Youth empowerment is imperative not only for national development but also for personal development of an individual. According to the recently released census data, our population comprises 60 percent of the youth. This is both a threat and an opportunity. If this raw talent's energy is not channelised, well then we have a real challenge at hand as it might act as a time bomb for our country. However, by channelising the energy and raw talent of the youth in the right direction, we can prepare them for a productive role aimed at shaping the future of the nation.

History has shown that under the dynamic leadership of the Quaid-e-Azam, the youth played an instrumental role in bringing Pakistan into being. The Quaid-e-Azam considered the youth as nation builders of tomorrow. He strongly believed in equipping the youth with discipline, education and training for the arduous tasks lying ahead of them.

Today, the youth of Pakistan is facing various social, political and economic changes. If we review our past policies, we would notice the palpable lack of concrete youth targeted policies. These policies have lacked consistency, coherence and a broader perspective. Given the present scenario of our country in terms of youth bulge, the slogan of youth empowerment has taken the centre-stage. However, the best way to empower our youth is through provision of greater educational and economic opportunities.

Punjab Educational Endowment Fund (PEEF) is South Asia's largest scholarship programme. The basic purpose behind the programme is to provide scholarships to the deserving but talented students who aren't able to pursue higher education due to financial constraints. The scholarships of worth Rs. 12 billion have been awarded so far. Under the umbrella of PEEF, Shahbaz Sharif Merit Scholarship (SSMS) is a revolutionary step of the Punjab government, which enables the youth to study in the top ranked educational institutions of the world by funding their whole expenditure. PEEF is a story of dedication and vision in the service of the youth that is changing lives and help realise dreams.

In the middle of difficulty lies an opportunity and educational scholarship is a gateway to opening of new avenues of socio-economic mobility and growth. The launch of Chinese and Turkish Language Scholarship programs by the Punjab government is a step in the right direction.

I believe that these Language Scholarship Programs are very productive exercise with far-reaching results. Besides being time-tested and sincere friends of Pakistan, both China and Turkey are our trusted development partners. Given the increasing footprint of the Chinese and Turkish investment and trade in Punjab and Pakistan, the language courses being funded by Punjab will help our students acquire expertise and understanding that will help facilitate interaction between our two countries. In addition to further strengthening our bilateral relations with these countries, the scholarship programs will open up more avenues for our youth in terms of better career prospects.

Skill development has created a huge space for generation of employment in today's world. The idea of earning millions by bringing fresh prospective and out of box thinking on the table is very encouraging and unique. One cannot only create job for oneself but also create livelihood opportunities for others. Unfortunately we as a nation are lagging behind in developing skills of our youth. But the recent keen interest of government in this field is laudable.

On the directions of the Chief Minister, TEVTA is engaged in imparting skills to two million youths of Punjab by the end of 2018. The project of Punjab Tianjin Technical University has been envisaged and definitely, Chinese expertise would be useful for the Punjab government. The students of Punjab Tianjin Technical University will get same facilities and latest technical education which is being provided in Tianjin University. The students of this university would get dual degrees.

Chief Minister Punjabs E-Rozgar Scheme, and Interest-free loan scheme are some other initiatives taken by Punjab to empower youth. It is a high time we utilised our resources to train our students in terms of technical, human resource and skill development. We need to create backward and forward linkages between industry and academia. Instead of preparing generalists, we should focus on producing qualified human resource keeping in view the indigenous and foreign demands. The construction of CPEC projects across the country has thrown open a huge demand for skilled labour and it is now on us how we convert this challenge into an opportunity.

The Chinese model of converting youth bulge into a demographic dividend needs to be emulated in our efforts to empower our youth. There is no denying the fact that our youth is talented and hard working. They have the overwhelming desire to realize their potential into an asset for the nation-building, provided the state can enable and equip them necessary tools. It is heartening to note that there is a discernible realization of giving our youth the conducive environment for development.

While the Punjab government has launched much needed initiatives, it is important that sustainable youth empowerment policies at the national level are worked out after consultation with all stakeholders particularly the youth bodies. We have to make our youth agent of change through investment in their future.

Published inDaily Times, August 31st 2017.

Here is the original post:
Youth Empowerment: Punjab leads the way - Daily Times

Around the Corner is aPhillyCAMshow that offerslocal social impactleaderstheopportunity to share what impact their work is having on the Philadelphia area.

But it produces guides of other kinds, too such as the recently released The XX Factor, a report that helps funders learn more about how to improve the lives of women and girls through five lenses: economic empowerment, personal safety, legal rights, health and education, explained analyst Rebecca Hobble.

The XX Factor also includes 10 evidenced-based best bets for those new to giving in this area, which includes donating to organizations dealing with labor force participation, protection from child marriage and access to technology.

And for those looking to help victims of Hurricane Harvey beyond drinking beer, check out CHIPs quick primer on how to think about giving in a disaster. Its advice? Give money, not stuff, and give even after the floodwaters have receded. Read it here.

Learn more about CHIP in Hobbles Around the Corner interview below.

PhillyCAM isComcastchannel 66/966 HD/967 andVerizon FIOSchannel 29/30 in Philadelphia.

More:
Center for High Impact Philanthropy's new report outlines how to best help women and girls around the world - Generocity

Youre truly interested in growing and changing, but youd like to have a better handle on the changes. You welcome and pursue self-knowledge and understanding, but life throws challenges at yousometimes big ones. When the worst is happening, you wonder what the purpose of it all is. And while you are struggling, life goes on, sometimes leaving you mired in confusion or overwhelm trying to figure it out before its too late. Generic advice has only gone so far.

Youre not alone. I struggled endlessly to figure out what my life purpose was and what I should do about it. When I finally found the key to understanding myself, I felt liberated to finally live myown, real life, and be my own person, not the person someone else thought I should be. Then my path becameclear and easyto walk. I found my own personal owners manual and my life has been filled with meaning ever since.

Could there really be an owners manual just for you?

What if you found areliablesource of information that you could go to over the years to get advice thats true for you and you alone? What if you had a personal owners manual, describing who you are and how to live yourmost successfullife? Could there really be such a thing?

There isand its your astrology chart.

Did you know that your accurate birth chart works for you and only you? It is more detailed than your enneagram number or your Myers-Briggs type. Your astrology chart is as complex and unique as you are. It is the very best orientation and navigation tool in existence for your personal life, without exception.

Properly read, your horoscope reveals:

As a professional astrologer (Ive been studying since 1980 and practicing since 1992), I can show you all this and more. But dont take my word for it:read what some of my clients say.

I can help you:

Getting on your own unique spiritual path starts with an astrology reading of your birth chart, current transitions or relationships. I can do this for you in person at my Berkeley, California location or via online meeting if you are at a distance from California. After yourreading, youll receive a screen-capture video of the session, along with copies of all the charts we used, delivered to you as downloadable files within 24 hours. Find out more about thetypes of readings available and my rates here.

Even if you see a therapist or life coach regularly, having an astrology reading can give you the keys to unlock yourself in an accelerated way. An astrology reading condenses years of inner exploration into one session, powerfully assisting therapy or coaching. In fact, its such a powerful experience that you wouldnt want to have your chart read more than twice a year.

If youre about to have your first astrology reading, Im especially excited for you. Contact me soon!

Blessings on your path,Jamie Kahl MillerPandora AstrologyBerkeley, California, USA

Contact Jamie

PS. Tired of woo-woo astrologers who use mysterious spiritual language and new-agey terms? Ready for an astrologer who will speak to you in practical terms and in English, who will give you solid information you can use right away? Youve just found one! Id love to hear from you.

Continue reading here:
Home - Pandora Astrology

The Mrs Universe finalists from more than 80 countries are loving the vibe in Durban. IMAGES: Images: Abhi Indrarajan

Beauty with a purpose: Mrs Universe finalists, who are in Durban for the World Finals on September 2, 2017, visited three schools in the greater Durban area, on Monday.

Tapping into this years event theme of empowering women, creating change, the contestants from more than 80 countries, spoke to pupils about the importance of education and helped create awareness of the global gender-based violence crisis.

Pupils from Bhekisisa High School in Ntuzuma and two schools in Umlazi, namely Menzi High School and Vukuzakhe High School, met with the women to hear about how they overcame personal challenges to achieve success and make a meaningful contribution to their communities back home.

The beautiful contestants enjoyed spending time with the pupils.

To add to the festive atmosphere at the schools, Vodacom handed over 10 tablets to each of three schools. Teachers will award the ten high performing pupils in each school with the tablets at the end of the year.

The Mrs Universe event is a women-empowerment initiative that brings together married women between the ages of 25 and 45 who are doing phenomenal work to uplift and enhance their local communities through CSI initiatives.

The Mrs Universe World Finals will be held at the Inkosi Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre on September 2, 2017. For more information, visit http://www.mrsuniverse 2017.co.za

See the rest here:
Mrs Universe contestants empower Durban pupils - Rising Sun Chatsworth

Bill Goble and his wife Debra Louise Barry reached out to members of Hilm, a local Muslim non-profit organization, and offered to train members of the Muslim community in self-defence.Fariha Naqvi

A few days after the terrorist attack at a mosque in Quebec City this past January, the Roxboro United Church invited the local Muslim community to join them for their annual pancake dinner.

Congregants from both communities joined together to eat, pray and get to know one another. At the dinner, Pierrefonds residents Bill Goble and his wife Debra Louise Barry reached out to members of Hilm, a local Muslim non-profit organization, and offered to train members of the Muslim community in self-defence.

There was a sense of fear and concern regarding racism, sexism, religious prejudices and other class distinctions (in the Muslim community), Goble said.

With 20 years of training in Chinese internal martial arts and variousAsian self-defence systems, Goble has a personal background in violence prevention instruction and wanted to offer his services.

When a person is intersected by multiple prejudicial definitions there is an increase in susceptibility to various forms of violence. Strong Orange Violence Prevention (SOVP) tries to help empower people to be aware of these forms of violence, how they form and how to be able to avoid or manage the development of violence as it is forming, said Goble, director, instructor and responsible for certification development at SOVP.

There seemed to be a need to help with development of personal empowerment and personal safety in the Muslim community, he said, which prompted him to lend a hand.

This self-defence course should be a must for every woman. The same way we should all know how to change a tire, we should all know the basics of self defence, noted Kirkland resident Umberine Chaudhry, a chartered accountant and mother of four. She attended the course along with a group of other Muslim women from the West Island.

Id like to thank mayor Jim Beis and the (borough) of (Pierrefonds-Roxboro) for providing us with the location we used for training, Goble said. There was a lot of discussion regarding de-escalation methodologies and a lot of awareness scenario discussion, in the first few sessions of the self defence workshops.

We are so thankful to Bill and his lovely wife Debra for their generous offer to help equip our community with the tools we need to protect ourselves, Chaudhry said.

We have worked with First Nations communities and front line workers from Womens Shelters and various social agencies. We have provided empowerment based training across the spectrum for many definable demographics who might be at risk, said Goble, an electrical designer in the aerospace industry by profession. He works with other communities and charities as well, including people in remote communities and various metropolitan areas in Canada.

Goble credits his wife Debra as the first person who ever got him to teach an empowerment based self-defence course as part of her ethics program to Grade 7 girls at St. Thomas High School in 2002.

When asked what was still needed to help the community, Goble responded, We need to find and develop facilitators and certified instructors within portions of the community who might be at risk.

The courses wrap up next month but will be repeated so long as there is an interest and need.

More here:
Naqvi-Mohamed: Communities join forces to battle prejudice and fear - Montreal Gazette

Youth empowerment is imperative not only for national development but also for personal development of an individual. According to the recently released census data, our population comprises 60 percent of the youth. This is both a threat and an opportunity. If this raw talents energy is not channelised well then we have a real challenge at hand as it might act as a time bomb for our country. However, by channelising the energy and raw talent of the youth in the right direction, we can prepare them for a productive role aimed at shaping the future of the nation.

History shows that under the dynamic leadership of Quaid-e-Azam, the youth played an instrumental role in bringing Pakistan into being. Quaid-e-Azam considered the youth as nation builders of tomorrow. He strongly believed in equipping the youth with discipline, education and training for the arduous tasks lying ahead of them.

Today, the youth of Pakistan is facing various social, political and economic changes. If we review our past policies, we would notice the palpable lack of concrete youth targeted policies. These policies lacked consistency, coherence and a broader perspective.

Given the present scenario of our country in terms of youth bulge, the slogan of youth empowerment has taken the centre-stage. However, the best way to empower our youth is through provision of greater educational and economic opportunities.

Punjab Educational Endowment Fund (PEEF) is South Asias largest scholarship program. The basic purpose behind the programme is to provide scholarships to the deserving but talented students who arent able to pursue higher education due to financial constraints. The scholarships of worth Rs12 billion have been awarded so far.

Under the umbrella of PEEF, Shahbaz Sharif Merit Scholarship (SSMS) is a revolutionary step of the Punjab government, which enables the youth to study in the top ranked educational institutions of the world by funding their whole expenditure. PEEF is a story of dedication and vision in the service of the youth that is changing lives and help realise dreams.

In the middle of difficulty lies an opportunity and educational scholarship is a gateway to opening of new avenues of socio-economic mobility and growth. The launch of Chinese and Turkish Language Scholarship programmes by the Punjab government is a step in the right direction.

I believe that scholarship programmes are very productive exercise with far-reaching results. Besides being time-tested and sincere friends of Pakistan, both China and Turkey are our trusted development partners. Given the increasing footprint of the Chinese and Turkish investment and trade in Punjab and Pakistan, the language courses being funded by Punjab government will help our students acquire expertise and understanding that will help facilitate interaction between our two countries. In addition to further strengthening our bilateral relations with these countries, the scholarship programmes will open up more avenues for our youth in terms of better career prospects.

Skill development has created a huge space for generation of employment in todays world. The idea of earning millions by bringing fresh prospective and out of box thinking on the table is very encouraging and unique. One cannot only create job for oneself but also create livelihood opportunities for others. Unfortunately, we as a nation are lagging behind in developing skills of our youth. But the recent keen interest of government in this field is laudable.

On the directions of the chief minister, TEVTA is engaged in imparting skills to two million youth of Punjab by the end of 2018. The project of Punjab Tianjin Technical University has been envisaged and definitely, Chinese expertise would be useful for the Punjab government. The students of Punjab Tianjin Technical University will get same facilities and latest technical education which is being provided in Tianjin University. The students of this university would get dual degrees.

Punjab chief ministers E-Rozgar Scheme, and Interest-free Loan Scheme are some other initiatives taken by Punjab government to empower youth. It is a high time we utilise our resources to train our students in terms of technical, human resource and skill development. We need to create backward and forward linkages between industry and academia. Instead of preparing generalists, we should focus on producing qualified human resource keeping in view the indigenous and foreign demands. The construction of CPEC projects across the country has thrown open a huge demand for skilled labour and it is now on us how we convert this challenge into an opportunity.

The Chinese model of converting youth bulge into a demographic dividend needs to be emulated in our efforts to empower our youth.

There is no denying of the fact that our youth is talented and hard working. They have the overwhelming desire to realise their potential into an asset for the nation-building, provided the state can enable and equip them with necessary tools. It is heartening to note that there is a discernible realisation of giving our youth the conducive environment for development.

While the Punjab government has launched much needed initiatives, it is important that sustainable youth empowerment policies at the national level are worked out after consultation with all stakeholders particularly the youth bodies. We have to make our youth agent of change through investment in their future.

The rest is here:
Youth Empowerment: Punjab leads the way - The Nation (blog)

Reporter: Houston Is Another of Uncle Sams Disasters

Storms are natural events, but floods are usually man-made disasters, writes Michael Grunwald at Politico. And in Houston, part of that man-made disaster can be traced to the ostensibly good intentions of the government, which has aided residential sprawl into vulnerable low-lying areas near water with its relatively cheap and easily gamed federal flood insurance. And while climate change might play a role, experts say the main culprit is the explosive growth of low-lying riverine and coastal development, which has had the double effect of increasing floods (by replacing prairies and other natural sponges that hold water with pavement that deflects water) while moving more property into the path of those floods. But, ironically, Congress is unlikely to limit the subsidies in the wake of a storm like Harvey.

Libertarian: Nanny-Staters Engage in Parental Abuse

When rats ate enough of a poor Bronx familys food to make the children under-nourished, the city stepped in to take the children away, citing bad parenting. This is an all-too-common story, says Lenore Skenazy at Reason: Because we default to the notion of bad parents, that becomes the primary problem we address. Its like treating all car accidents as the fault of the driver, even on streets with malfunctioning stop lights. This is especially damaging to those mired in poverty, since theres a problem the government could be addressing instead that now goes untreated. The government tars people with parental neglect. Quips Skenazy: Maybe parental abuse is a term we need to start using to cover government intervention in cases where parents are trying to do the best they can, but they just cant be perfect.

From the right: Muslim Reformer Takes on Left-Wingers

The Southern Poverty Law Center has in recent years taken to labeling an array of legitimate Christian and other organizations as hate groups. These targets now have an unlikely ally in anti-Islamist British politician Maajid Nawaz. He has been added to groups hate lists and is suing for defamation, reports Tyler ONeil at PJ Media. Indeed, given the way Nawaz angers Muslim extremists and the way the SPLC riles up left-wing nuts (a man who shot up the Family Research Council, a Christian group, in 2012 said he did so because he was following the SPLCs hate map), its an issue of personal safety as well: From the murder of Theo van Gogh, to the Scalise shooting, to the terror committed against the FRC, it is no hyperbole for Nawaz to say that the SPLCs list is putting his very life in danger.

Law prof: Americans Wont Elect Big Brother President

Mark Zuckerberg might once have been able to run for president as a stainless nerd-knight, argues Glenn Reynolds in USA Today. But now the Facebook founder has, like many in Silicon Valley, become a censorship-happy left-wing culture warrior, and thatll give the public pause: An industry that once seemed to be about personal liberation and empowerment as illustrated in that famous 1984-themed Apple commercial now seems to be creepy and controlling, and has signed up as enforcers in the culture wars that many Americans fear. And Facebooks reputation for violating users privacy to amass personal data isnt exactly an argument in favor of putting Zuckerberg in charge of the federal government: President Big Brother? Call me crazy, but I dont think itll sell.

Security beat: What Antifa & Neo-Nazis Have in Common

Antifa and the right-wing Tiki-torch Nazis have more in common than they realize, says Eli Lake at Bloomberg. This isnt to equate them, exactly. Indeed, the cause of anti-fascism is noble, whereas the racists marching in Charlottesville are telling journalists like me I should be sent to the ovens. The problem is antifa isnt what its cracked up to be: Originally it confronted neo-Nazis at punk concerts and the like. Today though, antifa has become the violent vanguard of the censorious progressive safe space movement, in which ideas and speakers deemed offensive are equated with physical violence. So this rivalry isnt a fight for the soul of America: Neither the Tiki-torch Nazis nor the masked anarchists represent a viable American future.

Go here to read the rest:
Why Zuckerberg won't be president, Uncle Sam's role in Houston's floods & other comments - New York Post

Carie Lemack, CEO and cofounder of DreamUp.

Carie Lemack is co-founder and CEO ofDreamUp, the first company to bring space into classrooms and classrooms into space.A former national security policy expert/advocate and producer of an Academy Award-nominated film, Lemack is a proud alumna of Space Camp and supporter of all space cadets reaching for the stars. Lemackcontributed this article toSpace.com's Expert Voices: Op-Ed & Insights.

If the United States wants to reclaim the honor and glory of reaching for the heavens; inspire a new generation of heroes and heroines, curious minds and courageous spirits; and give today's students the skills to achieve a better tomorrow, we must make the dream of reaching for the stars as real as the rockets that launch into space.

We need a space age for the digital age, in which teachers combine education with a form of entertainment like no other: the chance to see those rockets' red glare as they launch their payloads to the International Space Station. [Blastoff! How to See a Rocket Launch in Person This Summer]

That invigorating, firsthand experience with science is more powerful than any movie about science fiction. After all, hands-on time with science is interactive, personal and exciting, whereas science fiction is passive, occasionally preposterous, and less effective at engaging and motivating young minds. It's also a chance to promote STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) education in a way that can unite it with the arts and humanities.

Effectively incorporating space into our nation's education begins with a customized curriculum that is both accessible for teachers and aspirational for students. My company, DreamUp a sister company of NanoRacks is dedicated to bringing space-based education and research into classrooms and launching student experiments into space.

The program accommodates students of all ages, from primary school to postdoctoral, and it's accessible to those in urban, suburban, rural and regional districts. With a suite of multimedia tools and a user-friendly approach toward science, the DreamUp curriculum is dynamic and effective, with an emphasis on individual student engagement and personal empowerment.

These strengths provide a record to stand on, and successes to expand upon, as we continue to add to more than 375 unique student experiments already flown to the International Space Station. Those experiments prove that, in this country, we can democratize space-based research with commercial spaceflight, because we do not need bureaucracies to review and approve this work. We will continue to do this while helping our nation's youth become fluent in the language of science.

That language including its dialects involving data and statistics, analysis and applied mathematics is as critical to improving our public schools as it is indispensable to maintaining the competitive edge of our most prestigious colleges and universities.

We need to inaugurate this space age with moral energy equal to the physical energy of the earliest human spaceflight missions, where media convene and crowds converge to cheer the efforts of our greatest explorers.

We need to highlight the benefits of space-based research, ensuring the program has the economic and educational support to thrive.

We need, in short, to make the space age popular again.

We can achieve that goal and we can exceed that promise if we do our duty, by making the possible probable and the hypothetical (to some) undeniably real.

Let us fulfill this dream of reviving the space age through hands-on education, for the good of science and the betterment of students and, ultimately, employers throughout America.

Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebookand Google+. Original article on Space.com.

Follow this link:
To Inspire Future Space Travelers, Bring Space-Based Research to Schools - Space.com

EDWARDSVILLE Before their first day of classes, approximately 650 incoming Southern Illinois University Edwardsville freshmen were loaded into buses on Saturday, Aug. 19 and transported to Metro East farms, gardens, wetlands and more to learn a valuable lesson about community service.

We want to introduce them to SIUEs value of citizenship and what it means for them, said Sarah Laux, assistant director of civic engagement with SIUEs Kimmel Student Involvement Center. We want them to start early in providing service to their community and thinking about how they can give back.

The locations were chosen based on their needs and because some are in partnership with SIUE, according to Laux. For example, La Vista CSA Farm provides produce for Campus Kitchen at SIUE.

The students conducted an array of jobs such as planting, weeding, mulching, harvesting, removing invasive species and painting. The sites where students worked:

Watershed Nature Center is an organization dedicated to providing environmental education, passive recreation, and enjoyment of native habitats.

Willoughby Farm is part of the Collinsville Area Recreation District (CARD). It is a place where the history of the area comes alive through historic structures, original tools, replica gardens and a restored environment.

Arlington Wetlands is an American Bottom wetland acquired by the Collinsville Area Recreation District (CARD) with efforts to bring the land to full restoration. Because of its proximity to the confluence of the Missouri, Mississippi and Illinois Rivers, Arlington Wetlands plays a major role in the migration of waterfowl throughout the year.

The Granite City Community Gardens (GCCG) is a network that brings neighbors together to create and sustain gardens that benefit the Granite City community.

La Vista CSA Farm is community-supported agriculture.

Beverly Farm is home to nearly 400 individuals who live with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Garden of Harmony (Aya Grows) is a nonprofit initiative in East St. Louis that invests in ecological enrichment, community solidarity and personal empowerment through creative community-based place making.

These sites gave the students a sense of our diverse community and the diverse needs, Laux. Also, a lot of these sites have continuing needs, so students who want to continue to volunteer can.

Here is the original post:
The Telegraph | SIUE students learn about community service - Alton Telegraph

By Shelia Baynes, Guest Columnist

At a time when many Americans are thinking harder about racial issues and equity, members of the Marsala Giving Circle and othershave been commemoratingBlackPhilanthropy Month in August.

Historically, charity tends to be instilled in the African American experience. For us, philanthropy isnt a late-in-life revelation or practice, but rather an embedded value and way of being for many in our communities.

For generations we have given time, talent and treasure in order to strengthen our communities through helping friends, neighbors and family when theyre in need. Some of our earliest memories are those of passing around collection boxes down the church pew.

We established African American organizations and groups to uplift and support each other when it was difficult to receive help from other entities. There were no fancy words for it we simply called it giving back because thats exactly what it was.

When the Masala Giving Circle, made up of a local group of successful African American businesswomen, was founded through the Community Foundation of Sarasota County in 2013, it joined a growing group of black philanthropic organizations across the globe. We had one mission: Promote economic and personal empowerment through financial support for programs and initiatives that benefit African American communities in Sarasota and Manatee counties.

Our vision was to continue a legacy of giving back by establishing a more formal way for us, as African American women, to make a difference in our community and beyond.

Pooling our money together, were proud to have awarded since our founding more than $20,000 in grant money to nonprofits thathelp meetAfrican American needs in our community. More Too Life, Turning Points, the Newtown Farmers Market, Pearls of Excellence, and the Robert L. Taylor Community Complex are all organizations that have benefited directly from our philanthropy.

However, our support goes beyond a financial transaction. A key component to Masalas philosophy is sharing our long history of philanthropy and bringing awareness to, and creating conversation around, black philanthropic causes. So we proudly join the numerous African American Giving Circles across the United States that celebrate and give recognition to Black Philanthropy Month.

Started in 2011 by Dr. Jacqueline Copeland-Carson and the Pan-African Womens Philanthropy Network, the commemorative month affirms a commitment of all black philanthropic organizations to empower their communities and aims to strengthen social investments, volunteerism, activism and advocacy toward promoting the future of people and communities of African descent.

In past years, Black Philanthropy Month luncheon forums were hosted to celebrate and hear from local African American philanthropists in recognition of their lifelong commitment to making a difference.

Our region is rich with women who have been doing this work for many years and continue to do so. Audrey Coleman, Lois Watson and Sophia LaRusso are all local names who embody the spirit of giving back and have had a life-long commitment to philanthropy.

I thank these women, and all others, who leave an extraordinary legacy of giving and work to lift up important stories, spotlight good work, educate the generations, and inspire collective action to advance justice for all African American people.

Now and for years to come, I invite all people of African ancestry and allied friends of ours to continue to promote the power of giving to transform lives.

Shelia Baynes is the founder and president of the Masala Giving Circle. For more information about the Masala Giving Circle, visit http://www.MasalaGiving.com.

See more here:
Baynes: African Americans giving back - Sarasota Herald-Tribune