alliance’s “Awakening the Dreamer” symposium and certified practitioner of Cellular Memory Release ™.
Kathleen maintains the website SoaringInLight.com, and her intention is to bring forward the Divine Feminine energies on our planet to create a world of love and oneness that works for all life. The purpose of SoaringInLight.com is to be a voice for the Transformation of consciousness on our planet, a vehicle for truth, empowerment, liberation and awakening for all of us.
She returns to Passion Into Action to lead the workshop, From Fear To Freedom Riding the Waves of the Seven C’s and Grandmother Spirit.
Workshop Description:
From Fear into Freedom
Riding the Waves of the Seven C’s with the power of The Grandmother spirit
2011 is the year of the Rainbow Serpent – a year of great opportunity for co-creation
*How are you creating the highest and best for your life and for our Mother Earth?
*Where does fear, denial, being in the “victim” hold you back? Whether it is in a small place or lives in huge areas this workshop is for you. Learn how to call in the Grandmother’s Spirit and ride the waves of “The Seven C’s” :
Courage
Confidence
Co-creation
Connection
Compassion
Clarity
Choosing
This workshop will use guided meditation, moving our bodies through dance, and being in our heart and our lower three charkas and our feeling nature. We will embody the feminine for co-creation at this time powerful time on our planet!
Following Kathleen shares the significant moment that inspired her passion, why it's so important that we connect with other women right now, and the power women and girls have to transform the world.
1. What is your personal mission or passion that is helping to re-shape the future?
My personal mission and passion is to bring truth and awakening to our planet. The avenue I work with is the Divine Feminine. Helping women remember how truly powerful we are as feminine beings. The power of the lower three charkas, the feminine ones. The importance of our heart and the power of our womb. To help women remember feminine qualities like our intuition. As time continues to speed up, time is measured in nanoseconds, we can no longer make decisions from the mind which can process 26 frames per second whereas intuition is nearly infinite. To navigate these times we must be in touch with our intuition and knowing that the truth lies within ourselves and being able to access it.
I have just created “Guiding Signs 101” a divination card set helping people, especially women, to get in touch with their intuition and inner wisdom and guidance at all the crossroads of life, small and large. It is scheduled to launch in June.
2. Describe a significant moment or experience that inspired your personal mission or passion to make a difference?
One day I just simply could not not be who I was. I could no longer live the image of being “normal” that my husband wanted of me. Not being “me” felt like dying slowly. In shamanic astrology the “PHD” I came into this life with was my scorpio moon/virgo node, the shaman High Priestess white witch. I have gifts of a healer and ability to channel divine beings. Growing up in Utah and then having a husband who was very logical this aspect of myself was NEVER allowed the light of day. One day I woke up and every cell in my body was crying to be able to be all of who I was. All parts wanted expression. I knew my marriage was over and divorced my husband. I started to turn this land into a retreat center to bring back feminine rituals and have workshops that have to do with the birthing of the new paradigm, which I believe is love/truth.
3. What do you hope will be the biggest take-aways for the attendees who participate in your workshop?
“ From Fear To Freedom Riding the Waves of the Seven C’s and Grandmother Spirit”
That there is a dragon (fear) that guards the cave to our greatest jewel (gift). For each woman to see the dragon that holds her fear and move into the cave of her greatest gifts. That the world is counting on each one of us NOW to step into these gifts and bring them forward into the world. Each one of us is a thread in the tapestry of wholeness, each gift is essential!
4. How do you see women and girls in the local and global communities affecting the future?
I believe this is what is going to bring about the biggest transformation of our planet. The feminine is so powerful. We just need to remember. Remember who we are. For centuries we have been seen as chattel, property to men. At the time of the inquisition it is also estimated that 5 million women were burned as “witches” for being in touch with their wisdom and the wisdom of the Earth. This was a time that the “Church” wanted ultimate power and that power was to come from the outside and not from within! These memories live on in our cells and in our morphogenetic fields. When we are able to fully live in the present moment – NOW, and remember the creatrixes we are we will move mountains and recreate Earth as a place of love that works for all life!
5. Why is it so important to participate in groups and events that connect women and feature their talents, ideas and solutions right now?
We each get to hold sacred space for each other. We get to SEE each other to witness each other. Our talents, ideas and solutions right now – each moment holds the power, there is only now. In the Book of Destiny the Mayan Elders talk about how humanity has gotten to this place three other times and failed. This is our fourth and final opportunity. Nothing is assured. It is up to each one of us to step into our gifts to step into our passions and to take action now. We are the ones we have been waiting for, there is no one on the outside to jump in and rescue us. We are it. We are living in a powerful and precious moment of time.
6. What is your message to women around the world?
Wake up to who you are and your power now! Be your deepest most truthful self. Find the passion of what you most believe in your heart and take action – NOW!!
To participate in Kathleen's workshop click here to register f Passion Into Action or go to www.seejanedo.com.
Passion Into Action, Friday & Saturday, April 29 & 30, Holiday Inn Express, 121 Bank Street, Grass Valley, CA featuring special guests Nina Simons of Bioneers, Marie Wilson of the White House Project, Jean Shinoda Bolen, Kathy LeMay and many more.
"The most incredibly evolved group of women I have ever met in my life!" - Gloria Feldt
"Passion Into Action is like falling in love. If you fall in love deeply enough with that which really matters to you, everything opens from there." - Chameli Ardagh
"You could see what the outcome of this conference is...it's a way for women to voice what the issues of the day are, how we can improve our community, the nation, our planet. It provided me with inspiration, but also tools." - Elaine Sierra
Join today’s leading women’s speakers and activists at See Jane Do’s 2nd Annual Passion Into Action: A Women’s Conference. See Jane Do will host world renowned speakers and over a dozen workshop leaders on self development, green living, health & wellness, leadership and the value of you.
This inspired gathering of hearts and minds was realized after an exciting year traveling across the nation to capture the incredible stories of everyday women who were doing extraordinary things for the planet, for our monthly radio show and website.
We wanted to design a conference that specifically served women in rural communities and small towns. These are places where small steps can lead to bigger changes at a rapid pace and community members are vested on a personal level in taking care of each other and the area in which they live.
Passion Into Action creates a space for the women in their community to meet, network and explore ideas on how to work together on one another's projects and strengthen their community. Most important, the content of the event will hopefully transfer ideas into action. The event showcases real women with real solutions; mixing local and non-local leaders & visionaries, artists & musicians, mothers & grandmothers, teachers & students, homemakers & business owners among others.
Whether you’re seeking tools to fund your passion and business, connect with a group of like-minded women to support the good work you’re doing, or finding your voice and simplifying your life, we hope you find Passion Into Action to be an investment in your and our collective futures.
Friday, April 29, 2011 Passion Into Action Opening Night "A Special Evening with Nina Simons of Bioneers" plus Feather River Singers and special guests 630pm Reception, 7pm Show
Save & Buy the Full Conference Pass - Friday "Opening Night With Nina Simons" & Saturday Conference (includes Continental Breakfast & Lunch) $95adv/$105 door
Saturday Conference Only with Dr. Jean Shinoda Bolen, Kathy LeMay, Marie Wilson & 15 workshops (includes Continental Breakfast & Lunch) $70adv/$80door (Please add $3 for service and handling fees)
2010 was definitely a roller coaster ride. The year’s top news stories included fierce acts of Mother Nature such as the earthquake in Haiti, the Icelandic Volcano, the Chilean earthquake and tsunami; man-made disasters like the Gulf Oil Spill; historic legislature that included President Obama signing the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and health care into law; plus Elana Kagan was sworn in to Supreme Court the fourth ever female Supreme Court Justice. In California, Meg Whitman and Jerry Brown went head to head for governor. American hiker Sarah Shourd was released by Iran after being detained for 13-months for crossing an unmarked border and Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi was also released after years of detention by Burma’s Junta.
In some ways these national and international news stories mirrored the twists and turns of our communities and our own lives.
With See Jane Do we are striving to uncover those stories that fly under the radar even though they affect all of us. We are redefining information sharing for women through bridging of traditional media with new media; streaming radio, linking video to webisodes and connecting people from a virtual world back to a regional one.
Unlike other programs geared towards women, which mostly covers entertainment, beauty and some women’s issues, See Jane Do takes current news topics we are concerned about and creates a personal story with a reason to care and a solution to do. Our programs are organized around the media, social justice, power of the purse, environmental action, health & wellness, politics and leadership.
It’s our hope that See Jane Do provides a platform for you and other everyday women to speak from and hear from real women with real solutions.
Today we will feature some of our biggest take aways from 2010; the stories, events and experiences that reaffirmed this movement is a lot bigger than we thought and yes, you and I are the one’s we’ve been waiting for. It is our time.
Take Away 1 - Don’t underestimate the power of your story, it might just change the world.
"A movement isn't a movement unless it's moving" ~ Gloria Feldt
We kicked off 2010 with the first annual Passion Into Action Conference. Over 300 women braved the snowy conditions and traveled from all over Northern California to attend this sold-out conference, which featured Nina Simons of Bioneers, best-selling author and activist Gloria Feldt, and former US Ambassador Linda Tarr-Whelan. We wanted to create a space for women to share their story with others in addition to meeting, networking, and exploring ideas on how to work together and strengthen our communities, with the intention to transfer ideas into action. In addition to our incredible keynote speakers the conference included seventeen workshop leaders.
Nina Simons shared the importance of owning our story, the relationship we hold with the earth and the potential women have to enhance our planet together.
Gloria Feldt challenged us to think about power and the importance of Sister Courage. She has been a tremendous advocate for See Jane Do and we were extremely honored that she included us in her new book, "No Excuses, 9 Ways Women Can Change How We Think About Power".
"See Jane Do's unique multimedia platform holds exciting promise as a new model for civic engagement and leadership in today's fast-paced, fragmented world." ~Gloria Feldt
One of the most powerful mediums to amplify women’s voices and perspectives and ultimately transform culture is through film. See Jane Do traveled to the SXSW Film Festival in Austin, Texas, to interview women filmmakers and film festival organizers. Later that month we headed to New York City to cover The White House Project’s EPIC Awards and host their Media Lounge. While there we met with the Women’s Media Center to get a clear picture of where women stand in the media. We were shocked to learn that only 7% of the stories we watch at the movies, are told by female directors. This means that 93% of the films (even the ones about women) were interpreted through a man's perspective. Women hold 3% of decision-making positions in all forms of media. We also celebrated Kathryn Bigelow’s Academy Award for best director for the film Hurtlocker, the fourth time a woman had been nominated for the award and the first time a woman had won in the history of the Academy.
Take Away 3 - Speaking up, Speaking out, Taking Action – When enough is enough.
We met several environmental action heroes that were risking life and limb for environmental and social injustices this year including Diane Wilson, an award winning activist, author, co-founder of CODEPINK and shrimp boat captain. Diane made national news as a result of her outburst during Tony Hayward's hearing (CEO of BP). The activist was awakened in Diane over twenty years ago when she discovered that she lived in the most toxic county in the United States.
We also interviewed Goldman Environmental Prize Winner Lynn Henning a family farmer who exposed the polluting practices of livestock factory farms in rural Michigan. Her efforts to require CAFO's (basically animal factories that confine thousands of livestock) to clean up the toxic brew that is contaminating ground water, lakes and streams, has gained the attention of the EPA.
"Are you seeking approval of the world or seeking to change the world?"~Eve Ensler
Elisa covered The Women's Conference in Long Beach, California and spoke with powerful change makers like Donna Karan, Rosario Dawson, Lisa Ling and Eve Ensler. Eve described the event as her coming out day since it was her first public speech having recoevered from uterine cancer. She is playing a tremendous role in working to end violence against women and stressed that changing the world is not about being liked or seeking approval. We must be brave and step up to create a better world.
A growing number of women are taking their health into their own hands, changing policy, setting deadlines, and creating hope in healthcare. Whether you're for universal healthcare or not, pro-choice or anti-choice, most might agree that women's health needs often take the back seat in the America. As a result, many women are standing up and moving forward for their healthcare rights. This also includes changing policy to expose and ban the toxic chemicals contained in many of our home and beauty products and setting a deadline to end breast cancer.
See Jane Do examined the stuff in our stuff with Stacy Malkan, author of Not Just a Pretty Face, Erin Switalski, Executive Director of Women's Voices for the Earth, and Britta Aragon activist and blogger of Cinco Vidas. We covered the health care reform town hall meetings and captured a personal perspective of women's heath with the Women's Health Specialists. Finally we featured extraordinary women who are taking incredible measures to end breast cancer by setting a deadline and bringing women together to support the cause. We walked with women in the Barbara Schmidt Millar Triathlon, founded by Cathy Anderson-Meyers and spoke with Fran Visco, breast cancer survivor and president of the National Breast Cancer Coalition who shared their strategy to setting a deadline to end breast cancer by 2020.
See Jane Do hosted four Soirees Into Action in 2010 including the Green Makeover Party.
Take Away 5 – Women’s Economic Influence – Becoming the CFO of Your Household
Women now make up over half of the work force. Women are launching businesses at twice the rate of men but funding sources still tend to lean towards male-owned companies. We control up to 85% of what's bought or purchased in the United States andwomen control 60% of the wealth. Why is it then that most women don't feel economically powerful? In fact, about 90% of women surveyed said they don't feel financially secure. In order to make a difference and enhance the planet we need to feel comfortable with our level of influence and in this nation, money talks. We interviewed Maddy Dychtwald, author of Influence: How Women's Soaring Economic Power Will Transform Our World for the Better, award winning poet Molly Fisk, Jane Roberts, founder of 34 Million Friends, Teresa Delfin, founder of Mountain Mama, Gina Robison-Billupsand, founder of Moms Making a Million, Nevada State Treasurer Kate Marshall and best selling author, Riane Eislerwho is creating ways to implement a new economy. We also hosted the Funding Your Passion Soiree Into Action.
Many youth today, especially at-risk teenage girls are lacking role models. They are overwhelmed with the struggles of coming from broken homes where drugs and poverty are prevalent, survival is a constant concern, and options seem limited or non-existent. Programs across the US, including right here in our hometown of Nevada City, are uniting these girls with mentors to build confidence, teach social change skills, provide authentic and positive relationships, and reshaping their and our future for the better. These are the seeds for future social activism that need nurturing.
Take Away 7 – Definition of Community is a Common Goal
Last December, former Mayor Reinette Senum in her TEDxGrassValley talk raised the concept of community as a common goal and it got us thinking about the many community movements we covered this year and the need for collaborative leadership. For many of these communities, they are on the frontline of environmental and social change and thusly being impacted the greatest. It is essential to hear their stories first hand. In our program on Transition Towns we traveled to Reno, Nevada. In the "wild west" where the attitude was once every "man" for himself, women are pioneering a gentler expedition and this time they are doing it together to create a sustainable city that isn’t dependent on peak oil. We also attended the annual Bioneers conference in San Rafael, CA and the Women’s Conference in Long Beach, CA.
Extraordinary Janes: Reinette Senum, Molly Fisk, Chameli Ardagh, Ginny Woods, Suzie Daggett, Rainy Blue Cloud, Transition Reno founders, and the String Sisters.
Moving forward in 2011, we ask what will your story be? What’s your legacy?
We’ve heard and met so many extraordinary Janes this year, all of which started out as everyday women, but because of a certain issue or a passion that struck home for them, something inside was ignited to do more. Some did it alone and created a movement where others joined them, while some reached out to friends, family, and their communities to organize around something they felt passionate about and make a positive change.
"We
often think, I am only one person, what effect can little ole me have? But
if each one of us lived our passion we could move mountains! " ~Kathleen McIntire
Kathleen has a gift for
bringing women together, especially women who are seeking connection,
clarification and a deeper meaning to the way they move in the world. Her
quest to live an authentic life has led her through the Ecuadorian rain forest,
a meaningful partnership with Pachamama Alliance, and monthly rituals and
circles for women.
Kathleen shares how she discarded
what appeared to be a "dream life" years ago and transitioned into
the healing arts. We are thrilled that she is co-leading the workshop, Living
Your Passion with Mary Elizabeth Young where they will explore living a
life that expresses what you love and the importance of listening and
intuition.
1.
How are you putting your passion into action?
The
way I live my life. I am doing the things I love most. My passion
is creating a world of love and bringing the Divine Feminine fully to our
planet. The journey I co-lead to the Ecuadorian rainforest and sacred
feminine volcano was with the intention to unleash love and the divine feminine
fully to our planet at the womb of the mother. The rituals and ceremonies
I lead. My website www.SoaringInLight.com,
the book I am writing. I am also a facilitator for The Pachamama
Alliance’s Awakening The Dreamer Changing the Dream. Other organizations
I am involved with: Bioneers, Cultivating Women’s Leadership, The Nobel Women’s
Initiative, Women’s Earth Alliance.
2. What do you
love most about the work you are doing?
I love the
feminine energy. I love balancing the feminine with the masculine to
create equilibrium and wholeness. I love ritual and ceremony. I love
bringing the divine to the mundane and the mundane to the divine.
Connection. Bringing truth forward. I love working with women.
I made a commitment about 10 years ago to let go of anything I was doing from
the place of duty and to have everything I do in my life come from wholehearted
love. I love my life, my work is an integral part of my life.
3. What were
the motivating factors that inspired you to get involved and share your passion?
I
had a life that looked like the “dream” life, an extremely successful husband,
all the material things – living in London with a chauffeur and fancy
everything but who I was was hidden and suppressed in the world I lived
in. I was dying inside. I needed to fully be who I am at my essence
and bring that forward in the world in all that I do. Doing what I
love. To really know WHO I am and to live that fully – that was the
motivation.
4. Who were
the some female role models or mentors that inspired your work and passion?
Mother
Mary, Mary Magdalene, the Divine Feminine. I just completed a year of
working with Lynne Twist getting really clear on my intentions and goals
bringing forth my deepest essence. I am also involved with the Nobel
Women Peace laureates and have learned so much traveling with them. They
are ordinary women who are beyond extraordinary because of their passionate
commitment that informs every action they take. I have also been influenced
by Angeles Arrien whom I studied with for three years. It was through her
work that I made the commitment of living a life of wholehearted love and
letting go of “duty”.
5. Why is the
work you are doing so important for everyday women?
I
believe that so many of us get caught up in a life that others have designed
for us and what makes it easier for all those around us. We have
forgotten who we are and what lights up the fires of our hearts. We have
numbed ourselves, put ourselves to sleep and quit feeling. I believe the
heart holds the answers for us. The feminine qualities like intuition
have been suppressed in our society. I feel it is important to learn to
cultivate spaciousness to learn to listen to the inner ears of our hearts.
Our passions live in our hearts. Each of us holds a precious thread of
the tapestry of life…. We need to truly know what that thread is and have the
opportunity to beam out our unique essence. Being and doing what we
love! Imagine a world of everyone in touch with what they LOVE, we would
have a world based in love and not the paradigm of fear we are in now as a
collective.
6. Why is it
so important for women to participate in an event like the Passion into Action
Conference?
Passion
is the fire of the heart! We often think I am only one person, what
effect can little ole me have? But if each one of us lived our passion we
could move mountains!
7. What are
you hoping will be the biggest take-away for women at the Passion into Action
Conference?
Having
avenues to get in touch with their passion and the tools to bring their passion
out into the world be it their immediate world or the larger world.
8. What is
your message to women around the world?
The
feminine is powerful. Look how running water can soften the most jagged
edges of a huge rock. The feminine is the creatrix. Embrace who you
are, embrace your essence and BEAM that out in all you do!
Jody Williams received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1997 for her work to ban landmines through the International Campaign to Ban Landmines. At that time, she became the 10th woman - and third American woman-in its almost 100-year history to receive the Prize. Since her protests of the Vietnam War, she has been a life-long advocate of freedom, self-determination and human and civil rights.
Kathleen McIntire
Author, 
The power of story has the ability to transfer cultural beliefs from one generation to the next. These tales might carry sorrow, hope, joy, or strength. A story might shift our way of being in the world and reflect the path recently walked on. The power of the story reminds us that as the author, we must question how our personal story serves us and how our story will benefit those of the future?
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