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This week we’re sharing what cause is most important to us. In light of the recent natural disasters in Japan, helping people is on our mind — and we feel it important to discuss what charities and issues we support on a regular basis.
My big cause is gay marriage and gay rights. As a feminist, it kind of fits right in with the equality thing. I’m an active member of the P.R.I.D.E. Alliance at USF, attending all their fundraising events like the mock marriages, gay prom, Transgender Night of Remembrance, etc. I also helped produce a video for WFLA ch 8 news in Tampa localizing gay bullying in light of last year’s rash of gay bullying suicides. I keep up-to-date on issues and legislation surrounding gay marriage and anti-discrimination policies, especially in schools, and circulate the FCKH8 video.
- Daylina Miller, Campus Correspondent, University of South Florida
I am equally passionate about natural disasters and about global diseases. I traveled to Kenya this past winter break to work at the Nyumbani Home, to work with children who are HIV/AIDS positive. Although it was heartbreaking, it was great to be a little part of a BIG change. On my campus, many efforts are made when a natural disaster occurs (like what is going on now in Japan). I make it my duty to attend workshops and spread the awareness.
- Omairys Rodriguez, Campus Correspondent, LeMoyne College
I’m most passionate about working for the American Cancer Society. I participate in multiple fundraisers throughout the year, but Relay for Life is the biggest event and I never, ever miss it. It’s an overnight fundraising event where teams are formed and each team has a member continuously walking around a track for 12 hours. There are a ton of games, entertainment and fundraisers throughout the night to keep everybody in high spirits, but we always have what we’re fighting for in the back of our minds. I Relay because my mom was diagnosed with bladder cancer when I was a freshman in college, and I’ll never forget how terrified I was the moment she told me the news, up until the day she told me that she was officially in remission. I Relay because I dream about a day when people won’t have to experience that fear because of the words “you have cancer” or “your loved one has cancer.”
Relay for Life’s slogan is “Celebrate. Remember. Fight Back.” We celebrate those who have beaten cancer, remember those who have lost their battle, and fight back against cancer’s existence.
- Samantha Shelton, Campus Correspondent, SUNY Oswego
I am passionate about Music Unites, a nonprofit dedicated to bringing music education programming to students in inner city schools. I created the Music Unites on Campus program and we have successfully launched in four schools. I have interned with Music Unites since May and have been actively involved in inspiring the next generation of musicians!
- Michelle Golden, Health Editor, Emerson College
I’m most passionate about pro-choice legislation and the promotion of comprehensive sex education. I write about the topics whenever I get a chance.
- Elyssa Goodman, Style Editor, Carnegie Melon University alum
Literacy. I believe that literacy is the key to equipping others for success. One of the things that I like about this cause is that you can promote literacy on both a local and global scale. I am part of a reading partnership at a preschool in my college’s community as well as a part of a literacy group at the local old folks home. At home, I help promote literacy through volunteering at my community library.
- Cady Lang, Campus Correspondent, Ithaca College
I am passionate about TaketheWalk.net, an organization set up by the musical group Hanson. You can host your own barefoot walk in your hometown and raise money for those less fortunate in Africa. The idea is to “walk in someone else’s shoes,” or, lack there of. For every person who takes the walk with you, Hanson will donate $1 to a cause of your choice: SMS (texting) credits for mothers with HIV to contact their doctors to receive treatment, AIDS treatment and research, providing a pair of TOMS shoes, building schools or drilling water wells. I held my own walk once in Madison, and it was a great feeling. It shows that even small actions can make a huge difference. Everyone has something to offer, no matter how big or small it may be.
- Kaitlyn Schnell, Campus Correspondent, University of Wisconsin: Madison
I am really passionate about abolishing the death penalty in the United States. I’ve done tons of research on it, and I absolutely HATE capital punishment. I’m always telling my friends/family random statistics/facts to bring them over to my side — maybe one day! :)
- Allie Duncan, Contributing Writer, University of Missouri
I love the Kiva Organization because it enables people to help themselves by providing small loans to start their own businesses. And the best part about this microfinance organization is that once the loans are paid back, they are re-lent to a different person in need! In other words, your donation never runs out and you are able to personally help someone across the globe for as little as $25. Each entrepreneur has their bio on the Kiva website, so the entire lending process becomes very personal and meaningful and choosing a person to help is really quite fun!
- Nikki Fig, Editorial Intern, Emerson College
I’m most passionate about All Girls Allowed, a nonprofit devoted to ending gendercide and celebrating mothers and girls. I think it’s abhorrent that baby girls are not viewed as equally valuable and worthy as baby boys in some parts of the world, particularly China, where gendercide and forced abortion have skewed the ratio of newborn boys to girls to 6:5 and left 100 million baby girls missing in the wake of the One Child Policy. I got involved with AGA when it was just starting out as its Design Director, and helped the organization design its initial website and logo. Since then, I have encouraged my friends to educate themselves about this atrocity that has been largely overlooked by the media.
- Annie Wang, Co-founder, CTO, and Creative Director, Harvard University
I am employed at my school’s Development Office. It has made me very passionate about giving back to my alma mater. Even if 5 dollars, every donation counts. This came up when WMU was given an anonymous 100 million dollar donation (MAKING HISTORY BY THE WAY). WMU students were discounting the gift because it is designated to the medical school, but I feel that they are being very selfish and should be happy for any gift made to their school. They don’t realize the impact alumni gifts have made on their own education.
- Kelsey McCormick, Campus Correspondent, Western Michigan University
I donate $10 a month to the Red Cross because their outreach extends around the world from hospitals here at home to natural disasters overseas. I also, as often as possible, donate at Red Cross Blood Drives. It is probably one of the easiest ways to save a life without having to dig into your wallet.
- Katie DiCioccio, Event Coordinator, Assumption College
The cause that I am completely in love with is called She’s the First. She’s the First is a not-for-profit that sponsors girls’ education in the developing world. We encourage people, especially Millennials, to creatively fundraise for girls’ sponsorships with their online and offline social networks.
I am very active in this organization because I know the importance of education, especially when it comes to girls. We are so fortunate to have the opportunities we do here in the United States and I want other girls to be able to have the same chance at achieving something great. There are so many wonderful, talented young women in the world and if they are able to obtain an amazing education, their chances of doing great things will be so much higher.
I supported She’s the First by starting a branch at my school, the University of Northern Iowa, called She’s the First*{UNI}. The branch is still new, only having been around since January, but with the help of the incredible founder of the organization, Tammy Tibbetts, we have already achieved so much. By the end of our fundraising efforts this semester, we are hoping to send as many girls to school as possible.
If anyone wishes to get involved, visit www.shesthefirst.org, tweet @shesthefirst, or visit the Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/
– Tehrene Firman, Campus Correspondent, University of Northern Iowa