FREEDOM

Freedom is hummus.  Perhaps not to you.  But to me, hummus is what Freedom tastes like.  The relationships I have built with survivors of Human Trafficking have propelled me to redefine Freedom, as it exists from their perspectives. Watching a survivor taste hummus for the first time brought so much joy to me. In a room of 25 survivors, no one had ever tasted it; many were hesitant to even dip a chip in it, let alone a carrot stick or pita bread.   But the wide smile on the face of the first survivor who ‘dove in’, was all they needed to form a new love for this strange chick-pea blend.   And that one smile led the rest of the women into a new world of ‘healthful’ eating.  It was a bold move early on by one of our volunteers—but she knows that part of her volunteer work is to continue to introduce the survivors to freedom and choices that have been unknown and unavailable to them.

Their lives have been filled with abuse, neglect, pain, control, slavery, and trauma starting at such a young age—most entering into forced and coerced sex trade (trafficking) at an average age of 12-14.  At these unmentionable ages, many had freedom taken away from them.  So I have taken much delight over the last few years observing and participating in the newfound freedom that empowers them on so many levels of existence – food being one of them.

Freedom a la Cart is the new doma initiative to continue introducing survivors to more and more “Freedom”.  (THANK YOU TO OUR SUPPORTERS, and particularly to THE WOMEN’S FUND OF CENTRAL OHIO!)

Freedom now tastes like fresh, local, and organic food. Freedom is learning how to chop vegetables and slow cook meats.  Freedom is learning the word, ‘Chimichurri’ and roasting red peppers. Freedom is networking with local businesses and the community, and even problem-solving and thinking through, “Where can I park a food cart in the winter, and make money selling our amazing food?”  Even better yet—Freedom is owning a “Carhartt” jacket to keep warm (volunteers and survivors alike!)  Freedom is the warm, genuine smile on two survivors’ faces as they greeted our first customers at the first Gallery Hop of the year downtown at our cart debut last Saturday.  (And it’s a pretty snazzy cart, if I must say so myself.  You’ll have to come visit it in person to see our dazzling twinkle lights…)

Freedom is opening a bank account, saving, and learning how to budget.  Freedom is buying a car for the first time, and then asking your support network of mentors and friends to help you get a license.  Freedom is driving to a custody hearing to fight for the relationships that mean so much to you.

Freedom is dreaming!  Freedom is saving up money to go to college.  And perhaps Freedom is starting a business, or maybe running the register at our first standalone Freedom restaurant, or branching out and having a franchise of a Freedom cart.

But most of all, Freedom is having choices.  And Freedom is having new choice, when at one time, all choice was taken from you.

Happy 2012 and National Human Trafficking Awareness Day!   This is truly going to be a “FREE” year.

And a shameless plug:

Call us for catering gigs at 614-343-3442.  Email us at freedom@domaconnection.org.   Find us on facebook and twitter:  freedom a la cart. Visit doma’s website- domaconnection.org.  Invite us to set up at lunchtime at your business—or beg and bug your business to let us in.  Consider becoming an investor or a ‘careholder’ in a standalone Freedom restaurant, which we’re looking to launch in a few months (contact julie@domaconnection.org)  One taste of our food, and you’ll wonder where this Freedom has been all your life.

Written by Julie Clark

CMAA Refugee Services: Capital Park Women’s Empowerment Project

The Capital Park Women’s Empowerment Project will impact 380 families living in Capital Park Apartments by empowering and training Somali refugee women to become leaders around the issue of safety in their surrounding neighborhood.

Doma International: Freedom a la Cart

Freedom a la Cart is a social enterprise project which will provide women exiting the sex trade with workforce development skills through a catering and food cart business. Women will train for a family-sustaining livelihood while the general public becomes educated about human sex trafficking.

Girl Scouts of Ohio’s Heartland Council, Inc.: Power Up: Doing Nothing? Not an option!

The Power Up program will reach third-through-fifth-grade girls in Fairfield County, empowering girls to resist bullying and defend against it. Girls are specifically taught how to move from a bystander to a powerful, confident defender of girls.

Hard Hatted Women: Leadership Development for Tradeswomen TOOLS

This program will train women working in underrepresented fields, such as energy, utilities, transportation, construction, logistics, and skilled manufacturing, to become speakers, mentors and advocates. These women will then work with employers to increase the number of women working in high-wage earning fields, while helping build the pipeline of women coming into the trades.

HelpLine of Delaware & Morrow Counties and Youth to Youth: Thank Goodness I’m Female (TGIF): The Year of GAL

A teen led and developed approach, Thank Goodness I’m Female (T.G.I.F.), emphasizes the development of healthy female friendships and peer relationships. High school and middle school girls use open dialogue, skill building, youth mentoring, art exhibitions, a social-norm campaign, and social networking “Youtube-like” videos to change aggressive attitudes and behaviors among girls.

John Glenn School of Public Affairs: NEW Leadership Ohio

NEW Leadership Ohio is a week-long residential summer program for college students throughout the state, addressing the underrepresentation of women in elected office. NEW Leadership Ohio inspires and challenges women to run for office, take on public leadership roles, and support other women in their endeavors to do the same.

Mental Health America of Licking County: Licking County Bridges Out of Poverty Initiative

Bridges Out of Poverty engages the whole community in conquering the systemic causes of poverty. Women in poverty learn the hidden rules of the middle class, public institutions change policies reinforcing poverty, and businesses, churches, and other organizations volunteer as Allies to help low-income women escape from poverty.

Otterbein University: Women’s Leadership Network

The Otterbein Women’s Leadership Network will provide educational, networking, and transformational leadership opportunities for middle school girls, college students, and community leaders to create a pipeline of support that will increase women’s upward social and economic mobility.

PAST Foundation: The GEM Project: Girl Empowerment Mural

The Girls Empowerment Mural (GEM) will help young women of the Linden community create and manage community murals. Public art as social change will transform the perception of girls’ roles in the community, redefine their place in Linden, strengthen their community, and provide a unifying voice for women to continue to be agents of change.

Planned Parenthood of Central Ohio: Peer Education Project

PPCO will engage teenage women as Peer Educators, developing them into informed leaders that will provide comprehensive sex education to their female peers and advocate for change in government and school policy. The educators focus on delaying sexual activity, non-violent relationships and protection from sexually transmitted diseases.

Ruling Our Experiences, Inc.: Ruling Our eXperiences Empowerment Program for Girls (ROX)

The ROX Ruling Our eXperiences program empowers young women on issues of self-esteem, self-concept, body image, gender roles, female leadership, career development, dealing with harassment and discrimination, healthy relationships, sexual violence, and physical self defense.

Rwandan Women in Action: Refugee Women Transitional Support Program

Refugee Women Transitional Support, in collaboration with Children’s Hunger Alliance, will certify refugee women to become childcare providers and start their own cooperative daycares.

and creates a vision for tomorrow.”

~Melody Beattie

As we approach this season of giving thanks, we recognize and pay tribute to the many sources of support in our lives. We are grateful for the positive social change happening in our community each day. We are grateful for our shared vision of a world where all women are empowered and all voices are heard. We are grateful for you.

Thank you for your continued belief in our mission to transform the lives of women and girls, by mobilizing the collective power and passion of all women working together.

Plan some time for shopping and social change. Join us this weekend during The Limited Easton Town Center location’s Grand Re-Opening. A percentage of all sales from the weekend, Friday, November 4th through Sunday, November 6th, will be donated to The Women’s Fund of Central Ohio.

 The John Glenn School of Public Affairs will host Pulitzer Prize winner, Sheryl WuDunn at The Barbara K. Fergus Women in Leadership lecture series. The Women’s Fund of Central Ohio is proud to sponsor the event.

Sheryl WuDunn is co-author of Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide, a New York Times best-selling book about the challenges facing women around the globe. Half the Sky is a passionate call to arms against the global oppression of women.

Together we will hear the heart wrenching tales of the major abuses of women throughout the world, listen to the inspiring stories of extraordinary women turning their oppression into opportunity, and learn how together we can make a difference-- join us.

When:  Monday, November 14, 2011at 4:00 p.m.

Where: Ohio Union, Archie Griffin Ballroom

1739 North High Street

Columbus, OH 43210

The lecture is free of charge and open to the public, but seating is limited. Follow this link to reserve your space today! 

As we celebrate this victory, we must also recognize their journey. Share in this moment– tune in to WOSU on Tuesday, October 18th at 9pm for the second film in the Women, War and Peace series, Pray the Devil Back to Hell, starring Nobel Prize winner Leymah Gbowee.

Join us on Monday, October 24th from 5:30-7:15pm at the Arena Grand Theatre as we continue this important conversation with producer of Women, War and Peace, Abigail Disney.

How can you celebrate our 10^th Birthday?

-Make a $100 gift, $10 for each year

-Introduce us to 10 women who haven’t heard of The Women’s Fund

-Celebrate your relationships with a Tribute

What is a tribute? We have so many important people in our lives: our mothers, sisters, daughters, and friends. In these relationships we share our happiness, our sorrow, and our jubilation during milestone moments in our lives. 

Celebrate your relationships. Send a wedding tribute tomorrow or schedule a year worth of special birthday tributes. We send them your beautifully written words (on time!) and you get the tax deduction.  She realizes she is cherished and you know your gift strengthens women and girls in our community.

We have enough stuff– give a gift that matters. It matters to you. It matters to your friends. It matters to your community.

10 years. Celebrate! Our Work. Your Relationships.  

That feeling, that profound connection with our humanity, is why you want to see Abby Disney.  We see the violence on television, war torn countries with bloody streets and white sheet-covered bodies.  For us the story may be a two minute news spot.  For those living in war torn countries, it is their life. 

We often hear of military casualties, we might even hear the language “collateral damage”.  Abby Disney puts a face and a story to the women who are disproportionately impacted by war and subsequently left out of the peace-building process.  You will feel the intensity of the situation and you will also hear the stories of hope, reconciliation and deep, lasting peace.

Women, War and Peace is a series that you will want to record and watch with your family (not for young children!)  Share the experience of listening and learning from Abby Disney on October 24^th.  Bring your partner, your girlfriends and your humanity to spend some time with a woman who brings the often silenced voices of women to public television.

You won’t want to miss the opportunity to meet Abby Disney in person on:

October 24^th, 2011

5:30-7:30 p.m.

Arena Grand Theater

Click here for tickets.

Program provided with support from The Women’s Fund of Central Ohio and WOSU Public Media.

Heart disease is the number one killer of Americans. According to a survey recently completed by Ohio State’s Ross Heart Hospital, only 22 percent of Ohio women understand the danger of cardiovascular disease. Close to 75 percent of women surveyed reported at least one risk factor for heart disease, but only about 25 percent identified themselves at risk. When 500,000 American women lose their lives to heart disease each year, knowledge of the risk factors is incredibly important.

On Wednesday, September 14 from 9-11am, join an amazing team of female cardiologists, dietitians, and researchers at The Blackwell Inn for a free presentation: Strong at Heart—What Every Woman Needs to Know.

Topics will include:

• Heart at Work: Understanding How to Reduce Your Risk of Heart Disease
• Recipe for Life: Heart-Healthy Recipes and Tastings
• Groove Is in the Heart: Moving Your Way to a Healthy Heart
• Hormone Rage: Understanding Issues Related to HRT
• 2011 American Heart Association Guidelines: How They Apply to Women

We all want to be healthy, for our friends, for our families, for ourselves. Call 1-800-293-5123 to reserve your seat and join us on September 14^th!

Written by Kathleen Kishman