ONE girls & women: what you should know and why you should care

I had the great opportunity two weeks ago to spend time with some of my favorite people in the world—women who are doers, thinkers, change-makers—at the AYA Summit.

But between Halloween (yay!) and class parties (woot!) and Blogalicious Weekend (ya-hooo!) and parent-teacher conferences (woah!), it has been really hard to find the time to process all I’ve learned.

I’ve tried to wrap my head around how all that I’ve learned can impact my family and you, my awesome readers.

I’m pretty certain that we’re all in the same boat: we’re busy in the day-to-day grind of kid-wrangling, working, managing a household, and trying to keep our sanity.

And everything else above and beyond is kind of squished in where we can fit it.

But what I’m realizing more and more as I get older is that everything we do–from how we spend our free time, to the way we carry ourselves in conversations, to the work we do each day–should be something that we can be proud of.

Not always easy. But it’s about living consciously. Living carefully. And always looking out for the greater good.

I’m thrilled to share one way that we can all do this: ONE Girls & Women.

Here’s the skinny. . .

ONE Girls & Women—What You Should Know and Why You Should Care:

What is the AYA Summit? What is ONE? What is ONE Girls & Women? Why am I even writing about this?

Let me back up a bit. The AYA is a West African fern known for its great resiliency. The AYA Summit was named so because from start to finish we heard from and learned about some really resilient women:

women who have beat the odds

women who have pressed buttons.

women who worked hard.

women who made change.

ONE is an organization co-founded by Bono with the sole goal of empowering people to use their voices.

It stresses the power of one–meaning you.

ONE is an international campaigning and advocacy organization of more than 6 million people around the world taking action to end extreme poverty and preventable disease, particularly in Africa.

pictured here: (top) Patricia Amira, Clemantine Wamariya; (middle) Holly Gordon, Marquesha Babers; (bottom) Danai Gurira, Clemantine Wamariya

ONE a non-partisan organization. And they don’t want your money.

They want your voice.

And recently ONE formed ONE Girls & Women. And I’m thrilled to be a part of it.

From here on out, as part of the ONE Girls & Women team, I will share simple but meaningful ways that you—the busy mom, sister, and friend that you are–can make a difference. You. And me.

pictured here: Paul Zeitz (US Dept of State), Rye Barcott (Carolina for Kibera), Emily McKhann (The Motherhood)

pictured here: Patricia Amira, Cindy McCain, Kristen Howerton

Because we all can make a difference, no matter if we have minutes, five hours, five days, five years, or five decades to dedicate to the cause.

As women, we have a responsibility to celebrate, support, and lift our sisters, no matter where they may be. And that’s what I plan to do.

I didn’t even really know that girls and women are disproportionately affected by extreme poverty. But that if we invest–seriously invest–in girls and women that it’s one way to combat poverty and help them work toward a better life.

the floor of Google DC Headquarters: a map

here I am with my sweet friend, the amazing Amy Graff

Just a head’s up.

Here we go.

One thing you can do?

Join me.

Join ONE Girls & Women simply by filling out the form here: ONE Girls & Women

And when you do, you’ll have the chance to join their Mobile Action Team. Check that box.

I actually love this piece because every so often–not too often mind you–but you’ll get a text sharing how you can make a difference. Just by texting. Or tweeting. Or calling the President of the United States’ office.

Seriously.

Since I’ve joined, I’ve called the President’s office twice asking him to support funding for GAVI and the work they are doing to provide vaccines to 300 million children by 2015.

I called the President twice. Twice. Once while I was assembling things for Halloween class parties and another time while I was standing in line at the grocery store. It literally takes two minutes.

But I used my voice.

And so can you.

Here. We. Go.