Anyway, enough about my tech woes. For this week's Charity Friday, here are some organizations advocating for great causes that I think are worth supporting.
- Jer's Vision: I met Jeremy at a birthday dinner once, but I'd heard of him long before. As a teenager, while the rest of us were angsty about homework, parents, and our prom date, Jeremy was fighting with his high school about the right to start up a LGBT-postive club at school, resulting in a human rights complaint, and one of the largest human rights settlements in Canadian history. What did he do with the money? He started up Jer's Vision, a non-profit organiztaion to eliminate bullying, homophobia, transphobia, and other forms of discrimination in schools and the community. It's an inspiring story - but then, Jeremy himself is quite inspiring. Donation page here.
- (Ottawa) Hollaback!: This is a very creative initiative to raise awareness about street harassment. People post their stories about being harassed - intimidated, cat-called, called a racial slur, groped - in the safety of a supportive community, thanks to the availability of mobile technology. It's a really interesting project, with local bases in each city. Donation page here.
- Leave Out Violence: My friend Leila let me know about this project. She's on the board of directors for this organization, as if she wasn't busy enough being a lawyer. This organization is based in Toronto and is devoted to fighting youth violence. Check it out! Just keep im mind that the website is http://leaveoutviolence.org/ and NOT love.org like I originally tried...that is a completely different website.
I'm still participating in the 30×30 challenge to spend 30 minutes outside every day for 30 days! Which isn't always easy, considering sometimes we have snowstorms. In May.
Day 3: On your next walk, stop to smell the flowers
what flowers
Day 4: Outdoor picnic in -30°C weather at the ruins of the old stone church