Choice Words

So last week it was all about the shoes. This week…dishes.

I’ve heard of “spring cleaning,” but is there such a thing as “fall cleaning”? Ever since the weather started changing, I’ve been on this renovation kick - rearranging furniture, getting new bedding, adding color to my apartment with a new wall color. It’s been really weird.

Anyway, here’s the latest symptom of my illness. Aren’t they pretty?

But more than just being pretty, they’re 20% off - thanks to my Shop for a Cause shopping pass! You too can have 20% off dishes, or shoes, or coats, or whatever you choose. But hurry because this is the last week to get your pass.

As promised in my post yesterday, I’m going to share with you the stuff I plan to get next Saturday at Macy’s Shop for a Cause. Being a woman of my word, here’s the first item up for bid (that’s for all you The Price is Right fans out there! Yikes, I hope I’m not the only one)…

For me, it’s all about the shoes. That’s why I’m so psyched about this pair. Last year, I wanted ones just like these but they were sold out in my size. What luck that they have them again and this time around I’m saving $23. Good things DO come to those who wait!

Tune in tomorrow for the next item in our showcase showdown. (Sorry, I can’t help myself…I heart TPiR [miss you, Bob!])

It’s the beginning of the football season and I, the world’s biggest football fan, am not going to try to come up a clever way to tie reproductive justice to my Giants beating the Redskins for the season opener. Nope, I’m not! Instead, I’m using this time (and space) to talk about another love of mine – shopping (and it’s related to repro justice).

For the next two weeks, Choice USA will be selling passes for Macy’s annual “Shop for a Cause” – a one day charitable shopping extravaganza on September 20th. These shopping passes, which can be purchased for $5, entitle you to receive 20% off most items in store – regular, sale, and clearance. All (yes, 100%) of the proceeds from the passes purchased through our website go to support Choice USA.

Being the seasoned bargain hunter that I am, I jumped at the chance to experience the “magic of Macy’s” at a discount and purchased my pass yesterday. But, now I’m left waiting for the 20th (how agonizing). To ease this pain, I’ve gone online (a lot) to scope out the stuff that I’m going to buy next Saturday. But for me, even more exciting than shopping is coming home and showing my family and friends what I’ve bought and that’s exactly what I’m going to do!

So friends, everyday from now until the 20th, I will be showing you all the stuff I plan to purchase with my shopping pass. (I’m mostly doing this for me but also with the hopes that seeing my goodies will motivate you to get a pass of your own!) Stay tuned folks…

I perform with a group dedicated to “spreading the word, not the virus” called Posi+ive Change. We have a variety of skits, dances, songs, and plays about the HIV/AIDS epidemic. An infusion of the arts and education gives you the opportunity to laugh, cry, and think about those hard-hitting issues surrounding the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Posi+ive Change is not a group just siting facts and numbers, we share stories, personal stories, and thus you are not the same once you leave our presence.

Some Titles of Our Work:
“For All We Know” - dance piece
“I Am But a Canvas” - a monologue in three segments, capturing different phases/cases of HIV
“Smoke” - transgender queer story
“The Meeting” - a discussion with men (gay, straight, queer, and transgender) about sex and being HIV positive
“Many Rivers to Cross” - dance piece
“I Choose Life” - a song
“Who’s Living With Who” - acceptance and struggles of living with HIV
scenes from Cheryl West’s “Before It Hits Home”

Be Enlightened, Be Engaged, Be Encouraged….For more information, please email Artistic Director William Ridley, william_ridley@yahoo.com

Ok, this definitely caught my attention, “African American-Owned Condom Company Fears the Widening AIDS Epidemic.” I must say I had to read the title two and three times just make sure I understood. (LOL) I never heard of anything like this…

Apparently, an African-American male, Kirk Manuel from West Memphis, Arkansas has created Head Strong Condoms after hearing the devastating rates of HIV-positive people infecting others with the virus. Kirk Manuel’s condom, Head Strong, serves the purpose of preventing pregnancy and protection against sexually transmitted diseases. Head Strong Condoms don’t have all of the exciting features that are commonly found in other condoms. They don’t glow in the dark; don’t come in special colors, no fruity flavors, or any of those exhilarating things we seek. It’s just a CONDOM.

With Head Strong Condoms, Manuel wants to spread the “power of hope.” I commend Kirk Manuel on his efforts. Manuel’s goal is for his product to be sold in poor and rural communities by focusing on mom-and-pop retailers, Family Dollar stores and Dollar Generals. On average, condoms cost about $4-6 a box and sometimes more depending on the size of the box. By having Head Strong Condoms sold in dollar stores or mom-and-pop retailers, I can image some of the STI and HIV rates change within low-income and rural communities. Another exciting element to Head Strong Condoms is that Kirk Manuel will have condoms donated, so there’s no excuse NOT to use them.

A few questions about Head Strong Condoms: Who has tried this condom? Are existing companies like Trojan, Durex, Lifestyles, and other brands willing to help push Kirk Manuel’s product?

Check out the Head Strong Condoms website.

I’m serving as the Program Coordinator for this amazing all volunteer-based event (yes, my position is a volunteer position).

I’m currently looking for some talent for the 2nd Annual Vagina Fest in New York City!

VAGINA FESTIVAL is an opportunity to have conversations we don’t typically get to have. In ways we don’t typically get to have them. Through visual art, performance, speaker presentations and interactive activities, Vagina Festival forms a welcoming space for exploring sexuality, body image, personal identity, health and well-being.

At Vagina Festival, we exchange ideas, challenge cultural norms and celebrate women. Our aim is to engage people by creating a fun, moving, thought-provoking experience. Vagina Festival takes place October 24-26, 2008 at Sage Theater, Times Square, NYC. Join us!

Shouting out to all artists, performers, and speakers - We’re ready to receive your proposals! Please pass the word and apply if you are interested. I want to make sure the women of color are especially represented in this event!

If your work is about women - our experiences, challenges, connections, passions, we invite you to submit a proposal to Exhibit, Perform, or Present at Vagina Festival!

What are you passionate about?

Exhibit drawings, painting photography, prints, sculpture…
Perform poetry, spoken word, dance, improv, music, monologues, plays…
Present a talk, host a panel, or engage the audience in an interactive activity…

Vagina Festival is made possible by generous sponsors and volunteers who are passionate about creating conversation. If you’d like to be a part of organizing and promoting Vagina Festival, we could certainly use your help! Go to www.vaginafestival.com to sign up.

**I know it says the application due date is July 31st, BUT since I am selecting the work for the show, I am willing to push back the date a bit if any interested people just email and notify us letting us know they are going to submit!**

If you are interested in this bike trip please read this post, or if you know someone who might be interested in it, please forward this information along!

In the summer of 2008, the Pro-Choice Public Education Project is sponsoring Wanderlust: a reproductive justice bike tour, which will travel the country from the big easy to the big city, exploring politics, sex and culture along the way. We’ll be meeting with people along the route who are doing interesting work in reproductive health care, sexuality education, and social justice to talk about their work, find out where they see themselves within a larger movement, and discuss what we can do together to promote reproductive justice.

Wanderlust is now accepting participant applications, and there will be a conference call on Thursday, March 20th at 1:30 PM for interested participants. On the call, you’ll have a chance to hear more about the trip and ask any questions you may have. If you’re interested in joining the trip but have never done anything like this before, are scared of cars, or just want to know more about it, join the call!

CALL INFORMATION

Date: March 20th, 2008
Time: 1:30 PM Eastern (10:30 AM Pacific)

The call in number is: 712.775.7100
The code is: 777919#

*Please let us know you’re interested in participating by emailing
wanderlust@protectchoice.org with “CALL RSVP” in the subject line.

If you have specific questions you would like addressed on the call, please
email them to wanderlust@protectchoice.org.

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Help Choice USA honor the dynamic young activists-and their mentors-who have made cutting edge contributions to the reproductive justice movement through service, research, communications and organizing at the 2008 Generation-to-Generation Celebration on July 17!

Nominate (PDF) a young leader or elected official in your community, a friend from your campus Choice USA chapter, or a professor or who has mentored your growth as a young leader working for reproductive justice.

On July 17, 2008, Choice USA will honor these young leaders and their mentors and allies as the heart and hope of a new and stronger movement.

Criteria:

Nominees must be under the age of 30 on July 17, 2008 unless the candidate is for the Sharing the Legacy: Mentor Award. All candidates must work to advance reproductive justice, health or rights either professionally or personally.

Deadline for Nominations:

March 28, 2008. See the full description (PDF) and nominate an awardee today!

Don’t fret, there’s still time to submit! Get your clips to us by tomorrow!

This year, Choice USA wants to celebrate the anniversary of Roe vs. Wade by letting the whole world know what Roe v. Wade means to you!

Check out our YouTube video to learn more about our Roe Anniversary Video Montage–if we can create a YouTube video, so can you!

Show Your Support and Let Your Voice Be Heard!

Please send your video clips and any questions to leaderhsip@choiceusa.org. Submissions are due by January 11th!

Click here for Submission Guidelines!

We are thrilled to introduce “Youth Voices,” our new collaboration with RH Reality Check, an an online community and publication serving individuals and organizations committed to advancing sexual and reproductive health and rights. Youth Voices will feature the writing of youth activists working with Choice USA around the country.

Check out the posts (also cross-posted on Choice Words) which so far have addressed themes like “Contraception and the 2008 Presidential Candidates” and “Sex Ed in a Dreamworld.” Stay tuned for upcoming RH Reality Check themes AND to hear what young people have to say!

Enjoy and leave comments on both sites- let’s open up the discussion!