On the cover: Lori Finnila Photograph by LJ Productions
Women Empowerment was created as a free service to women concerning women to help bring a stronger voice to females. Lori Finnila created this magazine to finish her dreams and make other women’s dreams come true. She publishes a wide variety of articles including business and nonprofit solutions for women. She also publishes services that may be useful to women. She never charges a fee for her services. She will always use all money made towards her charities (which include teen runaways and battered women) if and when funds are provided by outside sources. She is a domestic violence survivor and that is why she created the talk show ‘Women Empowerment’ to strengthen and empower women to which spun off this magazine. She is CEO of LJ Productions and Publishing News Editor of OurTown.com/eugeneor Talk Show Host of the Women Empowerment Show
To Submit Articles: Email: finnilaa@aol.com Phone: 1 (888)665-6176 Fax: 1 (952)479-3613
Summer 2011
A Priceless Jewel Within
Author/Spiritual Life Coach Harriet P. Harrison Today’s society has placed a lot of unrealistic demands on all of us. Many people expend a great amount of their time working to become someone their not. Every day they’re struggling to create an image that’s impossible to live out and a lifestyle they can’t maintain. The weight of this madness in our world has impose itself upon God’s people to the point, where it has cause illness, stress, anxiety, mental breakdowns, depression and sadness. God is calling for His women to wake up, stand up and take charge over their lives again. You are not a victim to this madness we call home. Today woman of God your Father in heaven is giving notice to the Priceless Jewel Within. You are a Priceless Jewel from heaven and its time you acknowledge who you are and whom you belong too. If you cannot look yourself in the mirror and be proud of what you see or who you are, then the problem is YOU. If you are ever going to be that Priceless Jewel God has called you to be, then its time you stop the show and re-evaluate your life right now. You are God’s Priceless Jewel and it’s your moment in time to embrace it. No one can define or characterize who you are but your Creator. This precious gifted woman of God is a self-love, self-valued and self-respected individual. She has been waiting her whole life to take the center stage. This woman knows that the most important relationship she could ever have is with her, and the most important person she needs to love and respect is herself. This Priceless Jewel arranges the platform for other women to follow in her footsteps. She is a powerful leader in your home, business, ministry and community. The high level of standards she sets for herself is self-commitment and self-control.
This powerhouse Jewel gives her best in whatever she does and creates new opportunities for her and others. She posses the courage and strength to calculate risk with God’s confidence in her life and she contributes gratuity of love to her family, friends and business associates. She is a woman who moves by faith and not by sight with the wisdom of God and her openness generates a place for growth to receive God’s Universe. She is honest, trustworthy person and all that she trusts and believes in. This Priceless Jewel Within is a fireball for the word of God. She moves and obeys God’s word over everything and everybody. The woman I am talking about is you my sister. God wants to put the spotlight on YOU. Therefore, commit yourself today in the presence of the Holy Spirit and let God lead and teach YOU how to develop this Priceless Jewel within. She has the potential to shine bright as the Morning Star. Take this journey with me and release her to live a life of Victory today.
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/kawnetwork www.empowerwomen4greatness.net 1 (817) 715-1183 for Booking request, Empowerment Training sessions and private Spiritual Coaching sessions
The Many Beautiful Faces of Harriet P. Harrison
Previewing Local Artist Laura Kemp For "No Regrets" with Laura Kemp from her new song with her album Bodhi Tree featuring a song which was derived from this album, she refers to her past with her path given to her verses being chosen. She will be performing this album along with other songs at the following venues at the bottom of this article. Her proclaimed album Bodhi Tree, which was released in 2010 after her travels from India to Nashville, has songs created with substance stemming from her soulful and spiritual experiences. Speaking from life in her worldly manner, she has created a southern folk style with rhythm and blues associated with the longevity of existence in the music business comparative of Stevie Nicks and Joni Mitchell where she has put in the foot work ' so to speak ' to be able to be regarded as a true artist.
She is formerly known of as "Babes with Axes" where she has performed at thwellknown W.O.W. (the in-town concert hall in Eugene) where she recorded her two live CD's with the band. Drawing a crowd every time she plays there she is frequently welcomed in this venue and all around town. From San Francisco's Great American Hall of Music to Eugene's County Fairs she is a stand-up sold out artist wherever she goes. She has been awarded best artist by Eugene's Weekly many times over. She began playing at the age of eight any time she could perfecting herself in such a comfortable realm of writing and performing. She plays an array of instruments including the guitar, harmonica, and banjo. A brief interview with Laura is here: I so appreciate you doing this and writing a review of the CD for me. THANK YOU! And feel free to spread it around. I lived in Marietta, GA from the age of 12-18, so
that would be fun to have it in an Atlanta paper. Maybe an old friend would see it :-)
make their own music! Maybe do a yoga teacher training at some point as well :-)
What influenced you to want to sing and write?
Her music frequents Pandora Radio and her CD's can be found at http://www.cdbaby.com/Artist/LauraKemp.
We had an old guitar kicking around the house and I begged my mom for lessons when I was a kid - so I started taking lessons at the age of 8. My family loves to sing together, so between learning guitar and singing w/my family, it seems that music just stuck. I started out learning all the old songs from the 60's - artists like Peter Paul and Mary, Simon and Garfunkel, John Denver, Neil Diamond, Joan Baez, Joni Mitchell, Dylan the usual suspects; then went off to college in Nashville and got an infusion of bluegrass music for a few years, to the mountains of NC after that and started writing my own songs at that point. I had lived in Germany for a year as well in college and played in the streets busking, as well in pubs. Moved out to Oregon in 1990 and started gigging regularly - solo and with all sorts of configurations. Have recorded 6 albums of my own stuff to date, and 2 more with the Babes w/Axes (no longer together - but played together for almost a decade!) Artists I look up to - I love quite a few different genres of music - was heavily influenced in my younger years by those I mentioned previously; bluegrass - I love Alison Kraus and Union Station; been listening to and playing jazz over the past 10 years - the regulars like Ella F. and Billy H.; really love kirtan - Krishna Das is pretty much always in my CD player in my car; contemporary songwriters - I think Richard Shindell is one of the best today. Future plans - stay balanced and healthy, keep the creative juices flowing, record a jazz album before I'm 50, and a kirtan/devotional album before then as well (I have a little over 5 years...) Keep on brining joy to folks as best I can and teaching guitar/music so that everyone can
Shows that are listed at her website:
Friday, June 17th, 2011 12:00 PM City Club of Eugene Talk Eugene Hilton, downtown Vista Ballroom (12th Floor) Eugene, OR 541-485-7433 http://www.cityclubofeugene.org/ Price: $4-$16 The topic of the City Club will be: A Musician's Life in Eugene and features David Burham, Jessie Marquez, Paul Biondi, and me! See the website for more details! Sunday, June 26th, 2011 11:00 AM KLCC in Bloom Garden Tour Whitaker Neighborhood, Eugene http://www.klcc.org/News.asp?NewsID=51 Price: $10 adv./$15 door I will be playing as a duo with Jeremy Wegner on mandolin, at the home of Barb Barnard & Todd Davis (1438 W 5th Ave.) from 11-12, and again at the home of David and Kitty Piercy (1371 W 4th Ave.) from 1:30-2:30. Check the website for all details!
Sunday, July 3rd, 2011 8:30 PM Sam Bonds Garage 407 Blair Blvd. (4th and Blair) Eugene, OR (541)431-6603 http://www.sambonds.com/ Price: $5 Get ready for fireworks with a night out at
our favorite watering hole! I'll be joined by various band members. This will be my last gig in town for a couple months before I go gallivanting off to Europe this summer!
Saturday, November 5th, 2011 7:30 PM Unity of the Valley Church 3912 Dillard Road (39th and Hilyard) Eugene, OR Price: $13.50/$15 This will be a triple bill with the fabulous Alice Stuart, Anne Weiss, and me! A beautiful venue, great sound, intimate. LOVED playing here for my CD release show last Jan. and looking forward to sharing the bill with these wonderful women!
You can check her website for further details at http://laurakemp.com. Photograph by Roka Walsh
The Autspot with Dele Poupas and Greg Koltsov.
Today, TheAUTSPOT.com connects over 15,000 families and specialists in the autism community worldwide. The online community allows people to share inspirational stories, learn about different autism related therapies and services, and find and submit autism resources (therapists, doctors, schools, support groups, summer camps, special needs lawyers, etc.) in their cities and neighborhoods. TheAUTSPOT.com also has its own, unique charting system, which allows families to record the development of their children, as they mature in age. TheAUTSPOT.com continues to grow rapidly by the day, and site members continue to post autism resources, which have helped many families find their way to various support systems. As of today, TheAUTSPOT.com is the fastest growing autism online support system, and Greg and Dele know that with the support of the autism community, TheAUTSPOT.com can soon become the global epicenter of autism support and information.
BIO It was just over 17 years ago, when Dele Popoola’s 20 year old cousin Matthew was diagnosed with autism. It was during a time where there were very few places for families dealing with autism to turn to, and the prevalence of the autism spectrum disorders was not nearly what it is today. Dele’s good friend, Greg Koltsov, often got the chance to be around Matthew when he spent time with Dele’s family. The two young men became very concerned about the rising rates of autism diagnosis, and were eager to do something to help families get the support that they needed. Shortly after Dele and Greg graduated from college in 2007, the two put together TheAUTSPOT.com, the autism online community.
TheAUTSPOTfoundation While Greg and Dele were constructing TheAUTSPOT.com, they began to notice a trend in the autism community. Every family needed therapy and intervention for their children on the autism spectrum, but very few families actually had the money to afford them. So, in late 2009 Greg and Dele created TheAUTSPOTfoundation, which mission is to raise funds to help families pay for the expensive autism interventions that their children need in order to develop. In August of 2010, TheAUTSPOTfoundation hosted its first annual gala at the Beverly Hills Brooklawn Mansion. The engagement was a great success, which brought in over 300 attendees, and raised $4,000 to help sponsor speech therapy for a three year old non-verbal child with autism. The story was even mentioned in the Long Beach Press Telegram. The charitable efforts of TheAUTSPOTfoundation were
TheAUTSPOT.com
quickly recognized by the Los Angeles Clippers and the Donald Sterling Foundation. On four different occasions now, the Donald Sterling foundation has provided us with 150-200 tickets to invite our families in the autism community to the Clipper games. These events have been instrumental in gaining awareness for the foundation, and have provided nights of entertainment for families looking to have safe fun in which the whole family can enjoy. TheAUTSPOT.com and TheAUTSPOTfoundation will continue to carry out their missions, and will continue to receive great joy in helping families at-large who have loved ones on the autism spectrum. Greg Koltsov 310-717-6767 Greg@TheAUTSPOT.com www.TheAUTSPOT.com www.TheAUTSPOTfoundation.org www.facebook.com/TheAUTSPOT www.twitter.com/TheAUTSPOT
FREE PUBLISHING TIPS CREATESPACE.COM - Amazon publishing with Createspace gets your books at wholesale prices leaving you a wide margin for profit. Their shipping is completely reasonable and cheaper by the number of books you order. All you have to do is create an account with them and use their ISBN numbers with keeping your rights as well which is done automatically through them by uploading your book’s document file, (usually Word or Open Office form, I use PDF at times, you can do this by downloading a free PDF converter online) then you proceed to upload a cover image and detail it with their template or use their template images and create a book cover. Make sure your marketing preferences are set and you’re good to go. You can join their membership and get books even cheaper than they already are. They are extremely reasonable and definitely a way to go to get your book up and out there. They are a sister company of Amazon so you are assured to have your book put up at the Amazon site under books once the pending process of publishing is approved by them via your formatting process. When you publish with them you can order a large number of books because the cost is so low allowing you to choose how to pass them on to your friends or by selling them retail with a profit by your way of order under the shipment process at Createspace. You can choose to have the book or books shipped to a different address from the Createspace order form at checkout if you choose not to preorder your books and have them shipped to you for you to send by placing the different address of the recipient into the ship to address line at the checkout once ordering. This can save you time and money once the money is received from your order for your book leaving still a free process of publishing and selling your book. Of course you can preorder numbers of your books as I have
mentioned and save quite a bit of money and in turn ship them out yourself to the consumer possibly making a larger profit depending on the amount you would like to charge once your books are received by you from the book press, this case this would be Createspace. Sometimes others online book retailers will pick up your books on the web to sell for you as well once they spot your book is out there even without joining the Pro-Plan at Createspace. E-BOOK PUBLISHING – Free eBook publishing is a way to give your books away free or a retail way of selling by uploading your book file and a photo jpg image of your choice to go along with your story. They keep track of your stats and offer many forms of software uploads to convenience the reader, and all done at no cost to you at many places. One place that
I know of and love is http://www.Smashwords.com. They do the service for you for free and not only showcase your work at their website but they offer you the option to retail your book to online retailers still at no cost to you. They have links to share your marketing pages of your books that you have up there with them with the online community once your book is uploaded and your details set and ready to go.
PRESS RELEASES – You can also create free press releases by googling free press releases online. I use quite a few myself where I upload details from either websites I use or organizations that I run that request details about myself and my organization. The ones I use are http://www.FreePressIndex.com , http://ww.FreePressReleases.co.uk., http://www.i-newswire.com, and http://www.prlog.org.
WEBSITE CREATING AND SELLING OF YOUR BOOK – PayPal website selling is a unique way to create your own marketing spot on the web to be able to market your book yourself and share it with the community and your friends to offer you complete satisfaction. You set the price and the delivery status by either ordering the book from the publishing press to go right to the consumer or by pre-ordering books and shipping them out yourself. You do all this by first setting up your own website, which you can find free websites by googling on line ‘free websites’ (I use webs.com), then by placing a PayPal purchase button on your website by copying and pasting the embedded code found at the PayPal website under this URL: https://www.paypal.com/us/cgibin/webscr?cmd=_flow&SESSION=mFw4q BG4xcgrviCtjincZONbdonnWbPwml0oDZf14wW Pgcla0-B4d7NnS&dispatch=5885d80a13c0db1f8e26 3663d3faee8d422be6d275c375afb284863 ba74d6cdc and then hit create button at the bottom. I leave all settings as is. You can include the shipping costs automatically in the cost of the book or add it into the form under the PayPal link provided if you choose. You don’t need a merchant’s account to do this. You can use the PayPal account you created along with your email address that you provided PayPal with which will show up under your choice at the bottom before you create your button.
You can also create an e-zine or a blog to share information about what you’re doing in your life and/or your projects that can go out automatically to your readers by placing their emails in the form provided. One e-zine company is http://EzineArticles.com/. A free blog post website you can use is http://wwww.BlogSpot.com or http://www.blogger.com. FREE GOOGLE SUBMIT – A must to show off your new website, blog, and marketing retail page of your book. You can copy and place your URL for these websites at http://www.google.com. You can also promote your books for free through Google here: http://books.google.com/googlebooks/tour.
There’s A Fine Line by Teresa Joyce. An incredible story that is all based on fact. After an accident in which I injured my back I was ill health retired, which has given me the time and dedication to put pen to paper. My life was no longer full, and I found myself with an abundance of alone time, to sit and reflect everything I had tried so hard to bury. Although this has been extremely difficult for me, my hope is that anyone finding themselves in the same type of situation may take some strength from its content. If this book were to be catalogued where would it fall, a true account, a personal autobiography or self-help? The real truth is in all three. Whilst writing, I was forced down a road that I never really wanted to walk again. It’s an insight to the lengths someone will go to achieve their goal. At times I had to walk away to deal with the emotions that it invoked. To say this person was very unhinged would be an understatement. Teetering on the edge of insanity, and crossing over more times than I can count. Where everyone else involved just became fall out. It was as if I were being pursued by the devil himself. Overly more there seemed to be nothing I could do to stop him and the destruction he left in his wake. He said that no one would be hurt; I guess that’s the day that I became no one. The facts within are very hard to believe, but believe it I must because I was there. It’s still incredible to me to think that I came out of it the other side. I have spent many years under the mental health care umbrella, while trying to deal with the enormous sociological and psychological residue it has left behind. I have spent many years trying to heal the child within me, but its way past time, she has suffered enough. Bio I was born on the 15th December 1958 the middle child of three. After losing my father at a very young age; this was to set the pattern for the rest of my life. Losing was something I
would have to get used to. Today I still have some memory of my father, but in truth it’s all a little hazy. My mother through no fault of her own after that loss had no other alternative, other than to return to her parent’s home with her children in tow. Our family unit was to spend only a few years there, until the wind of change came around once more. Happy memories are something that I hold in very short supply. My mother was set to meet the man that was to become my stepfather, and we moved once more to a new city with the promise of a new life. Hopefully it would be a happy one for all concerned, but it became a place for me that felt far more like a prison. One in which I would spend many years months days and hours hating. I swore that I would leave all this behind at the first possible occasion. Teresa Joyce - There’s a fine line ISBN 978-1-84991-185-6 www.chipmunkapublishing.co.uk Email address – teresajoyce.joyce@gmail.com Telephone number – England - 01275545676 Summary/Description Covers – Memoir/Mental health system/Abuse/Sexuality
People would be hurt both physically and mentally. No one was safe if they stood in the way of my stepfather and what he claimed was his. I would be abused and blackmailed unable to stop or control anything going on around me; I felt that the only way out would be to check on life completely and it seemed a welcoming prospect. Running from memories of all those years living by his rules, buried so deep within me I never really remembered or faced until I was forced to do so. I would find myself in a situation that I had no control over and in the grip of a complete madman, who was hell bent on destroying my life. Running from memories of all those years living under his rules, buried so deep within me I never really remembered or faced until I was forced to do so. I saw myself delving deeper and deeper into my own unconscious thoughts, revealing to me memories which seemed so alien. Happy memories for me are something that I hold in short supply, and I always thought that they were in my childhood, but that was about to be blown out of the water. But the problem with opening Pandora’s Box was that once opened I could no longer close the lid and I am still carrying it along with me like an uninvited guest at a party. It has left me with an enormous sociological/psychiatric residue. The onset of a set of circumstances beyond my control would stamp its seal, rendering my marriage unworkable. Engineered by the involvement of the one man I had learnt to hate - my stepfather. I myself would spend many years within mental health care; in fact I am still under their care umbrella. I would move from a heterosexual relationship into a lesbian relationship. Firmly believing that anything controlled or even remotely integral to men, was something I never ever what’d part of again.
Talk Show Host Laurie Ann Smith I am the Canada Regional Director and Chief Communications Officer for Dreamcatchers For Abused Children.http://www.dreamcatchersforabus edchildren.com/ My passion is Child Abuse Prevention and raising awareness about the ongoing issues of child abuse, domestic violence and all human rights abuses. I feel that it is going to take all of our voices to make positive change in the world we live in, and to create a better world for all of us now and a better future for the generations to come. I am a twice published author, recently publishing two books: A Life of Death: The Redemption (A True Story) by Laurie Ann Smith (my memoirs of growing up in an abusive home) La Veta Juvies by Laurie Ann Smith (a book for teens to hopefully help them reach out for help) I volunteer for 5 not for profit charities, and enjoy helping people and making a difference I author three blogs on blogger: One Child Abuse Survivor 2 another http://onechildabusesurvivor2another.blogs pot.com/ Promote Positive Change for Human Rights Abuses http://wwwyoutubecomlausmi52207.blogsp ot.com/ Not So Fond Memories,Growing up in an Abusive Home http://lausmi52207mystory.blogspot.com/2 009/10/my-story.html
My Story is now published and can be found at Lulu.com “A Life of Death: The Redemption” (A True Story) written by Laurie Ann Smith is available at Amazon.com and Barnes and Noble Bookstores http://www.lulu.com/content/paperbackbook/a-life-of-death-theredemption/8500324 “La Veta Juvies” written by Laurie Ann Smith is also available at Lulu.com as well as Amazon.com and Barnes and Noble Bookstores http://www.lulu.com/product/paperback/laveta-juvies/1291356
I host 12 Blog Talk Radio shows per week: Laurie Ann Smith on Blog Talk Radio – 7 Shows per week: Child Abuse Prevention and Human Rights Abuse Prevention is Up to US! One Child Abuse Survivor 2 another http://www.blogtalkradio.com/laurie-smith Dreamcatchers Talk Radio 5 nights a week on Blog Talk Radio http://www.blogtalkradio.com/dreamcatche rs I have a YouTube channel devoted to human rights issues: Stop Human Rights Abuses http://www.youtube.com/lausmi52207 There is hope and I say “fight to stay alive” “fight to have a good life” I choose life, I choose love, I choose positive change instead of negative behaviour and hatred. Looking back on the abuse I suffered as a child and all of the hatred I carried in my heart, I am so glad to say now that I have come full circle and replaced hate with love and unforgiveness with forgiveness, darkness with light and hopelessness with hope. It is my goal to continue to speak publically about the issues surrounding child abuse, child abuse prevention and adult survivor issues due to child abuse. I hope to be able to tour North America and to continue my work with Dreamcatchers For Abused Children. I do plan on writing more books in the future and I am so thankful for all the support I have received from so many people from all walks of life, all around the world
to me being in fear I guess it showed on my face. My son was now the victim in this life sentence of abuse.
I we
~~~~~ My Story by Pamela Taylor ~~~~ I could hear the clock ticking and the struggle to wake up and make me dress up to be murdered. I struggled to find any clothes that said “I am a good mother” and how can I put make up on when all I want to do is place dirt over it. I see the casket I want in my mind and the pole I want to run into if court doesn’t go my way If I loose my son forever. Where did I become this horrible mother that is being shouted through out the state of Washington? When are the billboards going up to tell the world? How can I stop this I am falling and no I was pushed off this mountain and now I am falling and no one cares I am going to die when I hit bottom. Oh I need to drive up to my final destination Family Law Center. I went to court to follow through with the parenting plan to work out the small steps we needed to come to terms with while in the mediation the petitioner became excessively heated and his lawyer promptly pulled him out of the room as she and he stepped out. The mediator in the room with me she looked at me and said I see what you have been dealing with his abusive ways and his control issues. I begged her to do something she said she had to remain equal. I was horrified to see our court system allowing abusive controlling people to win. I left the court house only to be detained by the petitioner after the meeting across from the college to “talk” we spoke. then it became confrontational by the petitioner, along with abusive language I stood up and with 2 men staring at me he told me he would like to kill me, they looked shocked and I said don’t ever talk to me again like that. I waited for him to leave due to fear and constant threats before of him killing me I was just horrified I turned my son over to this person I became sick the men asked me if they could walk me to my car due
This story above is just one little glimpse into my struggle in losing my son to the insane court system. I was never a drug addict, alcoholic, abusive mother, my sentence was I was poor without the ability to defend myself, In the ciaos that is happening in this country to other mothers and sometimes fathers. We are dedicated to women or men who have had their children used as weapons in custody battles related to Domestic Violence. With Domestic Violence they will use their power to intimidate you through your child or children. Don’t give him your power and let us help you have the courage to fight and win.. We deserve our CIVIL RIGHTS. Feel free to contact me with questions or concerns you might have when dealing alone through the nightmare. Our group Path To Light is to empower, educate along with encourage the mothers and fathers who are sincerely struggling with what is happening around them and how to come to terms with the loss of your child in the court system. We are here for you all Pamela Taylor Email: thousandvoices2hear@hotmail.com Facebook @ http://www.facebook.com/thousandvoices2hear Twitter @sweetsuccess45
Conscientious Dating Virtual Coaching Program
Kathy Jo Pollack
Professional Life Coach, Trainer & Speaker Focusing on Finance | Relationships | Etiquette Whether you're getting married or starting a new relationship this show is for you. Possibly you're already married into a new relationship after 40. Come and share your thoughts and experiences with us in this uplifting time. Kathy Jo Pollack, a certified relationship coach, presenting"Conscious Dating Virtual Coaching Program." http://consciousdatingprogram.com/ Show is also being taped live at http://livestream.com/womenempowerment show http://www.blogtalkradio.com/kjpfly http://www.kathyjopollack.com
Listen in: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/lorifinnila/2011/ 05/31/starting-a-relationship-after-40
Claudine Dombrowski speaking at 8th Annual Battered Mothers Conference in Albany NY 2011
Lorraine Tipton working with another mother at 8th Annual Battered Mothers Conference in Albany NY 2011
American Mothers Political Party (AMPP) is a social movement seeking justice and accountability within the family court system which includes DHHS/CPS, psychologists and other so called experts. We as mothers demand CITIZENSHIP and our Rights to our Children. We demand that our children not be used as pawns by our abuser in a custody dispute. We demand that Mothers and Children be equally protected against court ordered visitation with an abuser. We demand that Mothers and Children be given the same rights, privileges and voice that the abuser gets in family courts! We demand that our President take action now as can no longer afford to be silent and we won’t. We demand the
same "rights and freedoms" to which all humans are entitled. Behind the closed doors of the dirty little secret of the family court system, thousands of women each year lose child custody to violent men who beat and abuse Mothers and Children. Family courts are not family-friendly and betray the best interests of the child. Until Mothers and Childrens voices are heard we will never shut up, give up or go away! American Mothers Political Party was founded by a group of blogging “warrior” mothers in July 2010. During our first year we have grown a database of thousands who have been abused by an intimate partner then again through family court. We are determined to expose the dirty little secret of family court and we do. Mothers that we speak to are not looking for the “hero” that we have all been waiting for. These mothers are looking for validation, no you’re not crazy and empowerment, no you are not alone. As survivors we have learned that the biggest and most reliable help is at the end of our own hand. We have now turned the corner from domestic violence awareness to domestic abuse survival. How does a mother survive when their one and only joys in life are ripped away from them? Our abusers knew that by taking the children, either by court order or murder, it would break our hearts. Our hearts may be broken but our spirit is not, in fact, it’s growing more powerful by the day with mothers coming forward in numbers too loud to ignore. Our hope for future generations is that they learn from mistakes made by
judges, guardians ad litem, attorneys and mental health professionals and that our children will know we fought for them, every day. http://americanmotherspoliticalparty.org/ https://www.facebook.com/pages/Ameri can-Mothers-PoliticalParty/128939643786563 http://twitter.com/#!/AMPPUSA http://americanmotherspoliticalparty.blo gspot.com/
powered to help in preventing and reducing domestic and dating violence.
Our Mission Increase awareness of domestic and dating violence through education, training and performing arts in order to significantly reduce the number of abused.
We are not about treating bruises and broken bones, we are about preventing them from happening. John and Linda King Founders education and training in domestic violence, Fix the Hurt is dedicated to making a difference to end the devastating effects of domestic violence on society. REQUEST AN EVENT!
http://www.helpfixthehurt.org/contact.ht ml
Fix the Hurt PO Box 1106 Mesa, AZ 85211 480-834-3387
About Fix the Hurt . . .one hundred and twenty five years ago, a doctor and lawmakers teamed up to make it a crime for a man to abuse his wife. One hundred and twenty five years later, Domestic Violence is still increasing. For years we have been fighting the Domestic Violence battle. Tale, after tale, after tale are told by those who work to end domestic violence. We tell people the stories, they are appalled, they are impressed, and they go home and forget. This normal human tendency has caused continuous frustration for people working to save victims and bring awareness about this important issue. Linda King and her husband, John King, launched Fix The Hurt as a platform for creating impactful educational and training programs and artistic performances that engage audiences so they do not return home to forget what they have seen but instead are em-
When you support Fix the Hurt, you support positive change. There are literally hundreds of thousands of women, men, and children who are victims of domestic violence right now...as you read this. There are millions more who are affected by this social issue whether they be parents, children, siblings, or friends. A common denominator of all charitable causes is to bring awareness to the community. That means you can make a difference by simply talking to others about domestic violence. Break the silence. Fix the Hurt is doing all it can to bring this awareness forward to your communities through speaking events, seminars, and play performances. Thanks to people like you, we have managed to raise tens of thousands of dollars for victim services by using our performances to help them raise funds. We have also assisted victims in the audiences in finding safety. Our volunteers, partners, and donors help us continue our work in educating others and bringing SOLUTIONS to the forefront. We are not about putting bandaids on the bruises...we are about preventing those bruises. Our strategic plan is to take our unique approach national and beyond. Here are several ways you can support Fix the Hurt. Make a Donation
Give a tax deductible gift of $1, $5, $20, $100 or any amount you choose.
•
For every $2,500, one domestic violence shelter can raise $8,000 or more from a performance of Domestic Violence...the Musical?
•
For every $1,000, one performance ofI Have this Friend can be performed at a high school for early intervention.
Inkind Donations
The economy makes it difficult to contribute financially, but a donation inkind helps our organization survive. Please see our wish listof items that we need for daily operations, special events, and services in-kind. •
We can provide you with a tax exempt receipt for the value of your donation.
JOHN AND LINDA KING
•
Let us know how your company would like to help. Your company logo will be posted on our website.
John and Linda lost a daughter, Lisa, to an act of domestic violence. It was this loss that caused Linda to step forward. With quiet assertiveness, and a calm, yet passionate voice, Linda began to speak out against Domestic Violence. A voice that clearly defined Domestic Violence, told of the warning signs, explained what victims, their families, and community members could do to protect those being abused and make abusers accountable.
Sponsor and Event
When you support an event or show, you pave the way for us to bring our message to victims, advocates, and the community at large. You also support shelters and organizations who provide direct services to victims. Event sponsors will receive recognition on stage, in program materials, website and more.
Become a Partner
Our partners are special groups who work with us to break the cycle of domestic violence. Brokers for Charity Bravery Project Lavender Power
Become a Volunteer
Volunteers are the heart and soul of a charity, and there is never a shortage of work. Even the founder is a volunteer. Help us make the world a better place and contact us.
Beginning in 2002, while serving on the Board of Directors for MADD and the Coalition for the Homeless, in El Paso, Texas. She started speaking to thousands of high school and middle school students about dating and domestic violence. Then Commanding Officers at Fort Bliss had her speak to the soldiers stationed there. UTEP (the University of Texas at El Paso) asked her to be the keynote speaker for their "Take Back the Night" program. She spoke to various Law Enforcement organizations and trained volunteers for the Center Against Family Violence in El Paso. Later that year, Linda's unselfish and tireless efforts were recognized when she received the REACH Award from the El Paso YWCA for Community Service. Her work received recognition again in 2003 when she was awarded the First Annual Meridian Leadership Award from Meridian Magazine. And she was recognized again in 2006 when she received
the Help, Hope and Healing Award from the City Of El Paso's District Attorney's Office. Now Linda and her husband make Mesa, Arizona their home, and just as she did in El Paso. With the same calm, yet passionate voice, she continues to speak out against Domestic Violence. Linda also served on the Board of Directors for Save The Family and on an urban development United Way committee.
Lisa's Story by Linda King, edited by Jackie Mitchard
Lisa Continues to Live in Our Hearts Âť
Survivor portrait by Bravery Project. What does a domestic violence victim look like? A poor, weak, down-trodden soul? Someone raggedy and not very clean? A person who's not bright, who cowers in the corner? No. Domestic abuse victims are doctors and lawyers and movie actors. They may be beautiful and have wonderful educations. They have only a few things in common - their fear and shame and their futile hope for change. You know them. They are your neighbors. They are the people you see on your walk. They may be you. They may be your child. One of them was my child. Lisa died September 1, 2001. Yes, it’s more than nine years ago, but I can touch that pain as though my heart were a hot stove that still burns. She was 28 years old, lovely, accomplished and caring, funny and giving and graceful. She had been abused by the man who was supposed to love her for nine years prior to her death. Why did she stay? Was she stupid? People always wonder. Why do those women STAY? They don't realize that months and years of abuse force the belief that a woman is worth-
less deep inside her, until she believes it herself. She forgets that love is not supposed to hurt. She believes every day it will get better if SHE can be better, if SHE can do more. Abusers like it that way. It gives them power. Hundreds of thousands of woman are like my Lisa. The humiliation, degradation and pain that results from emotional, verbal and physical changes them. They can't believe that the woman in the mirror is the proud, confident, happy woman they once were. They only want to hide, from relatives, from friends - from the very people who could help them. They don't want those people to be ashamed of them. It's a cycle that suits the abuser very, very well. Not only can the abuser strike out, he can do so in secret. Lisa graduated from college in 1992 and came home to Florida to begin fulfilling her life goals. She hoped to secure a good job, spend time with family and friends, date maybe find a worthy mate and have a family. She was brimming with dreams. But all of them crashed when she met and began dating her abuser. In Lisa's case, as in most instances, the abuse didn't start with a hit, a push or a shove: It began when he isolated her, subtly and slowly at first, from her family and friends. Someone who truly loves you wants to know your family and hopes your friends will accept and care for him. Abusers want just the opposite. So they start with guilt. After all, if Lisa loved him, she would spend all her time with him, caring for him, loving him alone, meeting his needs As their relationship progressed, he became more and more controlling and manipulative. If she protested even a little, she was punished. Things changed overnight. The name calling and accusations escalated to a pinch that wasn't playful. Next came a push or a shove, then a punch - and then suddenly, a black eye and broken ribs. How could she admit to me what she was enduring? I had to see for myself. I will never forget one morning when I went by her apartment. Lisa opened the door and stood there with a black eye and tears streaming down her cheeks. She confided the truth and I begged her to do what was essential. Eventually, Lisa filed for and
obtained a protective order. But her abuser was clever. Soon, Lisa took steps to drop the charges: He told her how sorry he was and that it would never happen again. Why? How? She wanted to believe that she was loveable; and if she was loveable, of course, he would love her. Her affidavit on the protective order read, this way: "He sat on me for an hour and threatened to tie me up with duct tape if I tried to leave. He banged my head on the floor. He blackened my eye and broke my finger. He told me if I try to leave he will kill me and burn my parent's home and I know he will do what he has threatened to do." As a mother, I wish I had had the knowledge then that I do now. I would have realized that my Lisa was under a power stronger than her own. I would have done some things differently. I cannot be sure that the outcome would not be the same, but at least I would have had the tools to intercede in a more appropriate way. Let me give you the most important ones. Over the past nine years I have come to understand and empathize with women who are caught up in this cycle of violence. Through this understanding and education and awareness we can be better prepared to first stop and then fix the hurt. First and foremost, LISTEN, LISTEN, LISTEN to your sisters, friends, relatives, and coworkers. Do NOT tell them it will BE OKAY, because it won't, not without help. This doesn't "get better with time." Each time I speak to a group, I am approached by five, six or ten people who want to talk to me about someone they know is a victim. Maybe they are talking about themselves. Maybe they are talking about their children. Talking is the first step toward breaking the cycle. There are many other steps and many resources. In our Fix the Hurt website, you will find a section labeled "What You Can Do To Help." Be supportive, educate yourself and listen, listen, listen. And no matter how charming the abuser may seem, when you listen, believe.
GOD BLESS LISA!
Thanks for reading this issue. Please join us again for the fall issue in September.