Activism Ellie McBride Activism Ellie McBride

A Post-Election Manifesto

Today we are disappointed.  We are tweeting our fears, facebooking our worries and I'm proud. I'm proud because I can see the appetite for more.  The appetite for politics that make sense for everyone.  Not much of the last 24 hours makes sense.

But after today we will get up, shake off our disappointment and pick up our resolve.  We will harness our upset and anger at the state of our politics, of our given leadership and we will use it.

We will turn our frustration into action.  We will own our communities for ourselves.  We will come together in ways that will show up the powers-that-be and remind them that 'we are the many, they are the few'.

We will start community groups, we will protest, we will encourage, cheer on and share.  We will build towns and cities that defy selfish agendas and we will fulfil empty promises for ourselves.  We will know the value of money, of care and protection and we will exercise it daily.

We will challenge decisions, we will follow up requests, we will decide to be involved.

We will champion the good, the underdog, the bright spots in our communities.  We will call each other to account and not wait for others to lead.  We will be innovators, entrepreneurs and activists.  We will move ahead.

We will understand that the real work happens here - on the streets and avenues, in the community centres and churches, in the non-profits and the small businesses.  We will remember our own power and we will give it away to those that really need it.

Be annoyed today; be angry and despondent.  Let the dust settle a while and then let's, together, show them how it's really done.

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Activism, Making, Parenthood, Style Ellie McBride Activism, Making, Parenthood, Style Ellie McBride

Purpose & Strength

I've had an interesting few weeks of conversations and investment in some personal development.  Usually that term gives me a bit of the shudders - it can sound a bit like navel-gazing - not something I have a lot of time for, but in reality it has been timely and really inspiring. Introspection, reflection & self-examination: not skills that I would say I have mastered, but I know they are important for growth, so I've been trying to get better at them - understanding my make-up a bit better; how I interact, how I learn, how I communicate, what makes me tick & come alive etc.  Pretty important stuff to get to grips with, I reckon.

A few weeks ago I logged into the #blogtacular twitter chat (every Wednesday, 9pm BST - not to be missed!) and the topic for the week was:

"Are you doing the work you want to be known for?"  

It was a pretty significant chat for me and the gals at Blogtacular know how to pose questions that are really thought-provoking.  I love the interaction and encouragement that goes on in those chats - if it were real life we would be walking out the pub door at the end high-fiving each other wildly.

I guess when I thought about responding to that question, I was working out the reality of that not only in a blog context but in a whole-life context.  For me, that's the bottom line.  This old blog here is a creative outlet for me amidst a pretty serious day job (that I love), but it's not a separate part of me - it's an extension of me.  I try to write and engage in things on the blogosphere that align with my whole self.  That means tackling issues that are important to me (I'm not a fashion-blogger, but I think ethical style is real important), tapping into my creative side by making things (I'm not a craft-blogger, but I think making stuff and being creative is life-giving) and trying to capture life for us in a way that is real and honest here in this space (I'm not a mummy-blogger, but I think motherhood is the biggest lesson of my life so I talk about it here).

For me, it's about championing the good, the underdog, the creative and the connections we all share.

If I could be known for that, I'd be happy.  It feels good to be true to yourself in all extensions, right?

Then this week, I had the chance to get some coaching from my friend Abbey - who runs her own coaching company out of the States.  Abbey introduced me to the Gallup Strengthsfinder last year and it has been a bit of a revelation.  I know there are a lot of personality assessments out there and lots of them are really good, but I was really drawn to the 'Strengths' concept because it uses positive psychology to "show people that our greatest potential resides in utilising our innate strengths" rather than using that energy to try and fix the parts of our make up that doesn't measure up.

Abbey was over in NI so I nabbed her for an afternoon of coaching with my work team.  We had all taken the assessment before hand so Abbey worked through our results individually and then brought us together as a team to look at how our strengths can work together - it was really practical, really inspiring and really freeing.

Both of these encounters have left me feeling energised and encouraged that I'm on the right track.  More so, it's given me a renewed vigour and confidence that the things I invest in, personally and professionally are a good fit for me.

I am really glad I've been spending some time on this - and would so encourage you to do the same (start with the Strengthsfinder assessment - trust!).  I think when we know our strongest abilities and find a purpose in life that fits those skills well, we all are on our way to being fully truly alive.

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Activism, Making, Style Ellie McBride Activism, Making, Style Ellie McBride

Fresh Finds Friday - International Women's Day

In honour of International Women's Day this Sunday, I thought I would do a little post to highlight some of my favourite fierce & empowering female finds lately as well as share some thoughts on what IWD means to me this year...

I spent all of yesterday celebrating IWD with an amazing group of women from all over the world that are part of the 'Women's World' group at my work.  We gathered together to listen to speeches from women who have overcome and achieved; we sang, line-danced (!) and ate homemade food from loads of different cultures of the world (PORTUGUESE CUSTARD TARTS!). So many of the women connected to this group arrived in the UK with huge obstacles to face - language, isolation, financial worries, separation from their families - but they have bravely built lives here now; lives that are blossoming, thriving and lives that now look outwards at how they can help others and create a more inclusive community here, where they now call home.  It's a beautiful, beautiful thing.

As much as I love the well known champions of women's rights and gender equality - the ones that get quoted, archived and noted so often - I can't help but be more in awe of the everyday heroines of women's empowerment - the ones that I know, that I saw in action yesterday.

The women (and men) that push other women forward into opportunities without threat or comparison, that mentor, that walk ahead and carve out paths to make them more accessible for girls that will walk behind.  The women that volunteer, nurture, share and give.  The women that don't seek the credit or attention, that sacrifice, that work like hell to provide and know the value of true investment in their local communities.  The women that know they have their own issues, so they know how to treat people gently.  Women that speak out the truth - even if their voice shakes; that lead; that love well.  These are the women I want to be like, the women I admire and honour.

I hope you get to take some time this weekend to reflect on the 'everyday-incredible' females in your life.  They are all too often overlooked for the shiny and new.

Ah, the sisterhood!  It always gets me all worked up and preachy!

Now for some girl-power links:

+  If I was in London this weekend, I would DEFINITELY be heading to the Women of the World Festival at the Southbank Centre - what an amazing line up of events, exhibitions and talks.  Some year, I'll make it to this but if you are London-side and you are planning on heading over, don't forget to hit up Davina & Hannah of Seeds & Stitches craft stall on Sunday! Them girls know how to craft; it's sure to be a treat!  I've just noticed they've also posted some GREAT ideas on how to celebrate IWD on their blog!

On a more local note....

+  This weekend we're heading out to watch a viewing of 'Half the Sky' - a documentary based on the book that highlights the plight of women around the world fighting bravely to change the story of inequality, poverty, abuse and exploitation.  You can come too!  Saturday evening, 7.30pm at Blick Studios, Malone Road, Belfast.  Watch the trailer below:

+ Super cool Belfast sisters, Rebecca & Ruth have launched the brand new apparel brand 'Lines & Current'.  With a new webshop up and running, they are curating classic items with clean lines & a boho twist (those sunglasses, though!).  To boot, they are regularly partnering with charities that are doing great work and this month 10% of their proceeds are going to No More Traffik!

Photo by Ben Connolly for Lines & Current

+  Finally - I've been loving keeping up with The Koko Story ever since I saw the 'Is That How You Define Me?' video last year (awesome spoken word - do watch!).  Koko is run by Meg Cannon who uses film and other creative ways to empower girls & young women and lift the lid on the issues they face.  They are launching a new film campaign this weekend called #ivegotyourback - stay tuned on their twitter for that.

Are you doing anything special to mark IWD?  I'd love to hear your plans, or any other thoughts/links!

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Activism Ellie McBride Activism Ellie McBride

8 Things You Should Care About: Part II

Following on from yesterdays post about the different issues that we must consider when we want to do something about human trafficking, here are my second four. -  Gender Inequality

When you consider that 80% (US trafficking in persons report) of the transnational victims of human trafficking are women and girls we are forced to ask questions about equality of women around the world.  Many of us don't feel this inequality so vividly in our western lives but the undercurrents are there.

They are there when we challenge gender roles, they are there when we look at parenting styles, they are there when we open our newspapers, in the lyrics of songs on the radio and in the representation of women in our governments and boardrooms.  Unfortunately we still have a long way to go to and until we see brave men and women promoting, supporting and empowering each other in all areas of achievement, life and leadership, we cannot expect to see changes that particularly view females as weaker, easy targets and prey.  And that is just the challenge for more developed countries.

If we then take in the treatment and view of females in developing countries, you can see how trafficking thrives:

-  Dowry systems in South Asia put a price on girls from a young age, this tradition sets the girl up as saleable goods in her own eyes, and everybody else’s.

-  Many developing countries have traditional community attitudes and practices that tolerate violence against women.  This facilitates trafficking.

-  Nearly half of women in Uganda and more than half in Tanzania reported having been physically abused by a male teacher.  Education and opportunities are compromised.

-  Lack of legitimate and fulfilling employment opportunities for women, particularly in rural developing communities can lead to risky migration decisions.

Who are the women and girls around you?  Are you promoting their worth and value?  Are you encouraging them to lead?

-  Poverty

Traffickers exploit need. The people they prey on are those struggling with poverty, desperate to improve their lot in life. Whether it's a family in Dehli with 8 mouths to feed or a family in Derry barely surviving below the breadline; poverty is a brutal force that can drive people to desperation and give exploiters a green light.  We need to be tuned in to poverty around us if we want to see who could be vulnerable to being trafficked.  This isn't an exercise in scaremongering, but the reality is harsh.  How can you tackle poverty where you are?  It could be something simple like donating to a local food bank or hamper programme.   How can you tackle poverty around the world?  Keep up with organisations like Oxfam and Save the Children for ways to get involved or participate in their work.

-  Sexualisation

I've discussed the prevalence of over-sexualised music and imagery in the mass media on the blog before.  It's not a secret that we are ALL exposed and lured in by the sexy things of our culture.  It's like a car crash in the middle of the road and we're all snatching a nosey as we drive past.  Some stop to look longer than others - literally buying into meaningless sexualised culture provoked and promoted by sleazy outlets on our magazine racks, satellite tv stations and video games.  I'm bored of it all.  This culture of value on the most provocative headlines is wasting away our sense of worth and is turning people into commodities to be consumed.

Did you know that the average age of first Internet exposure to pornography is 11 years old?  ELEVEN.  Where do you even go from there?

The more we continue to let this issue spiral, the more responsible we all are for the desensitisation to sexual violence and the increase of exploitation.  Campaigns like No More Page Three are calling out the unnecessary and blatantly misogynistic traditions that most of us have come to accept - add your voice to this.  Where can we inject dignity and place value in our culture that redeems this?

-  Ethical Living

Do you buy stuff?  Do you know where it comes from?  You would be surprised to know how many of the everyday products we buy and use are contaminated by practices that exploit and abuse human rights.  It's a tricky business sourcing stuff that is made ethically but we can be wiser and more deliberate about our consumer habits.

Our family is committed to traffik-free chocolate - chocolate that is certified by Fairtrade/Rainforest Alliance/UTZ.  Stop the Traffik has been leading the way in campaigning the big chocolate companies and informing the masses:

'Over a third of the cocoa that makes the world's chocolate comes from the Ivory Coast, Africa. It's highly likely that the beans that make your favourite chocolate bar come from here.  Thousands of boys as young as 10yrs old, from the Cote D'Ivoire and neighbouring countries, are trafficked to pick and harvest these beans. Their freedom is taken and they are forced to work long hours on the cocoa plantations without receiving any money for their work. They are beaten and work in dangerous conditions using machetes to open the cocoa beans.'

It's just one small change, but if the average person spends £200 on chocolate a year, I know where I'd rather give my cash.  You can join in too - Stop the Traffik are calling people to action on this to mark EU Anti-Trafficking Day by signing up to a thunderclap to bombard one of the biggest chocolate companies to be accountable for promises they have made to make their chocolate 'traffik-free'.  DO IT HERE! 

Another go-to website for ethical information is Ethical Consumer.  It rates companies and brands based on several different criteria.  Find out where your stuff comes from.  Make sure you are contributing to this issue with your wallet.

I'd love to hear your thoughts on some of this stuff - do you agree?  What have I missed?  Do you feel like there is something within the last two posts that you can grab onto and do something about?  I hope you can.  We need you.

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I’m Mel, Courage Coach and Founder of the Assembly Community. I’m here to help you build courage by getting clear, trusting yourself and being visible with your work and ideas.



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