She Will Rise...
I've always seen it; in my mind's eye. The back corner, now pushing towards the pupil of my imagination. It's getting in focus, from blur to crystalline. The conversation is beginning to include me, calling our organization by its name's sake. I'm clearing my throat and my distracters, I'm adjusting the mic to my height, from where I stand. I feel so compelled to be part of this international conversation and concern.62 million and mounting. Not thousands, but millions. Left inside, tucked away in the shadows of their male counterparts. Left in the dust of ignorance, as it dirties the curves on their gorgeous faces. If dusk were a blanket, it would cover them...from learning...adding...subtracting...dreaming...contributing...breathing...who do I speak of?I'm speaking of the millions of girls who are out of school, and not learning as I write this blog post. According to Girl's Rising by Tanya Lee Stone, this documentary turned book suggests, "But around the world, girls face obstacles to education that boys don't face-boys are educated at a much higher rate than girls. So how do most of them stem from the root problems of gender discrimination and poverty?" A quick answer? There is none. This issue is very complex, and stems from a mulitplicity of happenstances. The skinny on this...you ready? Education and access to education is sexist. Girls are often SHUT OUT! CAN YOU BELIEVE IT? Potential disease healers, doctors, lawyers, teachers, professors, police officers, EMT's, politicians, midwives, and the list can travel as far as the east is to the west. Herein lies the problem: If girls are not educated, they are silenced, are not contributing to their society and community at a larger scale, and here's the part that crushes my woman spirit: They discontinue to dream and imagine who they could've been to make this world brighter, greater, and more peaceful. 
I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THAT. As an educated woman teacher from the states, my global concern for education widens. And now that women and girls are the continued target of this growing injustice, how much more should I grow infuriated?And Project 214's response to that? That is what we are grapling with, as global education already be it our focus. Reading on this issue, watching documentaries, and following other non-profits that address this light a flame in my life's centrality. This is it...a large part anyways. One of the fronts I care, we care(Project 214), to stick our flag in the dirt. My gloves are on, my brow is wiped, the wind behind me...I will not stand back. I know too much. 21st century technology has afforded all of us a front row view of this. In life we have two choices when we see something that is not right as it relates to a person's fundamental rights. We can choose to shrug our shoulders and walk away, or we can choose to open up our thinking minds and strategize a way to get involved someway, anyway. I choose the latter.I'm not sure we truly understand the ramifications if we don't. I'll put it very plain. Global communities impact the world at large. Economics will plummet, poverty will rise. Crime will respond, and the consequences will fester.A girl left out of school has several fates:
- Forced Labor
- Child Marriage
- Dreams deferred
- Sexual slavery
- Early childbirth
- Poverty
- Violence
- Early death
- Poor health
- Depression
- Ignorance and Illiteracy
Listen baby girl. I'm with you. I stand with you. I'm coming for you, somehow, someway. I come in the Name of a Great God who has a Great Love and a Great Plan for you. Even if we touch one, two, three, four of you...that is sacred. You Will Rise. As many as possible. I promise. And I don't make promises I can't keep. I'm a bad-ass. I'm coming...