Thursday's Truth - NOW I get it!

Late last week I had an AHA! moment, as entrepreneur and 85 Broads colleague, Shauna Mei would say. An article entitled Women on Street A Declining Breed appeared in last week's WSJ.

It was brought to my attention by another 85 Broads colleague, Margaret Astolfi of Clear Harbor Asset Management.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, over the past ten years, 141,000 women, or 2.6% of female workers in finance, left the industry. This despite a 4.1% growth in the number of women in the US labor force during the same time period.

In the article, several reasons are cited for this decline, including one by 85 Broads Founder, Janet Hanson, who offered that women are finding "their entrepreneurial groove" , " It's not because Wall Street is not a fascinating place to be, it's just that there are other places that are more fascinating".

I could not agree more. One only need look at the swelling ranks of women entrepreneurs in emerging markets like China where women make up 47% of the workforce, and 20% of all entrepreneurs. Click here for a recent study by Harvard and Rollins College faculty.

But I have another theory as to why female talent has left the financial industry.

It involves authenticity. Most women demand it. And Wall Street has traditionally not fostered a culture of truth.

Another thing women demand, and are willing to fight for, is equality. Despite recent progress, the gap between what women on Wall Street earn compared to their male counterparts is still unacceptably large. Forgetting pay, women account for only 16.8% of executive officers, and only 2.5% of financial company CEO's, according to a recent study by Catalyst, Inc.

The only thing that will reverse this alarming trend is a mutual investment by both men and women in changing the way society views their roles and responsibilities. Click here for a post on this subject by fellow 85 Broads colleague and Wonder Woman, Jacki Zehner.

The truth is, we need more women on Wall Street, not less. But then again, we need more women in all areas of influence and power. We need more Authenticity. Once this has been restored, the women will come.

I, and many others, are looking for ways to help bridge the gap between men and women. Women of Wealth are putting their money where their mouth is, and supporting other women.

And it's finally beginning to pay off!

Wednesday's Women of Courage - Maya Lin

Today's Woman of Courage exemplifies true determination. As both artist and architect, her work reflects a strong interest in the environment. She has served as an advisor on sustainable energy use, and as a Board Member of the National Resources Defense Council. In 2000 she published her first book, Boundaries. She describes it as a "visual and verbal sketchbook, where image can be seen as text and text is sometimes used as image."

Here is more background on her work courtesy of feminist.com:

Maya Lin was born in 1959. Her parents emigrated from China and taught at Ohio University. When she was a 21-year-old student at Yale, her design for the Vietnam Memorial was chosen from over twelve hundred proposals. The controversy that ensued was ugly and unwarranted. Yet, Maya Lin defended her work with extraordinary grace and courage. Her vision manifests itself in the Vietnam Memorial, one of America's most significant monuments, with the names of those who died in the war chiseled into a wall of black marble slicing through the earth. The Civil Rights Memorial she designed in Montgomery, Alabama, pays tribute to fallen Civil Rights workers. Like the Vietnam Memorial, the names of those honored are chiseled in stone, but this monument creates the appearance of a stone table with water flowing over the sculpture as if rising from the earth itself.

Both monuments not only witness the past, but honor the outcome in the present. Maya's vision is strongly influenced by the Earth Artists of the 1960's and 1970's. She credits her Asian-American heritage as the source of her ability to combine the influences of East and West as well as reason and intuition to manifest within her architectural designs. Her strong concern for the environment is demonstrated by her use of recycled, living, or natural materials in her work. Her vision is clearly one of expansive respect for past, present, and future generations.

Tuesday's Treasure - Dr. Shigeaki Hinohara

You may have noticed two themes running through my posts over the last few weeks.

One is Sustainability. The other, Anti-Aging. These two topics are not dissimilar.

Sustainability relates to our ability to keep our natural resources from running out due to waste, overuse, or just plain neglect.

Anti-aging relates to our ability to sustain our lives over a longer period of time without the usual decline in physical or mental health. Here again, waste (toxic cell growth), overuse (eating too much, or the wrong kind of food.) and neglect (lack of exercise, proper diet) come into play.

Arguably one of the world's best known (and longest practicing) physicians is Dr. Shigeaki Hinohara.

This article about him comes courtesy of the Japan Times:

At the age of 98, Shigeaki Hinohara is one of the world’s longest-serving physicians and educators. Hinohara’s magic touch is legendary: Since 1941 he has been healing patients at St. Luke’s International Hospital in Tokyo and teaching at St. Luke’s College of Nursing.

After World War II, he envisioned a world-class hospital and college springing from the ruins of Tokyo; thanks to his pioneering spirit and business savvy, the doctor turned these institutions into the nation’s top medical facility and nursing school. Today he serves as chairman of the board of trustees at both organizations.

Always willing to try new things, he has published around 150 books since his 75th birthday, including one Living Long, Living Good that has sold more than 1.2 million copies. As the founder of the New Elderly Movement, Hinohara encourages others to live a long and happy life, a quest in which no role model is better than the doctor himself.

Here now, in his own words, is advice on this doctor of long life on how to live a long life.

Energy comes from feeling good, not from eating well or sleeping a lot. We all remember how as children, when we were having fun, we often forgot to eat or sleep. I believe that we can keep that attitude as adults, too. It’s best not to tire the body with too many rules such as lunchtime and bedtime.

All people who live long – regardless of nationality, race or gender — share one thing in common: None are overweight. For breakfast I drink coffee, a glass of milk and some orange juice with a tablespoon of olive oil in it. Olive oil is great for the arteries and keeps my skin healthy. Lunch is milk and a few cookies, or nothing when I am too busy to eat. I never get hungry because I focus on my work. Dinner is veggies, a bit of fish and rice, and, twice a week, 100 grams of lean meat.

Always plan ahead. My schedule book is already full until 2014, with lectures and my usual hospital work. In 2016 I’ll have some fun, though: I plan to attend the Tokyo Olympics!

There is no need to ever retire, but if one must, it should be a lot later than 65. The current retirement age was set at 65 half a century ago, when the average life-expectancy in Japan was 68 years and only 125 Japanese were over 100 years old. Today, Japanese women live to be around 86 and men 80, and we have 36,000 centenarians in our country. In 20 years we will have about 50,000 people over the age of 100.

Share what you know. I give 150 lectures a year, some for 100 elementary-school children, others for 4,500 business people. I usually speak for 60 to 90 minutes, standing, to stay strong.

When a doctor recommends you take a test or have some surgery, ask whether the doctor would suggest that his or her spouse or children go through such a procedure. Contrary to popular belief, doctors can’t cure everyone. So why cause unnecessary pain with surgery? I think music and animal therapy can help more than most doctors imagine.

To stay healthy, always take the stairs and carry your own stuff. I take two stairs at a time, to get my muscles moving.

My inspiration is Robert Browning’s poem “Abt Vogler.” My father used to read it to me. It encourages us to make big art, not small scribbles. It says to try to draw a circle so huge that there is no way we can finish it while we are alive. All we see is an arch; the rest is beyond our vision but it is there in the distance.

Pain is mysterious, and having fun is the best way to forget it. If a child has a toothache, and you start playing a game together, he or she immediately forgets the pain. Hospitals must cater to the basic need of patients: We all want to have fun. At St. Luke’s we have music and animal therapies, and art classes.

Don’t be crazy about amassing material things. Remember: You don’t know when your number is up, and you can’t take it with you to the next place.

Hospitals must be designed and prepared for major disasters, and they must accept every patient who appears at their doors. We designed St. Luke’s so we can operate anywhere: in the basement, in the corridors, in the chapel. Most people thought I was crazy to prepare for a catastrophe, but on March 20, 1995, I was unfortunately proven right when members of the Aum Shinrikyu religious cult launched a terrorist attack in the Tokyo subway. We accepted 740 victims and in two hours figured out that it was sarin gas that had hit them. Sadly we lost one person, but we saved 739 lives.

Science alone can’t cure or help people. Science lumps us all together, but illness is individual. Each person is unique, and diseases are connected to their hearts. To know the illness and help people, we need liberal and visual arts, not just medical ones.

Life is filled with incidents. On March 31, 1970, when I was 59 years old, I boarded the Yodogo, a flight from Tokyo to Fukuoka. It was a beautiful sunny morning, and as Mount Fuji came into sight, the plane was hijacked by the Japanese Communist League-Red Army Faction. I spent the next four days handcuffed to my seat in 40-degree heat. As a doctor, I looked at it all as an experiment and was amazed at how the body slowed down in a crisis.

Find a role model and aim to achieve even more than they could ever do. My father went to the United States in 1900 to study at Duke University in North Carolina. He was a pioneer and one of my heroes. Later I found a few more life guides, and when I am stuck, I ask myself how they would deal with the problem.

It’s wonderful to live long. Until one is 60 years old, it is easy to work for one’s family and to achieve one’s goals. But in our later years, we should strive to contribute to society. Since the age of 65, I have worked as a volunteer. I still put in 18 hours seven days a week and love every minute of it.

Treasure your body. Treasure your Planet. You will feel better, and live longer by doing both!

Monday's Motivational Makeover - Creating a Virtual You!

In last week's Monday's Motivational Makeover post, I touched upon how women are becoming "ageless" through the use of proper nutrition, exercise, and yes, an occasional "lift" courtesy of some talented Plastic Surgeons such as my friend and fellow 85 Broads member, Dr. Shirley Madhere.

I created this blog as an outreach to women who, for a variety of reasons, may not feel like their current circumstances allow them to go to events, or become involved in some of the initiatives I highlight from time-to-time.

Very often this is due to a low self-esteem, or a feeling that "what I do really doesn't matter".

In short, they need to begin writing a "social biography", but lack the confidence, or do not know where or how to begin.

For those of you currently "stuck" in this situation, the key to getting motivated and involved may lie in creating a "virtual persona" first, then work on getting face-to-face in groups as you gain confidence.

The fact that you are viewing this blog is an encouraging sign. It tells me that you are interested in what other women have to say about some of the issues you face, and research shows you are not alone in using blogs and other social media as a vehicle for doing so.

Here are some interesting facts regarding women and blog usage from a study published by Blogher and Compass Partners. Although these survey results are a bit dated, it shows a trend which is only going to increase if history is any indication.

36.2 million women actively participate in the blogsophere every week (15.1 publishing, 21.1 reading and commenting)

* Women are so passionate about blogging that large percentages of women said they would give something up to keep the blogs they read and/or write:

- 55% would give up alcohol

- 50% would give up their PDAs

- 42% would give up their i-Pod

- 43% would give up reading the newspaper or magazines

BUT, some things are sacred … only 20% would give up chocolate!

* More than half of women maintain the original blog they started

* Our time shift from traditional media is accelerating. In the general Internet population:

- 24 percent of women surveyed say we watch less television because we're blogging

- 25 percent of us say we read fewer magazines because we're blogging

- 22 percent of us say we read fewer newspapers because we're blogging

* "It's about me": Our own lives are our favorite topic -- but don't assume you know all the different topics our lives represent by lifestage.

* More than half of women surveyed consider blogs a reliable source of advice and information

* Half of women surveyed say blogs influence their purchase decisions

* Despite hype, few women report discontinuing blogging due to problems with trolls or being “outed"

For a copy of the original report please click here.

I encourage each of you to widen your knowledge base by seeking out blogs such as WWRG that are reliable sources of information, and focused on what's important to you. If you enjoy sharing your expertise or opinion, you may even consider starting your own blog.

Either way, you will be taking the first step in making over a "virtual you", and a social biography.

The World will be your stage!

Lifestyle Lifter -Jennifer McCann, Lifestyle Photographer

Last Sunday evening I participated in the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDG) awards ceremony at the Waldorf-Astoria In NYC.

As I walked down the Red Carpet, I was greeted by the usual barrage of "flash units" from the global press and media outlets that were on hand to cover this annual event which preceded the UN MDG Summit began on Monday of last week.

I paused to allow a picture against the backdrop.

I asked one of the photographers how I might obtain a copy of any photos she had taken. She politely offered that I should contact East of Ellie, the event planner for the evening. I made a mental note of this and proceeded into the reception area to meet up with my other invited guests.

Later that evening, this same photographer approached our group and asked for a photo. How she found me in a room filled with hundreds of people is nothing short of a miracle.

I asked her again how we could obtain a copy of the group photo, and this time she offered her business card and said she would gladly broker the transfer.

Once again, fate deals me an opportunity to introduce to you an extraordinary artist, and a new friend.

Her name is Jenn McCann. Based out of Fairfield County, she is a married, and mother of two beautiful little girls.

Jenn is a "Self-Taught Photographer" and sole proprietor of "Jennifer McCann Photography"

I asked her to give me a little background on her passion:

"I have enjoyed and dabbled in photography for years, but started professionally part time 3 years ago, just went full time this past year, and even in the slow economy, I'm finding my business growing quickly.

I'm a "lifestyle" photographer, I work with natural light, on location- I mainly do family and children's portraits, and weddings- but other areas have included misc. events, product, and even fitness.

I was published in the June 2010 issue of "Shape" Magazine.

I am also contracted by "Family and Children's Aid" in Danbury, CT (A non-profit agency) as the agency photographer to photograph events and clients throughout the year.

I was featured as business of the month at Newtown Savings Bank in July 2010 - in my home town of Bethel.

My style is natural and candid, catching special moments between loved ones. My main goal is to please my clients and try to provide a comfortable, relaxed, and fun atmosphere to ensure great pictures!"

I encourage all of you to visit her website to get a better look at her work. I know many of you are located outside the NY Metro Area, but for the right event, and the right arrangement, I'm sure Jenn will make herself available!

TGIF - Plan a Fall Outing!

Fall officially arrived yesterday, although the temperatures here in the Northeast of the US are still summerlike!

Soon, however, the temps will be dropping (unless you are lucky enough to live in a warm climate), leaves will be turning, and we will be looking for "indoor" activities to keep us in the right frame of mind.

I have invited many of my friends and clients to join me on a private tour of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) collection here in NYC. While this is but one of many great museums located here in Manhattan, it certainly has a unique following. The Modern restaurant is adjacent, and is where we dine after the tour. It is one of NYC's only restaurants to carry the Michelin Guide's One Star rating.

As many of you know, I have a genuine love for Asia and Asian Art, having spent a very impressionable portion of my childhood there.

I was delighted to discover through my contact at Papyrus, a high-end stationery and gift boutique ( Their wrapping paper, cards and gift wrap services are exquisite!) the artwork of Haku Maki (given name Maejima Tadaaki).

Examples of his work are on display at MoMa, Art Institute of Chicago, the British Museum, London, The Museum of Fine Arts, London, and the Aschenbach Foundation for Graphic Arts, San Francisco, among others.

Born in 1924, Maki's art began attracting attention at international print shows and in 1959 his work was selected along with nine other leading print artists to make up James A. Michener's landmark book The Modern Japanese Print. From that time until the present he has ranked among Japan's most respected print artists.

His work (including the limited edition "Rose" pictured above) is also available for viewing and purchase exclusively at the Papyrus boutique in Greenwich CT. If you are interested in stopping by, please send a note in advance to Dani Latorre, Flagship Manager at store02285@srgretail.com, and she will be delighted to give you a personal tour through their gallery.

If you do decide to make Greenwich your destination for a Fall Weekend Away, I recommend you stay at the beautiful Delamar, an exclusive and very private boutique hotel located on the harbor. Their restaurant, L'Escale is one of the finest around.

Tuesday's Treasure - If clothes make YOUR man, then Michael Reslan makes his clothes!

In yesterday's Monday Motivational Makeover post, I talked about how anti-aging is the new fashion statement, especially for men looking to regain their competitive edge vis-a-vis their younger colleagues. I also mentioned that the event drew a crowd of A-listers from around the globe, and a variety of fashionistas each making their statement and drawing from their local cultures and talented designers.

Among the fashion world's movers and shakers seated at our table was Michael Reslan. Reslan recently opened a 15th floor showroom at 689 Fifth Avenue with amazing artwork, hand-crafted Italian furnishings and spectacular views of Manhattan.

Within this elegant space he offers his "Who's Who" list of clients a private, discreet, yet sophisticated environment which he has learned from over 27 years experience in the High-End Clothing industry is what sets his offering apart from the rest .

As he so aptly puts it " space + privacy = luxury"

I encourage you to share some time with your BMF and go enjoy some wine and cheese in his Tuscan-inspired outdoor garden.

If you are both too busy, Reslan will bring his line to your home or office. He reiterates, “This is not a store, it’s a private shopping experience.”

And one well worth it, I might add!

Monday's Motivational Makeover - The Total Package

A few months ago, my colleague and fellow 85 Broads member, Evie wrote a guest blog featuring another 85 Broads member and friend, Dr. Shirley Madhere.

Shirley, Evie, and I attended the UN Millennium Development Goals Awards event in NYC last evening. Among the presenters were former super model Christie Brinkley and Actor, Country Music singer, John Schneider.

The Grand Ballroom was packed with dignitaries, celebrities, and CEO's, many of them women. Gloria Gaynor sang her signature disco anthem " I will survive". During this, there were literally women dancing in the isles.

What struck me the most was the energy in the room. Also striking were the men and women who attended.

Ageless is not just a concept anymore - it is reality!

Both Christie and John did not look their biological ages. I credit this to a healthy lifestyle, exercise, and good nutrition.

I discussed this with Shirley, a noted Plastic Surgeon. She agrees, and in fact her practice is centered around a "holistic" approach to anti-aging.

Another thing that struck me. Men are beginning to take an interest in re-vitalizing their youth. Shirley said that she has a number of high-profile male clients who want to look younger to " compete with younger men (and women)" who are increasingly rising to the top of companies and organizations.

I encourage you to take time today to think through what a makeover - physical or attitudinal - would do for you.

Keep in mind, though, that working on one, without paying attention to the other, will limit your outcome and your appearance.

Shirley is working on a book on this very subject and as soon as it is available, you will all be the first to know!

In the meantime, I hope to get her to do an occasional guest blog so we can begin our Total package Makeover ASAP!

TGIF - Today is Constitution Day.

According to holidayinsights.com, "The Constitutional Congress held it's final meeting on September 17, 1787. Do you have any idea why? That's right! It was to sign the Constitution of the United States of America, a document for which they so painstakingly labored to create and perfect.

After the meeting there was still much to do. Individual states then had to meet and vote on it. The U.S. Constitution did not go into effect until two years later on March 4, 1789."

At the risk of being obvious, I note that none of the original signers of The Constitution were women. That would certainly NOT be the case if this document were in play today.

Moreover, despite the groundbreaking nature of the Constitution, women's involvement in the national political scene has been slow in coming. Here are a few factoids to consider:

Since 1789, only 2 percent of members of Congress have been women. But not until 1917 was a woman elected to the House of Representatives. In the Senate, from 1922-2006, only 33 women have served in the Senate: 20 Democrats and 13 Republicans.

The global average percentage of women in parliaments is 17 percent; in the 110th Congress, it is 16 percent. (cite)

Delaware, Iowa, Mississippi, New Hampshire & Vermont are the only states never to have a woman represent the state in either House of Congress.

• 1872. Victoria Woodhull ran for president of the United States on the Equal Rights Party ticket. She is most famous for her declaration and campaign to run as the first woman for the United States Presidency in 1872. Many of the reforms and ideals espoused by her for the common working class against the corrupt rich business elite were extremely controversial in her time though generations later many of those implemented are now taken for granted. Other ideas and reforms still remain controversial and debated today.
• 1917. The first woman elected to the U.S. House of representatives was Jeannette Rankin (R-MT). She served from 1917-1919 and from 1941-42. Sometimes called the "Lady of the House", Jeanette Rankin entered the House as the first woman in Congress.
• 1922. The first woman to serve in the U.S. Senate was Rebecca Latimer Felton (D-GA). She served for one day; she was appointed, not elected.
• Hattie Caraway became the first woman to win election to the Senate, in 1932.
• 1933. Frances Perkins was the first woman to serve in a presidential cabinet; she was Secretary of Labor under President Franklin D. Roosevelt.
• 1964. Margaret Chase Smith (ME) became the first woman to have her name placed in nomination for president at a major party convention; Sen. George Aiken nominated her at the Republican national convention.
• 1968. Shirley Chisholm (NY) became the first black women to be elected to Congress.
• 1976. Barbara Jordan (TX) became the first black women to deliver a keynote speech at the Democratic National Convention.
• 1981. Sandra Day O'Connor became the first woman on the Supreme Court.
• 1984. Rep. Geraldine A. Ferraro (D-NY) is the first woman on a major party's national ticket; she was selected by Walter F. Mondale as his Vice Presidential running mate.
• 2007. The first woman to lead the House of Representatives is Nancy Pelosi (D-CA).

Throughout most of the Senate's history, it has been almost entirely male. Until 1920, few women ran for the Senate. Until the 1990s, very few were elected. This is due to many factors, including the lack of women's suffrage in many states until ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, women's limited access to higher education until the mid-1900s, public perceptions of gender roles, and barriers to women's advancement such as sex discrimination, which still play’s a factor in their limited numbers today.

No women served from 1922 to 1931, 1945 to 1947, and 1973 to 1978. Since 1978, there has always been at least one woman in the Senate.

I believe it is only a matter of time before women become a majority in politics. Maybe by then, some of the problems of our current system will be fixed.

Or as one of the greatest Women in our history stated:

"The day will come when men will recognize woman as his peer, not only at the fireside, but in councils of the nation. Then, and not until then, will there be the perfect comradeship, the ideal union between the sexes that shall result in the highest development of the race. "

Susan B. Anthony

Thursday's Truth - What is Truth?

I went to Google for an answer. When I typed in the word "truth" in the search box I received 214,000,000 results. Obviously a very popular topic.

Here are links to some of these results which ranged from the scholarly, i.e. Stanford University's online Encyclopedia of Philosophy , to companies whose names include the word truth such as a window hardware maker (Truth.com, interestingly enough) and clothing lines that have truth messaging.

Everyone has their own opinion regarding Truth. Truth is almost always associated with fact. Seeking the truth. Getting the facts. These two go hand-in-hand.

How do you regard Truth? Take time today to think about this. Do a little research, and a lot of soul-searching. If you find truth, you will find freedom. That's a promise.

Wednesday's Women of Courage - Jane Doe No More

I have the honor of serving on the Board of the Jane Doe No More Organization, whose mission is to improve the way society responds to victims of sexual assault.

It was founded by Donna Palomba, whose courageous story has been featured on NBC Dateline. She was also featured in another of our Wednesday's Women of Courage posts last June.

At JDNM, we are working hard to shorten the time between crime and healing for victims for sexual assault. What began as a local effort, has now grown to an international one. A video, Duty Trumps Doubt, is in the final stages of production, and will be presented to the International Chiefs of Police Conference in Orlando, Fla. next month. This film will help law enforcement better handle evidence at the crime scene, and sensitize them to the need for compassion toward the victim.

Our website, janedoenomore.org, contains many ways to get involved through various social media such as Facebook, Twitter, etc.

Please consider joining us in our mission. Your support will be greatly appreciated.

Monday's Motivational Makeover - Ladies and Gentlemen...

...may I have your attention, please.

We often refer to someone we admire or respect as "a classy lady" or "a perfect gentleman". I hear these terms used less frequently nowadays, perhaps because our definition of these terms is so subjective. And maybe we associate the behavior of a true gentleman or lady with old-fashioned values or simpler times.

I still aspire to be a gentleman, and truly appreciate when told I am so by an appreciative lady. And while many young girls look up to Lady Gaga, I personally think there are other examples that are more deserving of that title.

Here is a perspective on the subject offered by John Henry Newman in his book, The Idea of a University (I have altered original from masculine to feminine) :

"Hence it is that it is almost a definition of a lady to say she is one who never inflicts pain. This description is both refined and, as far as it goes, accurate. She is mainly occupied in merely removing the obstacles which hinder the free and unembarrassed action of those about her; and she concurs with their movements rather than takes the initiative herself... The true lady...carefully avoids whatever may cause a jar or a jolt in the minds of those with whom she is cast; - all clashing of opinion, or collision of feeling, all restraint, or suspicion, of gloom, or resentment; her great concern being to make everyone at their ease and at home.

She has her eyes on all her company; she is tender towards the bashful, gentle towards the distant, and merciful towards the absurd; she can recollect to whom she is speaking; she guards against unseasonable allusions, or topics which may irritate; she is seldom prominent in conversation, and never wearisome.

She makes light of favors while she does them, and seems to be receiving when she is conferring. She never speaks of herself except when compelled, never defends herself by a mere retort, she has no ears for slander or gossip, is scrupulous in imputing motives to those who interfere with her, and interprets every thing for the best. She is never mean or little in her disputes, never takes unfair advantage, never mistakes personalities or sharp sayings for arguments, or insinuates evil which she dare not say out.

From a long-sighted prudence, she observes the maxim of the ancient sage, that we should ever conduct ourselves toward our enemy as if she were one day to be our friend. She has too much good sense to be affronted at insults, she is too well employed to remember injuries, and too indolent to bear malice. She is patient, forbearing, and resigned on philosophical principles; she submits to pain, because it is inevitable, to bereavement, because it is irreparable, and to death, because it is her destiny.

If she engages in controversy of any kind, her disciplined intellect preserves her from the blundering discourtesy of better, perhaps, but less educated minds; who, like blunt weapons, tear and hack instead of cutting clean...She may be right or wrong in her opinion, but she is too clear-headed to be unjust; she is simple as she is forcible, and as brief as she is decisive. Nowhere shall we find greater candor, consideration, indulgence; she throws herself into the minds of her opponents, she accounts for their mistakes. She knows the weakness of human reason as well as its strength, its province and its limits.

If she be an unbeliever, she will be too profound and large-minded to ridicule religion or to act against it; she is to wise to be a dogmatist or fanatic in her infidelity. She respects piety and devotion; she even supports institutions as venerable, beautiful, of useful, to which she does not assent; she honors the ministers of religion, and it contents her to decline its mysteries without assailing or denouncing them.

She is a friend of religious toleration, and that, not only because her philosophy has taught her to look on all forms of faith with an impartial eye, but also from the gentleness and effeminacy of feeling, which is the attendant of civilization".

May we all, men and women, heed these words and remember to bring civilization into the lives of our peers, children, colleagues, and the disenfranchised. Use today as an opportunity to makeover your personality and your behavior so that it brings out the true Lady or Gentleman in you!

Thursday's Truths - Truth or Consequencies?

In my last Sunday Sanctuary post I began describing the economic underpinnings of our current financial system. Specifically, I touched upon two types of capitalism that are the predominant ideologies in practice in the free world today - Anglo/US capitalism and stakeholder capitalism.

There is another type that has been emerging ever since the Financial Crisis and the resulting "punishment" of the financial institutions that were allegedly at fault.

It is called "Charitable Capitalism". Many firms, such as Goldman Sachs, have launched new initiatives such as their 10,000 Small Businesses Initiative, a pledge of half a billion dollars to provide access for small businesses to financial capital, mentors, networks, and business education. Since women-owned businesses now account for a significant portion of our economy, this is a great step toward getting money into the right hands so that we may continue to heal our financial condition.

In an op-ed piece around this time last year, my Gal Pal, Jacki Zehner wrote:

" What’s it going to take from Wall Street? How about repentance? Repentance is a theological concept that isn’t normally associated with business practice, but that’s what Main Street needs from Wall Street. Repentance is the first step in healing a broken relationship. Yes, it starts with admitting wrongdoing and expressing sincere regret for it, but it goes far deeper than that. It demonstrates sincerity through definitive and dramatic action in a new direction, signifying a strong commitment to the relationship."

In my opinion, unless the financial system we have created, and the underpinnings of capitalism are reformed to include honest, viable, and effective (socially responsible) institutions, with morally responsible individuals put in place to run them, the consequence will be a global shaking of biblical proportions.

Repentance is the first step toward truth. And the truth will set us all free.

Wednesday's Women of Courage - Your Financial Personality

I'm going to deviate a little from our usual Wednesday's Women of Courage format and present some new thought on how women view financial decision-making. It may help you better understand the behavior of women around you, and your approach to money, as well.

While at the gym recently, I caught a CNBC interview with Maddy Dychtwald whose latest book is Influence: How Women's Soaring Economic Power Will Transform Our World Here is an excerpt from a conversation she had with Robert Morris of First Friday's Book Synopsis:

Morris: Your discussion of women’s “money profiles” caught my eye. For those who have not as yet read Influence, what are the five types and what is the dominant characteristic if each?

Dychtwald: As we collected data from our study, trying to better understand women and their financial behavior, five profiles of women and money emerged. Overall, our research uncovered the fact that what determines a women’s financial personality is very much how she feels about money, how much she defers to someone else to get the job done, what she wants money to do for her, what she wants to do with her money, and how confidant she is in her relationship with money. While these profiles are merely snapshots at one moment in time, it immediately became clear that three of the five personalities helped women’s economic emancipation while two others did not. In the book, I describe these personalities in detail, but here’s a quick take.

The most confident of the five personality types is the Alpha Female. Eighteen percent of the women surveyed identified with this profile, and their behavior (when it comes to money) is much like a stereotypical confidant male: a quick decision-maker, risk-tolerant, and less interested in the details than the results.

The Perceptive Planner is not quite as confident as the Alpha Female, but this is the personality that 35 percent of women identified with, making it the largest segment in the study. They are analytical, disciplined and responsible.

The third personality is the Power Partner which is the second most common group in our study with 23 percent of women identifying with this personality. She is collaborative and willing to strike compromises, believing that two heads are better than one. These three personality types are pro-active and empowered when it comes to money.

The last two personalities are not: Supportive Traditionalists and Uncertain Searchers. About a quarter of all women identify with these two personalities. A Supportive Traditionalist demonstrates the de facto way women used to behave with money, deferring decisions around money to a male. She enjoys spending and is not too interested in gaining knowledge around finances. Amazingly, it is the smallest group in our study with only 8 percent of women identifying with this personality.

The least confident personality is the Uncertain Searcher with about 16 percent of women identifying with this personality. This personality is led by her emotions when it comes to making financial decisions. She knows little to nothing about finances and doesn’t know where to turn for information. She knows she’s lost and isn’t sure how to move on.

What personality type are you?

Tuesday's Treasure - Networking 101

Many of you have accumulated wealth through the effort and determination required to succeed as a small business owner, entrepreneur, or by breaking through the glass ceiling at a Fortune 500 company.

My fellow 85 Broads Member, Hilary Eaton Pearl, is an internationally recognized success coach and founder of Hilary Pearl Associates. In her seminars, she emphasizes the need to create and maintain a "personal brand".

There are many ways to do this. One is to join one of the many women's networks that have been created within corporations that recognize the value, and cost saving, associated with fostering gender equality. Many employers like Deloitte, view it as part of their business strategy.

By viewing this blog, you are passively joining in to my global network. Each time you click through to another blog or website, you are taking part in what I call learn & apply involvement.

Another way to amp up your personal brand value is to join one of the many digital social networks, such as Facebook or LinkedIN. Be very careful here, however, because reputation management is much more difficult when you hang yourself out to an entire world via the World Wide Web.

If this is the way you want to go, I suggest you hire a good "social media trainer" such as Kathryn Rose who is part of the Ladies Who Launch network, and Founder of Supreme Social Media. They can coach you on how to tap into this incredibly powerful tool and become more effective with networking at all levels - professional and personal.

And finally, there is just plain, old fashioned face-to-face human interaction. Take time to strike up a conversation with a person next to you on the train, in a store, or restaurant. Janet Hanson, Founder of 85 Broads calls this "seeing the trade"

As Hilary says "It’s each of our responsibility to make introductions between two people you find interesting. Later, the gift will come back to you."

Monday's Motivational makeover featuring Tess

Dwell in possibility.

Whatever you want, wants you!

Enjoy this moment…this moment is your life.

What’s in your life is what you choose, choose powerfully!

Just writing these things lifts my heart. There is energy and influence in positive thought.

So…why don’t we fill our days and lives with positive thoughts, intentions and words?

We get caught up in the pressures and demands of the everyday and start to measure ourselves against other’s yardsticks. I remember standing in the doorframe at Lloyd’s house when I was a little girl and he would mark the frame molding with my latest growth spurt. It was exciting because I was usually taller than most of the kids and it was important to grow the most and be the tallest.

There’s a contest in everything if we allow it. There is pressure in the simple things if we compare and contrast. There is fear if we are attached to the outcome and lack enough self esteem to know for certain that we’ll be “okay” no matter what happens. Just like going to the dentist every six months, or working out 3 times a week, or eating more salad than chocolate (I hear some people do that)…..we can speak into possibility and focus on the what’s right instead of the what’s wrong.

Why don’t we do that more??

Thoughts influence brain chemistry. We could feed our brains and our spirits the food they need to function optimally. If we know it is so…why don’t we do it more often?

Rule: Thoughts change brain chemistry.

That sounds so simple but that’s the way it is, with our thoughts changing neurotransmitters on a daily basis. If a man walks into a room with a gun, we think “threat”, and the brain releases norepinephrine. We become tense, alert, develop sweaty palms, and our heart beats faster. If he then bites the barrel of the gun, telling us the gun is actually chocolate, the brain rapids changes its’ opinion and we relax and laugh – the jokes on us.

We feel what we think! Positive thinking works. As the above example suggests, what we think about a situation actually creates our mood. Passed over for a promotion, we can either think we’ll never get ahead in this job (lowering serotonin and making us depressed) or assume that we are being held back for another promotion or job transfer (makes a better mood). David J. Abbott M.D.

Healthy Ways to Affect Your Brain Chemistry

Here are a few simple and healthy steps that you can take to improve your brain chemistry. By making lifestyle choices that benefit your brain's chemical balance, you can embrace a healthier, happier life.

• Nutrition
  There's something to the old adage, “You are what you eat.” In fact, your diet can make a difference in your brain's chemical levels, and proper nutritional inputs are necessary for the brain to operate at optimum speed and function. Certain foods and nutrients can even affect mood, helping to create and maintain calm and contentedness after recovery. Vitamin B12 plays a role in preventing depression, and other B vitamins increase natural serotonin levels in the brain. Additionally, Omega-3 fatty acids help stave off and even help treat anxiety disorders and depression.

• Exercise
  Exercising provides happiness by stimulating the body's production of endorphins natural pain killers that also produce mood-enhancing effects. Additionally, exercise reduces stress and releases adrenaline, giving your body an extra boost of natural energy.

• Pleasure
  Any enjoyment in life triggers the release of dopamine and serotonin, from love and sex to relaxation and creative expression. These, in turn, reinforce pleasurable behaviors and lift our mood and outlook as neurotransmitters are released.
• Sleep
  Our bodies replenish neurotransmitter levels as we rest, making sleep one of the most important ways you can help maintain a healthy brain chemistry.
• Therapy
  Emotional and psychological well-being can help promote healthy brain chemistry. The practice of positive thinking makes future positive thoughts (and their accompanying dopamine and serotonin release) come more naturally. Additionally, therapy can help resolve any existing emotional traumas that take a toll on our brain chemistry through nightmares, memories and flashbacks that retraumatize us, releasing needless adrenaline. Therapy can also help heal negative self-beliefs that adversely affect our brain's chemical levels.

• Detoxification
  Alcohol and drug intake can have a drastic effect on neurotransmitter levels within the brain, causing chemical imbalances to occur. By achieving recovery, you can allow your body to detoxify in the short and long-term. After the withdrawal period has ended, your brain will move towards healthy, natural neurotransmitter levels once again. From Pacific Hills Treatment Center

Having a juicy life is within reach if we choose our thoughts carefully, manage boundaries, monitor our reactions, take care of ourselves, indulge our senses, acknowledge the angels among us, push through the discomfort, reduce the drag coefficient and communicate with honest compassion.

Notice where you’re giving up your power in your choices and make requests to get life back on track. Start over anytime…just hit the reset button and pull out a clean canvas.

I used to say I wanted my life to be a technicolor romantic musical comedy….then some people laughed at me and said I was weird. Ya know what? I don’t care if I’m weird…I want my life to be a Technicolor Romantic Musical Comedy dang it! And for the most part, I’m on my way. Trusting positive intentions to steer for awhile sure couldn’t hurt.

Wanna play along with me?

What’s in your life is what you choose. Choose consciously and powerfully!

Tessgreen3@gmail.com, www.tessgreen.com

Sanctuary Sunday - Sustainability Economics

I hope all of you are enjoying a relaxing Sunday.

I have been blogging more on the topic of sustainability lately, perhaps because of recent environmental disasters such as our Gulf Oil Spill here in the US and the news that 2010 is going into the record books as the hottest in recorded history.

At the risk of creating some dissonance in your delightfully serene sanctuary, I want to give you some "mind candy" to contemplate.

The concept is not that complex, so please pardon me if I paraphrase a line from a popular song which states, "'we've got the whole world in our hands".

Few understand the economics that have provided the underpinnings for the changes that have occurred over centuries, not just decades, in our environment. This is the more complex part of the discussion, and a full treatment of this topic cannot be given justice in one blog post. When we get together face-to-face at an upcoming WWRG Summit, I will cover this in detail.

I had the honor of being accepted for post-graduate work at the Harvard Business School where I received a certificate in Private Equity and Corporate Governance. This area of study is a subset of economics, and the forms of Capitalism that dominate our world economic system.

At the risk of oversimplification, there are basically two forms of Capitalism currently in practice today in the free world.

The first is Anglo/US capitalism and stems from the USA and focuses on short-term maximization of shareholder value.

The second is less widely publicized. It is based on concepts of social justice and recognizes the interdependence of businesses and their local communities. For a full treatment on this topic may I suggest a book that my friend Therese Necio-Ortega, Executive for the Peninsula Hotel group was a contributing expert on entitled Leadership for Sustainable Futures: Achieving Success in a Competitive World by author Gayle C. Avery.

Regardless of whether you believe in one form of capitalism or another, we are still living on the same planet, one that was created long before either existed, or humans for that matter. Without an understanding of what drives the decisions our leaders make, and the honesty with which they make them, a clear picture of how we have arrived where are today cannot be brought into view.

Please consider joining a global initiative such as the Awakening the Dreamer movement I mentioned in an earlier Sanctuary Sunday post. This group, and others, will help educate you on the severity of the problem and suggest ways that you may help solve these pressing issues, and hold our world leadership accountable for their actions.

Why? Because the sanctuary we call Planet Earth is in danger of quickly becoming a cesspool instead.

SDG - JBHIV

Lifestyle Lifters - Unleash the "Tiger" in You!

As those of you who follow this blog in the US are aware, we traditionally celebrate this weekend in observance of Labor Day.

Nestled within this three day period is another, perhaps more significant "Green Holiday" - National Wildlife Day - September 4. The purpose of this day is two-fold: to increase awareness of endangered animals in the U.S. and around the world, and to acknowledge the work of zoos and animal sanctuaries that help preserve the animal kingdom every day.

In my opinion, one of the most beautiful animals on the planet is the tiger. This species has several forms. All of them are on the endangered list:

Total Population in the Wild: around 3,500
Subspecies:
Bengal tiger (Pantera tigris tigris)
Population: Fewer than 2,000 Status: Endangered Species
The Indochinese tiger (Pantera tigris corbetti)
Population: Fewer than 500. Status: Endangered Species
Malayan Tiger (Pantera tigris jacksoni)
Population: Fewer than 500 Status: Endangered Species
Sumatran tiger (Pantera tigris sumatrae)
Population: Fewer than 500 Status: Critically Endangered Species
Siberian Tiger (Pantera tigris alataica)
Population: Around 500 Status: Endangered Species
South China tiger (Pantera tigris amoyensis)
Population: No sightings in years. Status: Critically Endangered Species

Trends: The Siberian tiger is the only subspecies whose population is stable. The others are declining. Main threats are illegal hunting and habitat loss.

But we are in danger of losing a tiger of a different sort. One that has the personality of a woman born under the Chinese Astrological Sign of the tiger.

The Tiger is the third animal in the Chinese horoscope, after rat and ox, and before rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, rooster, dog and boar.

You would be a tiger if you are born between:

• February 8, 1902 and January 28, 1903
• January 26, 1914 and February 13, 1915
• February 13, 1926 and February 1, 1927
• January 31, 1938 and February 18, 1939
• February 17, 1950 and February 5, 1951
• February 5, 1962 and January 24, 1963
• January 23, 1974 and February 10, 1975
• February 9, 1986 and January 28, 1987
• January 28, 1998 and February 15, 1999

The third character profile of the twelve earth branches is that of the Tiger. She is called Yin in Chinese and symbolizes passion and integrity. The Yin or Tiger personality surveys her world and sees it through the eyes of an idealist. Life is a gigantic stage to her, on which she will no doubt be playing many leading roles. Competitive, outspoken and courageous, she will take on any and all comers with a positive "never say die" attitude.

Her primary goal in life is to be involved with something that makes a difference in the world - preferably, a huge difference. A humanitarian at heart, she will always try to support a worthy cause, champion the rights of the underdog and fight for those, like children or animals, who cannot defend themselves. Not one who shrinks from controversy, she tends to be a rebel or an activist if she feels her views are being ignored.

In today's world, where women fight daily for the right to be treated as an equal, we all need to be "tigers". Lift up your fellow woman. Lift their spirits. Lift their Lifestyle. Give them a hand up, not a hand out!

Does your birth date make you a Tiger? Great. Then act like one and the rest of us will play along.

TGIF - Labor Day Weekend Begins!

In last Saturday's Lifestyle Lifter's post, I shared my Dream Holiday in Europe. Maybe you are one of those viewers lucky enough to be at one of my suggested destinations this upcoming Labor Day Weekend [I know at least one, and you know who you are ;)]

FYI, here are the 2010 Top Ten International and US Labor Day Vacation Destinations as provided by Orbitz:

Top 10 International Labor Day Weekend Destinations - 2010
2010 Rank(1)	Destination	Average Daily Hotel Rate(2)
1	Cancun, Mexico	$165
2	London, Great Britain	$148
3	Paris, France	$216
4	San Juan, Puerto Rico	$126
5	Rome, Italy	$153
6	San Jose Cabo, Mexico	$142
7	Barcelona, Spain	$141
8	Toronto, Canada	$107
9	Vancouver, Canada	$134
10	Montego Bay, Jamaica	$160

(1) Based on Air, Hotel and Hotel plus Air package bookings made on Orbitz.com for travel from 9/3/2010 to 9/6/2010. Bookings made as of 8/19/2010.

Regardless of where this weekend finds you, please enjoy your time with friends, family, and others. And have a safe trip back home!

Thursday's Truth - Sojourner Truth

When I first began blogging on topics of interest to Women of Wealth, my goal was to inspire them to step out from behind the comfort of their affluence, or the shadow cast upon them by a spouse, parent, or belief, and begin creating their own personal life story - a social biography.

And while some of you may argue that the subject of today's Thursday's Truth post is better recognized as one of our Wednesday's Women of Courage, I felt her story (and the fact that she has the name "Truth") was compelling enough to share it with you. The following is her social biography as referenced at fembio.org.

"Sojourner Truth was a fiery orator, committed abolitionist, women’s and poor people’s rights activist, preacher and singer, who was not formally educated but created her own theoretical constructs for social equity and radical action.

Originally named Isabella Bomefree, Truth, the second youngest child of ten, was born around 1797 to James and Elizabeth Bomefree, slaves on a farm in Ulster County, New York. As a child and youth, Isabella spoke Dutch as a first language, was sold to several owners, and at age fourteen married an older slave named Thomas with whom she had five children. In 1826 (one year before she would have been legally freed by state law), Isabella ran away from enslavement, finding protection with the Von Wageners, a Quaker family whose last name she took. While with the Von Wageners, Isabella went to court and successfully sued for her son’s return to New York after his owner had sold him illegally into perpetual slavery in Alabama.

In the early 1830s, Bomefree relocated to New York City with her teenage son Peter, leaving her daughters in the care of their father. Earning a living as a domestic servant (one of the only occupations open to free black women), Isabella also attended white and black churches and joined the Magdelene Society, a Methodist mission dedicated to reforming prostitutes. Later Isabella became the only Black and one of the few working class people to join Robert Matthews’ Zion Hill commune, which believed in good and evil spirits and illnesses caused by the same, until its collapse in 1835.

In 1843, inspired by difficult economic times and the Millerites, a religious group who believed the world would end that year, Isabella Bomefree took on a new identity. She changed her name to Sojourner Truth and became a wandering evangelist. Making her way eastward across Long Island and Connecticut and up to Northampton, Massachusetts, Sojourner sang to beckon people to her, often making up her own words to commonly known tunes like church hymns or "John Brown’s Body" (also known as "The Battle Hymn of the Republic"). She then preached to them, whether they were at camp meetings, in churches or just on the roadside. Once the Millerites faced the Great Disappointment at the end of 1843, Truth became a member of the Northampton Association, a utopian community led by George Benson. The Association’s reformist-minded members (including Frederick Douglass and William Lloyd Garrison) exposed Sojourner Truth to liberal concepts such as abolitionism and feminism.

It was Garrison who persuaded Truth to dictate her life story and publish it in 1850 as The Narrative of Sojourner Truth. When the Northampton Association fell apart in 1846, the proceeds from sales of the Narrative enabled Truth to buy a house in Florence, Massachusetts. More importantly, as one of the first accounts of a female former slave, the Narrative was a powerful weapon in the abolitionist cause, in which Truth was an active speaker and protestor, known for her insight, courage and wit.

By 1850 Sojourner was also one of the first activists to make the connection between the rights of slaves and black people and those of women. In a speech at a women’s rights convention in Akron, Ohio in 1851, Truth proclaimed, "I could work as much and eat as much as a man ... and bear the lash as well! And ain’t I a woman? I have borne thirteen children, and seen ‘em most all sold off to slavery, and when I cried out with my mother’s grief, none but Jesus heard me! And ain’t I a woman?" With this statement Sojourner demanded that white feminists broaden their vision to include the suffering and strength of black, enslaved and poor women in the category of woman and in the fight for equal rights.

With the passage in 1867 of the Fourteenth Amendment giving black men the vote, white suffragettes were outraged at the lack of reference to women, and most Black activists believed that the suffering of Black male slaves entitled them to receive the vote first. Again, Truth was the only voice for Black women, and for recognizing the link between racism and sexism: "There is a great deal of stir about colored men getting their rights but not a word about the colored women’s theirs, you see, the colored man will be masters over the women, and it will be just as bad as it was before. So I am for keeping the thing going while things are stirring, because if we wait ‘till it is still, it will take a great while to get it going again." Moving to Washington, D.C. in 1863, Sojourner Truth worked on behalf of black Civil War soldiers, nursed and taught domestic skills to freed slaves and visited President Lincoln. During this time Truth also protested and brought about congressional action banning segregation on trolly cars in Washington, D.C.

While working for the Freedman’s Relief Association after the War, Sojourner discovered the lack of paying work for Blacks, and in 1867 initiated a job-placement effort that matched poor Black workers with employers in upstate New York and Battle Creek, Michigan. This work enabled Truth to understand the gap between the immense contribution Black people had made to the nation’s development and the complete lack of acknowledgement or reward they had received for their labor. Speaking of the revolutionary idea of reparations nearly two centuries before Black Power activists, Sojourner proclaimed "Our nerves and sinews, our tears and blood, have been sacrificed on the altar of this nation’s avarice. Our unpaid labor has been a stepping stone to its financial success. Some of its dividends must surely be ours." Acting on her words, Truth led an unsuccessful petition to Congress for a land grant to resettle Black freedmen in the West.

Although her petition did not succeed, it paved the way for 1879’s large, spontaneous migration of Black "Exodusters" from Mississippi, Lousiana, Texas and Tennessee to Kansas. In 1883, Sojourner Truth died at her home in Battle Creek, Michigan.

In addition to her heroic deeds, Truth has also become known for her revolutionary ideas and biting sense of humor. Remarking on her own lack of formal education, she quipped, "I can’t read, but I can read people." She suggested to suffragettes that they engage in direct action, "Sisters, I ain’t clear what you be after. If women want any rights more than they’s got, why don’t they just take them, and not be talking about it?" Finally, in response to white male abolitionists who taunted her, she revealed her radical theological view by "[asking them] ‘Don’t you believe in Jesus?’" When they said they did, she said, "‘Well, Jesus is the son of God and Mary. Man had nothing to do with it’"

Amen!

Wednesday's Women of Courage - FEMM Committee and Human Trafficking

Today's Women of Courage post is devoted to a group of women from the European Parliament, the bicameral legislative branch of the European Union (EU). It is considered one of the most powerful legislatures in the world, serving the second largest democratic electorate in the world (after India) and the largest trans-national democratic electorate in the world (375 million eligible voters in 2009).

Those of you who follow this blog in Europe are no doubt aware of this group and it's mission to promote Women's Rights and Gender Equality.

^{The women that form the Committee are holding their next meeting tomorrow, September 2. You may view the meeting live at the following link.}

On the agenda will be a discussion of Trafficking in Human Beings. This is a huge issue around the globe.

Several of my Gal Pals and I here in the US are involved with a group called Love 146. Statistics from their website show an alarming pattern of abuse, and slavery, including women:

1. 600,000-800,000 people are trafficked internationally each year
2. 14,500-17,500 are trafficked into the U.S every year
3. 80% of these are women and children
4. It’s a $9 billion business worldwide (Paulk, 2005)
5. It is in the top 3 revenue earners for organized crime (Leach, 2004)
6. 1.2 million children are trafficked every year
7. There are 27 million slaves world wide (Leach, 2004)
8. In 1850, slaves cost $40,000 (in today’s dollar); today, they only cost $30 (Bales, 1999)
9.In 2004: 7000 traffickers were prosecuted, and 3000 convicted
10. The most common type of slavery is debt bondage (see above).
11. The fastest growing type of slavery is trafficking
12. The Maximum Jail Time for trafficking: 20 yrs-life, depending on the offense
13. Convicted traffickers must “provide full restitution to victims.”

Women of Wealth have a mandate to use their Time, Talent, and Treasure to bring about meaningful change in our world. Groups of powerful women such as FEMM are doing this at a global level.

Please consider supporting a group such as Love 146 or use the resources of humantrafficking.org to locate an initiative in your country or region.