Communication is Key!

When you are trying to save the world, your best asset will be your ability to communicate your goals, passions, and strategies! Here are some free resources to help you communicate better!!

Communication/E-mail

Dimdim: open-source web conferencing application; free basic service
I Want Sandy: keeps track of daily details
Jott: voice-to-text service for creating notes, lists, e-mails and text messages; free basic service
Oovoo: video messaging, chatting and conferencing
Paltalk: group IM, chat and video call application
Plugoo: direct chatting with any blog or site visitor
YouSendIt: send files up to 2GB; free basic service

No matter how bad your day may be, there is always something beautiful happening. Start your day out with a remind of what today is- Beautiful!

Find Your Courage and Let it Live!

by: Cailey Bronny

In the fall of 2006, I had an experience that profoundly shaped who I was to become as a future humanitarian and change maker. My travels took me to the Northwestern region of Africa, Morocco. I held the misguided notion that once in Morocco I would transcend into a world of exotic scenery and lush accommodations. Instead I witnessed abject poverty, child labor, and exploitation that were compounded by subjugation and anguish. It is only upon reflection that I realize that that day served as the catalyst for what has become my mission of striving to create change for the poverty stricken, marginalized, and disenfranchised people of our world. Human suffering is intolerable, it is unnecessary, and the only way to end it is to face it head on by taking action.

I have seen the ugly truth of an apathetic country turn its back on its own citizens, only to scoff at those trying to support the needs of people near and far. It greatly frustrates me to witness inertia in the face of suffering, and to encounter the fatalistic attitudes of my fellow Americans. As Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel states, “Remember: silence helps the killer, never his victims. “ Let me be clear. There is only one way to rid oneself of this dreadful paralysis that can leave us feeling helpless, and that is to act. On that note, I am continually inspired by the altruistic actions my generation is taking to ease the suffering of others. Nothing highlights this more than the annual Clinton Global Initiative University Conference of 2011. I was surrounded by other students who understood that the buck stops with us, and our generation has the power to make many positive impacts around the world. Our mission was clear: As student leaders we committed to taking action in addressing global challenges through the implementation of innovative solutions designed to produce tangible results.

I often think of the quote, “The world has dreamers, and the world has doers. But what the world needs is dreamers who do.” This is the point I will always come back to through my blogs. In a world increasingly dominated by the have and have not’s, we must take an unflinching look at this and ask ourselves how do we create a better world for tomorrow? I absolutely believe in the power of the people, and I hope that today through sharing a little about me you realize that you can be the change you wish to see in the world. My advice would be to start small. Get involved in student government, local organizations, help at homeless shelters, animal shelters, whatever. Just get out there and be prepared to be astonished by the resilience and grace of the human spirit.

From Here to There: A Young Man’s Motive to Becoming a Doctor

by: Orlando Mendoza

The lady whom I have seen in previous occasions, walked into the building to retrieve her weekly food basket like no other day. I noticed she had a sock wrapped around her foot with tape holding it together from the sole of her heel. It was heartbreaking to see the unsanitary way of dealing with such an injury, never mind the sock, however she was in pain.

As she tried to carry her bags home I noticed the excruciating pain through her eyes and the tender voice intending to blind the injury. I offered to help, but she denied help. She told me her husband would get upset if I helped her. The clinic was a block away, I offered to take her there. It hurt me to see her in pain as she leaned down to fix her sock. She accepted my offer.

We waited in the clinic as she continued to hold her pain, she sat down crying and worried leaning towards a brick wall. The cut was bigger than I had imagined. I stood up and asked for immediate care, but I had no success. It was heartbreaking to see her in pain knowing we were at a clinic. The doctor after a long wait was able to give her the attention she waited for, by pouring alcohol on the wound, applying a gauge over it, and wrapping it.

I asked “Is she going to be better now?”

He responded “I cannot treat her furthermore, she is poor, and wouldn’t be able to afford the medication anyways”

One of the nurses approached me for information, asking me why I was helping her. I simply replied “she’s in pain.” The gauge and bandage was not going to treat her foot, I asked her if she had any family members that could pay. She responded saying she didn’t have money, which is another way of saying, she couldn’t afford it. Touched by her voice that indigently told me to help, I offered to pay. I took the gauze off her foot and told the doctors to do what was necessary. I waited patiently as they continued to treat her; soon it was time to leave. I thanked the doctor, while she waited outside limping through the door. I gave her some extra money, the doctors had prescribed her medicine for the pain, and watched her walk away with a smile. That day, I drove home crying and thinking about the millions of people who don’t go to the doctors because they can’t afford it. This is the story of when I volunteered at a food bank in Mexico.


I couldn’t dare to think what happened to her when she got home, or if she even had a home. The following week, as usual, I walked into the food bank where I had been volunteering for weeks. I waited eagerly to see the women, whose name I did not know, come to get her weekly food. It was the end of the day and there was no hope she would arrive. I continued to seek information about her, but had no luck. The following day, I found out that the lady I had helped died. I broke down crying, she was shot in the head by her husband for not being able to work. I was forced to pretend that it was a different woman not the person who I helped.

Ode to My Imagination

by Myeashea Alexander

“Contrariwise, if it was so, it might be; and if it were so, it would be; but as it isn’t, it ain’t. That’s logic. “
—Lewis Carroll


I grew up in Brooklyn, NY, East NY, during the 90s. That area was not the nicest area in the world, but I loved it, for the most part. There wasn’t shiny, new buildings filled with hipsters and white kids from the ‘burbs then. There were feuding islanders, middle class immigrant families, drug dealers and a few burnt out crack houses. I never felt imminent danger or anything, but I was aware that there were unsavory elements surrounding my neighborhood.

However, none of that mattered to me because there was magic happening inside. I had this whole world that was so much grander than some of the trials and events that happen to young girls growing up in inner cities. I had a world that wasn’t affected by a sick and dying parent, a single working mother, school bullies that carried knives, classmates that taunted me because I didn’t wear the latest name brands, listen to rap music, or care about Right On (still not even sure if that’s the right name) magazine. I also felt no pressure to change that. Probably because I was convinced that my real life was happening in my room, anyway.

So I want to share with you a list of all the things that made me happy, then and now.

Willy Wonka
Alice in Wonderland
Legos!
William Shakespeare
Harry Potter
Tales of King Arthur
Silverchair
Marie Antoinette
Cupcakes (I liked baking and making candy)
Dogs
Elephants
Dogs
Elephants
(I like those two a lot!)

I’m purposely making this post rather lighthearted because I feel it is important that you understand that that list of things helps to build many of my philosophies. I believe that imagination is an integral part of problem solving. To sometimes release your grip onto a reality that limits you, only to wander around within a world where anything is possible, can give you new eyes and new perspectives. Sometimes the genius of it all is its simplicity.

I don’t believe in impossible, just improbable. What I mean by that is just because I may not see a valid solution to a problem, even in my lifetime, doesn’t mean there will not be one.

Also, the world gets heavy, so having a moment to escape into that is full of wonder, beauty, intrigue, mystery, humor, and possibilities. I think it’s part of my self-proclaimed brilliance. As long as we keep living, we will pile on experiences, good and bad daily. These experiences will make of the sum of our characters. But we can make some choices about what gets to stay and what has to go. I can’t take away running past crack dealers and junkies of my youth, but I can keep the thoughts that encouraged me to run away.

I can’t escape what it felt like to watch my dad die of disease, but I can keep the ending moments of his life when he would just say my name because he loved the sound.

Somehow my wonderful world helps me find the peace where bitterness, anger, and pain seeks to remove it from me.

“I can’t go back to yesterday - because I was a different person then.”
Lewis Carroll”

The Proudest Moment of My Life

by: Dr. Esther Ngumbi

When you educate a girl you educate an entire community! Education empowers, Education liberates, Education opens doors, Education is a powerful tool to overcome poverty thus my proudest moment of my life is when I got my Doctorate degree, and became the first girl in my community to have a PhD degree.
Never ever, in my life, had I imagined that I would one day get a Doctorate degree. As a child growing up in the impoverished Kenyan village of Mabafweni, I never could conceptualize a future as a scientist with a Doctorate degree!
I started school when I was 4 years, very young indeed and I am told that everybody worried of my age including my parents and class teachers. Despite the age barrier, I was intelligent and so they let me move on. I made my way through Primary school education and joined Matuga Girls High school, where I finished strong and was the best girl student of Kwale district. From there I joined Kenyatta University and earned a Bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry and Zoology. Before my graduation day, I already had started my Masters degree! I was simply on the go! After graduating with a Master of Science degree, I received a two-year scholarship in the State of Israel, Agricultural Research Organization. My parents had always encouraged us to take our education to the highest levels possible, so I knew, I had to keep going. I wanted to get my PhD. Initially, I wanted to go to Germany, but friends told me that the very best of the PhD was in the U.S. so I kept searching for any open assistantships and managed to get an opening at the University of Idaho. I later transferred to Auburn University in 2008 and finally defended and graduated in August, 6, 2011! Yay!
I look back and reflect much upon my journey in quest for a PhD degree. It was not easy! From being born in a poor family, having no role models to look up to and be challenged to work hard, yet still holding and following my dreams until I achieved them. I simply cry tears of joy. It is emotional yet so sweet! Sometimes, this dream seemed elusive; sometimes it looked like I had lost it. However, persistence, determination, extraordinarily high levels of commitment, and energy helped me get there.
Education empowers, and I feel much empowered. More so, being an African woman I believe my education has prepared and equipped me with a knowledge base and a voice that I shall use to speak on behalf of the voiceless and to carry out noble work in Kenya, Africa and our World. I want to use my education to encourage, mentor and inspire many girls and youth from all over the world to pursue their education because education is the most powerful tool one can have in life.
Lesson learned: Know your dreams, your passion, and your goals. Follow them. The road may be long and curvy; times may come when you lose it, but hold your head high, and keep going. Determination, persistence, and self drive will get you there. If you ever feel you are alone, reach out to me and to us the ReEnvision team! We are here to walk the journey with you!
Memorable moments: When I started high school, I was not performing well. I used to be position 77/136. Since my parents would discipline me for not doing well, I decided to cheat on my report card. I erased position 77 and turned it into position 37. My father doubted my report card and came along with me to school to inquire. Hmmm, I had been caught. I was of course punished, but something changed from that day. I remember turning around things and in the next semester, I moved from position 77 to position 3! Wow! What a jump! From that moment on, things had turned around for the better and yes, I ended up being the top girl in my school!

Motivational Quotes to Live By

The greatest thing about a man is his ability to transcend himself, his environment, and to be what he dreams of being.
- Tully C. Knoles

What would you attempt if you knew you could not fail?
- Anthony Robbins

Success consists of getting up just one more time than you fall.
- Oliver Goldsmith

The only way to excellence is to consistently improve yourself every single day.
- Thomas J. Vilord

“There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.” – Albert Einstein

“There are no ordinary moments. There is always something going on.” – Peaceful Warrior

“If wrinkles must be written upon our brow, let them not be written upon the heart. The spirit should not grow old.” – James A. Garfield


“And in the end, it’s not the years in your life that count. It’s the life in your years.” – Abraham Lincoln