The Bella Project

Quote;

2011-06-21T13:19:00.001-07:00

"Everytime you can't find a reason to keep on living, remember there are people who would give anything to be in your place."

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Update

2011-05-17T18:01:00.000-07:00

Back in April, I had the privilege of speaking at Indiana Wesleyan University Youth Conference about Human Trafficking. It was an amazing event. We had around 300 students show up to 2 different seminars and even ended up having to turn people away. We showed a video called The Candy Shop, talked about our rescue/recovery centers for girls in Cambodia & then discussed the kidnap, rape & forced prostitution of young girls that is happening here in the U.S. right now. Yes, even in Indianapolis, IN. It's a heavy, but necessary subject.

Working with World Hope International to bring awareness of this cause, has become a priority for The Bella Project & we are planning some amazing things together. Stay tuned.

The Candy Shop from Whitestone Motion Pictures on Vimeo.

Meet Alye & watch her inspirational message.

2011-04-19T16:38:00.000-07:00

Media vs. Your kids

2011-04-19T16:30:00.000-07:00

Geena Davis is an Academy Award-winning actor, probably best known for her roles in movies such as "Thelma and Louise," "A League of Their Own" and "The Accidental Tourist."

But in more recent years, she has become an advocate for gender equality in children's entertainment. As founder of the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media, she aims to work with content creators to increase the number of girls and women in films and television shows aimed at kids.

She sat down with The Wall Street Journal's Rebecca Blumenstein to discuss her career, the role that changed her life and the problem with the way women are portrayed in G-rated movies. Here are edited excerpts of their conversation.
A Life-Changing Role

MS. BLUMENSTEIN: You became known for picking your roles very carefully. Why did you feel so strongly about that at an early point?

MS. DAVIS: It was really for purely selfish reasons, because as an actor I wanted to feel challenged and, you know, play baseball rather than be the girlfriend of the person who plays baseball.

MS. BLUMENSTEIN: The film "Thelma and Louise" has such a strong feminist message. Did you realize that signing up for it?

Award-winning actor Geena Davis talks to WSJ's Rebecca Blumenstein about how she's chosen her roles throughout her career and why she thinks 'Thelma and Louise' had such an impact on women.

MS. DAVIS: I don't think any of us involved in the movie had any idea the reaction that it was going to get. It was very unusual because it had two excellent female parts, and I desperately wanted to be in it.

But what happened was when that movie came out, the difference between if somebody recognized me at the cleaners or something before that movie and that weekend that it came out—it was just night and day.

Afterward, I had women holding me by the lapels, so I could hear their story. And that experience really brought home to me how few opportunities we give women to feel like that about a movie. To feel passionately identified with it and feel empowered and thrilled. It's just incredibly rare. And I think everything in my life has been colored since then by that experience.

A Shocking Study

MS. BLUMENSTEIN: You moved on, became a mom and suddenly as an actor you began to develop some different beliefs about the role of media.

GEENA DAVIS 'Of the female characters that existed, the majority are highly stereotyped and/or hypersexualized.'

MS. DAVIS: Being in the business and having the experiences I had where some movies I did resonated with women or girls—like "A League of Their Own"—I had a heightened sense about women's roles in the media. Then when my daughter—she's 8 now—when she was about 2, I started watching G-rated videos and preschool programs with her.

And I was absolutely floored to see the same kind of gender bias and gender gap in what we're showing little kids. She'd be on my lap and I'd be counting the characters on my fingers and thinking, "This is just not right."

I didn't intend to turn it into a whole institute or a whole new life for myself. But I started mentioning it around Hollywood. If I had a meeting with a studio executive or a producer, I'd say, "Hey, have you ever noticed how few female characters there seem to be in G-rated movies and things for kids?" And they pretty much across the board would say, "No. No, that's not true anymore. That's been fixed."

So that's what made me decide that I would need the facts and not just my impression. We raised some money, and we ended up doing the largest research study ever done on G-rated movies and television shows made for kids 11 and under. And the results were stunning.

What we found was that in G-rated movies, for every one female character, there were three male characters. If it was a group scene, it would change to five to one, male to female.

Of the female characters that existed, the majority are highly stereotyped and/or hypersexualized. To me, the most disturbing thing was that the female characters in G-rated movies wear the same amount of sexually revealing clothing as the female characters in R-rated movies.

And then we looked at aspirations and occupations and things like that. Pretty much the only aspiration for female characters was finding romance, whereas there are practically no male characters whose ultimate goal is finding romance. The No. 1 occupation was royalty. Nice gig, if you can get it. And we found that the majority of female characters in animated movies have a body type that can't exist in real life. So, the question you can think of from all this is: What message are we sending to kids?

Mitigating the Damage

MS. BLUMENSTEIN: Have you done any work on what the impact is?

MS. DAVIS: The whole idea for me was I wanted to take the facts and go back to the people who are creating the media. We go straight to the studios and the producers, the Writers Guild, the Animators Guild, the Casting Directors Guild, and present our research.

The fascinating thing that we found from the beginning was that they were absolutely shocked.

The fact that, in general, all of their movies are so lacking in a female presence is stunning to them. That makes it, obviously, not a conspiracy, not a conscious choice, and leaves them very open to rethinking it and saying, "Now that we know, we're going to make some changes."

And we feel certain that when we update [our research] in 2015 that we will have seen the needle move.

MS. BLUMENSTEIN: What does a parent do? Is there evidence that the more TV and movies that kids watch—does it have an impact on them?

MS. DAVIS: Definitely. They found that the more hours of television a girl watches, the fewer options she believes she has in life. And the more hours a boy watches, the more sexist his views become.

What we recommend, and what I do with my kids, is watch with them.They're only allowed to watch TV if I'm there. And I make a running commentary the whole time to take away the negative impact, asking things such as: "Couldn't a girl have played that part?" And there's reason to believe that this is actually very effective.

MS. BLUMENSTEIN: You did "Commander in Chief" recently. Do you believe playing the female commander in chief has an impact on society?

MS. DAVIS: Negative images can powerfully affect boys and girls, but positive images have the same kind of impact. We know that if girls can see characters doing unstereotyped kinds of occupations and activities, they're much more likely as an adult to pursue unusual and outside-the-box occupations. I really believe that if you can see it, you can be it.

2011-02-12T07:51:00.000-08:00

Never take relationship advice from someone who's never been in a serious relationship. It's like picking your next move out of a pile of candy hearts. Have confidence in your own decisions or ask someone who's had success in love. It's important that when you have questions about anything in life, you ask someone who is in a place; mentally, emotionally, physically; that you can respect and that you desire to be in yourself.

You already know what's best for you and what you want out of life. Go after it. Sometimes feeling gets you further than overthinking. But don't rush, go slow and enjoy each step in the journey. And don't be afraid to ask for help, just make sure you ask the right people.

Conformity:Home Field Advantage

2011-02-07T06:36:00.000-08:00

The God Journey. Conformity.

"This phenomenon demonstrates the power of conformity and how we are shaped by the herd mentality of whatever group we are in or whatever group we are appealing to for respect. Sometimes subtle and other times overt, the process of conformity seeks to shape us into someone else’s mold and actually undermines our ability to perceive the truth in what’s going on around us. That’s why Paul contrasts the process of conformity and the process of transformation in Romans 12. Only by resolving our approval needs in God’s love for us can we break it’s hold on us and Maybe we don’t need people around us of like-mind, but of like passion to follow the Lord."

Listen: http://thegodjourney.com/

Share Nicole: Unique

2011-01-30T15:01:00.001-08:00

"Everyone is given something that no one else has."

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Happy New Year!

2011-01-05T08:25:00.000-08:00

It's a New Year! Instead of re-inventing yourself like most of us try & do each new year; just commit to being yourself.

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others."
Marianne Williamson

Just for fun.

2010-12-29T10:15:00.000-08:00

These are fun, right?! Check out more ideas on the link below.

Angela's World: Mad for nails: "The one thing that I love is nails. The pictures above are some japanese nail designs. I've been super obsessed with these japanese g..."

2010-12-09T07:23:00.001-08:00

Beheld from Marianne Bach on Vimeo.

Thought this was interesting...

2010-11-19T08:02:00.000-08:00

Shadeism from Shadeism on Vimeo.

Captivating.

2010-10-26T11:14:00.000-07:00

"The mystery of the feminine heart was meant to be a good thing, by the way. A source of joy. Yet it has become a source of shame-women almost universally feel that they are "too much" and "not what they should be". And men tend to pull away from the deeper waters of a woman's soul, unsure of what they will find there or how to handle it. And so we have missed the treasure that is the heart of a woman, missed the richness femininity was meant to bring to our lives, missed the way it speaks to us of the heart of God." -Stasi Eldredge

2010-10-25T09:03:00.001-07:00

The Candy Shop Teaser from Brandon McCormick on Vimeo.

Share Nicole: I think.

2010-10-23T19:59:00.001-07:00

I honestly think there is more to life then being the pretty girl, the whore, the prep or anything else us so called "teens" come up with these days. I think people judge other people based on too much of what they see and hear. People need to find out for themselves of what other people are like. I think lots of people have their own individuality and looks. Other people that talk about people so called "bullies" get seen in a bad way. People talk about me all the time; when I was younger I used to get really upset, but now I've come to realize their just jealous. Some people think I'm mean and some think I'm nice, but trust me once people see the real me, they will come to realize I'm just some girl, nice, caring and a plain old teenager trying to just get through High School and live my life to its fullest, instead of trying to ruin others.

2010-10-11T17:37:00.000-07:00

I've always heard that girls look for/end up with, a man that reminds them of their father. I've also always heard it in a positive sense. Lately though, I've been realizing that it's also true in other situations. Girls who grow up in the homes of alcoholics, batterers, molesters, manipulators, etc; will most likely end up with men who display the same type of behavior. Why? ...because it's all they know, and worst of all, because it's all they think they deserve...

I'm not an expert on this, meaning, I've never done an in depth study of the statistics. All I have to go on is my personal experiences with the girls I've met and invested in.

Dads, you hold the one of the biggest keys to your daughters' future happiness and success or misery and failure. Be the kind of man you want for your little girl.

Girls, if you don't have a dad or your dad is not the type of dad who will give you the world and treat you like a princess...then find a mentor. Talk to your Pastor or an Uncle or grandpa. BUT, don't be fooled. There are men out there waiting for a girl like you. They will take advantage of your insecurities and your innocence and they will destroy you. So beware. Use caution and trust your instincts. Find someone who will help lead you to your prince because every Princess will either find a Prince or a bunch of slimy toads and the King is the wild card that makes the difference.

The men in your life should love you the way God created you to be loved.

Share Nicole: Dream.

2010-10-05T13:22:00.000-07:00

I spend a lot of time dreaming about things that I want to happen or might happen, about my future and I lay there thinking about my past and where I would be if I would have taken a different route. I've realized that the things you dream of happening, never happen, I've realized you have to make them happen. And my plan is, everything that I've dreamed of that I want to happen. I'm going to start making them come true. I say; take a chance because you never know where you may end up or how perfect something or someone is, until you take a step ahead.

Share Nicole: Let's Start Thinking

2010-10-04T18:40:00.000-07:00

Take a minute and think, have you ever thought about why you are on this Earth, what your purpose in life is, what things you say and do can affect and hurt others; now or in their future. I don't think people realize. People need to start taking control of their actions and think before you act or speak and take a minute and think, is this that I'm going to do, going to affect me tonight, tomorrow, 10years from now, be something you will regret or something you will cherish forever. Just think about what you are going to do before you act because those few seconds of agreeing or denying could change your life or ruin it forever.

An Important Message from Ellen About Bullying

2010-10-04T10:51:00.000-07:00

So many people are disreguarding this message because they believe Ellen is only speaking up because she is gay, like the initial boy in this story. My guess is...those people are WRONG. Okay, I can't really speak for Ellen, but she seems like someone who just plain loves people.

It's not about being gay, straight, black, white, asian Christian or not. It's about saving lives! The human spirit is fragile enough without the damage of bullying. And I would guarentee that even the bullies are struggling with something from their own lives.

Dear Everyone,

What if someone posted your name and picture along with your deepest darkest secrets, all over the internet and pointed out every weakness and insecurity you've ever had, to anyone that will listen? How would you react?!

Sincerely,

A concerned Christian who happens to think Ellen is awesome and is thankful for her having the guts to speak up when so many are sitting by silently.

Don't just pretend to care. Do something.

You may never know how much of an impact you're making on someone until they're backed into a corner and you're the one they call.

2010-09-29T09:20:00.000-07:00

A few months ago, I met a 15 year old girl whose world had fallen apart so long ago that she now just seems to be floating through life on top of a dark cloud in order to avoid the constant rain. Her mother passed away 4 years ago and her father left when she was too little to remember him. She now lives with a woman who she calls Grandma, but is actually the 3rd foster mom she's had. The first family got tired of trying to get her to open up and were tired of bailing her out of "jams" and the second family got pregnant with twins and decided that Amber wasn't going to be a good influence on them and they needed to reprioritize.

Sometimes loving people who we don't understand, is harder than we think. And most of the time, being able to hand the shovel to someone else, is easier than digging just a little bit deeper to reach the person who's been buried alive.

Amber and I had only met in person a few times and most of our communication has been through emails. So when I got a call from the police last week saying that they had put her in the Juvenile Detention Center and she wanted to see me, I was absolutely stunned. I never realized that I had become a person that she trusted. I didn't know how much of an impact I was making until she was backed into a corner and called ME for help. I cannot tell you how humbling that is.

Amber had been busted for stealing...for the third time. But that wasn't really her issue. She's fighting for attention and has been for most of her life. For someone her age to feel alone and abandoned is one of the most crippling things one can experience. And attention gives you confidence, even if it's the bad kind of attention, you still feel wanted. Which is something Amber doesn't feel.

Amber needs a mentor. And for right now, I am filling that need. But I am also trying to teach her that she can't wrap up her identity and physical and emotional well being in another person. The power to be who she is, comes from inside herself and no one can take that away from her unless she lets them.

So I guess the moral of this story is; pay attention. People who are hurting and searching for hope, may be watching you and you are probably influencing them more than you may ever realize.

A Seventh Grade Girl Is Trafficked for Sex in the United States

2010-09-28T15:56:00.000-07:00

We are starting to hear more and more about the number of girls being trafficked in the US - as young as seventh grade. How can this be going on you ask? Because traffickers are proactively seeking vulnerable girls with family problems and low self-esteem. They befriend them, buy them fancy things, then the trap is sprung.

Read more: http://blog.beliefnet.com/redletters/2010/09/a-seventh-grade-girl-is-trafficked-for-sex-in-the-united-states.html#ixzz10roSgows

Be grateful.

2010-09-17T07:16:00.000-07:00

...for what you have.

...for where you live.

because somewhere in this world, there's a girl who would do anything to trade places with you.

Izzat, 7, plays with a disposable syringe while taking refuge with her family at a relief camp for flood victims in Sukkur, in Pakistan's Sindh province, Sept. 8, 2010. (Akhtar Soomro/Reuters)

Sole Hope

2010-08-31T17:07:00.000-07:00

Please take a minute and visit my friend, Ashers, blog. She, her husband and their two kids, have started a movement in the lives of widows and children in Ndola, Zambia and they need our help. One of their goals is to provide a pair of shoes for every child...600 kids and their broken, bleeding, worn out, little feet. Asher has created a shoe, from scratch, that she plans to take with her on her next trip and to teach the women in the village how to make them. But this costs money. For $25, you can sponsor a child and LITERALLY change their life because that $25 will put shoes on their feet.

Please check out Ashers' blog http://www.solehope.wordpress.com/. On the right hand side, there will be a button that says "Donate". Also, make sure you peruse the rest of her blog. There is so much beauty in the hearts of the people Asher and her family are trying to reach. It amazes me, because they would give you anything you needed even though they don't have much.

God has commissioned all of us to care for the widows and orphans. And He has equipped us with compassionate and loving hearts.

How does this relate to The Bella Project? Well, beauty exists within us and through our actions. Supporting a cause like this is a beautiful, selfless action to take. "Though we travel the world over to find the beautiful, we must carry it with us or we find it not." -Ralph Waldo Emerson

Beautiful For Me

2010-08-03T15:24:00.000-07:00

Freckles.

2010-07-29T11:04:00.000-07:00

I had a friends little girl tell me the other day that she loves her freckles like the stars love the sky. Her mom said she got it from this song by Natasha Bedingfield. Thought I would share. Hope you enjoy.

I used to care so much about what others think about

Almost didn't have a thought of my own

The slightest remark would make me embark

On the journey of self doubt

But that was a while ago

This girl has got stronger

If I knew then what I know now

I would have told myself don't worry any longer it's OK

[Chorus:]

'cause a face without freckles is like a sky without stars

Why waste a second not loving who you are

Those little imperfections make you beautiful, lovable, valuable,

They show your personality inside your heart

Reflecting who you are

Who you are

I wondered if I could trade my body with somebody else in magazines

Would the whole world fall at my feet?

I felt unworthy and would blame my failures on the ugliness I could see

When the mirror looked at me

Sometimes I feel like the little girl who doesn't belong in her own world

But I'm getting better

And I'm reminding myself

[Chorus:]

'cause a face without freckles is like a sky without stars

Why waste a second not loving who you are

Those little imperfections make you beautiful, lovable, valuable,

They show your personality inside your heart

Reflecting who you are

Beauty Pressure

2010-07-29T09:23:00.000-07:00

Superwoman Complex.

2010-07-22T15:56:00.000-07:00

I'm not superwoman. Sometimes I feel like I have to be, but that's not realistic. I have come to terms (for the most part) with this fact. I cannot be everything I want to be and I cannot do everything I want to do.

A Superwoman Complex is: "A woman’s wish to be excellent at all her roles, that very often leads to psychological stress and feeling guilty toward family members or an expectation of being a superwoman that can and should do everything." She constantly needs to prove that she is smart, secure, strong and self-sufficient. Superwoman's biggest fear is failing. Asking for help is merely a sign of weakness and vulnerability is a reason to get hurt. When a superwoman has reached the end of her rope, she seeks redemption in ways that will only harm her more because by the end of the rope, she's numb and her hands are bleeding from holding on so tight because Superwoman is too cool for gloves and the pain is the only thing reminding her she's alive.

My Superwoman Complex was exactly that. I wanted to do everything myself (mostly because I didn't want to burden other people with whatever idea or task I had come up with). I also didn't trust many other people to actually pull through and help (mostly because very few did). But really, I just wanted to prove I could do it alone; to myself and to others. I eventually learned that I wasn't giving anyone or anything 100% and I was spiritually, physically and emotionally wearing myself out to the point where I was no longer passionate about the relationships, ideas or tasks at hand. I wasn't even "passionate" about getting out of bed in the morning. I started to allow things in my life that were unhealthy and I knew it but I didn't want to face it because those things were a relief and a constant reminder that I was only human. Until eventually over time, everything fell apart and I had no choice but to let it because I knew the grey areas needed color and the already colored parts deserved better.

It took a lot of alone time, God time, and just straight up hiding from the world (are you noticing the introverted trend?), to recuperate from the damage of my superwoman complex. I reset my priorities which meant letting go of a lot of personal dreams that were at the time, unreachable in my current "state". I had to strip myself down to nothing and allow God to rebuild me in His own way and time. And believe me...it was NOT as easy as it sounds. I had to let go of friendships, my independence, a ministry I had watched blossom from day one, and well, basically, an entire lifestyle. I fought the "letting go" process EVERY step of the way which only made everything hurt more because fighting a losing battle alone feels a lot like a bullseye with a million Robin Hoods on the other end of the arrows. Until one day, I found myself curled in a ball on my bed sobbing and begging God to make it stop. It must have been something in the severity of my tears and the desperation in my words that proved to Him I was ready and that finally relieved the pressure I had been feeling in my soul for months.

Since that moment, I feel peace and understand grace more than ever. I don't think I can even descibe what that literally feels like. It's probably different for everyone because it's this inner exhale of everything negative you've ever experienced in your life. And it leaves you with a new perspective on the bad things that one day you will be surprisingly grateful for having gone through.

So I guess, the moral of this story is, there is no dignity in having a superwoman complex because everything you attempt WILL eventually fail. The only thing we can control is whether or not to let go. But just to warn you...the longer you hold on the more broken and bloody you'll be.

PLEASE. PLEASE. PAY ATTENTION.

2010-07-12T12:26:00.000-07:00

She Dances 200/20 Campaign :: Hope in Honduras

She Dances is a non-profit organization whose mission is to provide healing, hope, and a future for girls who are victims of human trafficking. Through safe homes, raising awareness, and the arts... we strive to create a movement of freedom.

http://www.shedances.org/

Imagine your daughter being kidnapped, photographed, handled in ways she should never be and then SOLD to the highest bidder only to find out that what she's already been through, was the least of the HELL she will suffer. Sex trafficking is more of an issue than you may know. How is a girl supposed to feel beautiful after something like that?!?! LOVE. LOVE. LOVE. That's how. There are even places here in the US that are fighting everyday to bring hope and healing to these girls. Please do something.
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Here is some info from Gracehaven House in Columbus, Ohio. Check out their website at http://www.gracehavenhouse.org/

24 things you can do to fight human trafficking:

1. Tell others- Expose the truth about modern-day slavery. Make sure everyone knows the 27 million dirtiest secrets. Research on your own at websites such as:

http://www.faastinternational.org/

http://www.iast.net/ (Initiative Against Trafficking)

http://www.freetheslaves.net/

www.state.gov/TIP

2. Invest in Change- Support those on the frontlines and enable them to make a difference. Help fund the most effective project to reduce slavery and care for its victims like:

http://www.ijm.org/

http://www.gracehavenhouse.org/

http://www.sharedhope.org/

3. Consume wisely- Hold businesses accountable and ask corporations to join the fight. Buy Fair Trade products like coffee and chocolate. Spend a little more on Fair Trade websites like:

http://www.greatergood.com/ or http://www.tenthousandvillages.com/

4. Watch- Keep an eye out and don’t turn away. If you suspect slavery or exploitation, cal the national trafficking hotline: 888-3737-888

5. Write- Do you know any journalists? Encourage newspapers, magazines and television stations to publish or to write stories about modern-day slavery, and how to stop it.

6. Tourism Matters- Visit the Trafficking in Persons Report from the State Department . Find out which countries are the worst trafficking offenders. Write a letter to their travel bureau and tell them you won’t visit the country until they address the issue.

7. Purchase- Buying products made by survivors helps ensure their self-sufficiency. Shop at the Emancipation Network’s www.madebysurvivors.com.

8. Make help available- Place coasters at bars and sleeves for coffee cups to promote the hotline (888-3737-888). In public places, disseminate posters, brochures and other materials about trafficking. Download them from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services at: www.acf.hhs.gov/trafficking/.

9. Organize- Organize your community to address the issue. For tips, see www.stopmodernslavery.org/docs/toolkit/pdf

10. Advocate for change- call or write your elected officials. Tell them that you care about the issue of human trafficking and want stronger laws to protect victims. Keep telling them. Get news from www.polarisproject.org on how to engage in political action and advocacy- P.O. Box 32489 Newark, NJ 07102. Tel- 973-624-5454; email- nj@polarisproject.org.
11. Give healthcare- Help collect and pack medical supplies and equipment to be sent to shelters for survivors. Check out Giving Children Hope.

12. Walk- Global March has freed over 60,000 slaves in India. Their marches promote education for children instead of forced labor and exploitation.

13. Cybervention- Make sure trafficking does not happen on the internet. Keep an eye on Craigslist and advertising spaces. Write to Craig’s list and ask that they stop allowing people to be sold on their listing.

14. Fight Sex Tourism- Ask travel agencies, hotels and tour operators to sign the Code of Conduct for the Protection of Children in Travel and Tourism

15. Prepare caretakers- Encourage healthcare providers and law enforcement officials to be aware of the signs of human trafficking. Download resource guides. Get the information to school nurses, clinics and urgent care centers.

16. Rescue victims- pressure for raids of forced labor and slavery situations. Lawyers can make a bid difference in advocating for legal investigation and prosecuting perpetrators. Have them join the team at International Justice Mission.

17. Go- volunteer with organizations caring for survivors. Help build shelters. Teach English. Provide skills training. Ask the organization how you can help.

18. Slave-Free Campuses- Start a group at your school or university, and make sure your campus is free of products made with slave labor.

19. Safeguard transportation- ask airlines to provide training manuals to all their flight attendants on how to watch for victims being trafficked. Find the manual at http://www.innocentsatrisk.org/.

20. Remember the facts- memorize the statistics about child and sex slavery. Tell people to memorize the National Human Trafficking Resource Center number: 888-3737-888.

21. Faith, Schools and Freedom- Help your faith community or school become an Abolitionist Organization. Find theses handbook in the action downloads section at: http://www.notforsalecampaign.org/.

22. Get insights from the UN- learn more and find expert advice in the UN’s toolkit to combat trafficking.

23. Do what you love- Use your talents to fight slavery. Do an art project and display it in a public place. Film a movie on the state of modern-day slavery. Write about the issue and post it on blogs.

24. Pray…pray…pray… “Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne; love and faithfulness go before you.” Ps. 89:14.

What's Beautiful

2010-07-07T06:20:00.000-07:00

Fawns 2nd idea lines up with the mission of The Bella Project. Take a look!

2010-07-07T06:16:00.000-07:00

Fawn Woodfin has created The Ripple Effect to be an inspirational, life changing reality show that focuses on individuals who are striving to reach their dreams. The Ripple Effect will help dreamers take flight by giving them the tools and steering toward a path to success. Dreamers will be awakened, and lives transformed, in an attempt to create a positive ripple effect throughout local communities and beyond.

2010-06-17T14:59:00.000-07:00

Fawn Woodfin is a Lifestyle Specialist who desires to implement positive change in the world. Her deep love for people and desire to make a difference, are the driving forces behind everything that she does!

Fawn is a college friend of mine who has always been someone who goes after what she wants. She is confident in who she is which makes her an instant star! She is also a woman of integrity, strength and charisma. Now, she is pursuing her dream of being on television, which in my book, makes her a woman of incredible courage :)

"WHO we are, determines WHAT we do."

2010-06-17T10:07:00.000-07:00

BEAUTIFUL GIRL PHOTOSHOOT

2010-06-03T08:45:00.000-07:00

Time and location TBD.

For girls 8-18.

Your picture could be used on our website for the whole world to see!!

If you would like to be a part of this, please submit a short statement of what it means to be beautiful. Be creative and be personal. I want to know what beauty means to YOU.

I will also need a parents phone number and email address. Parents: you will have a release to sign so that we can use your childs pictures on our website. You will also have FULL approval power of the photos we want to use. I know that you don't mess around when it comes to your kids and the internet...and neither do I!

Also, parents, I would encourage you to come and hang around during the photo shoot so you can be part of the process! :)

Please send all info to thebellaproject@gmail.com

Mallory

2010-05-25T12:00:00.000-07:00

2010-05-25T09:59:00.000-07:00

May you find serenity and tranquility

in a world you may not always understand.

May the pain you have known
and the conflict you have experienced
give you the strength to walk through life
facing each new situation with courage and optimism.

Always know that there are those
whose love and understanding will always be there,
even when you feel most alone.

May a kind word,
a reassuring touch,
and a warm smile
be yours every day of your life,
and may you give these gifts
as well as receive them.

May the teachings of those you admire
become part of you,
so that you may call upon them.

Remember, those whose lives you have touched
and who have touched yours
are always a part of you,
even if the encounters were less than you would have wished.
It is the content of the encounter
that is more important than its form.

May you not become too concerned with material matters,
but instead place immeasurable value
on the goodness in your heart.
Find time in each day to see beauty and love
in the world around you.

Realize that what you feel you lack in one regard
you may be more than compensated for in another.
What you feel you lack in the present
may become one of your strengths in the future.
May you see your future as one filled with promise and possibility.
Learn to view everything as a worthwhile experience.

May you find enough inner strength
to determine your own worth by yourself,
and not be dependent
on another's judgment of your accomplishments.

May you always feel loved.

Sandra Sturtz Hauss

"You just never think you could be that girl."

2010-05-14T06:17:00.000-07:00

I was a junior in high school and just broke up with the boy I thought was the love of my life. He went to my high school and I really didn't think anyone else added up to him there, so I decided to look elsewhere. That's when I met Nate. He went to a school a little farther away and I didn't know much about him other than he seemed perfect. He was the star athlete at his school. The running back with all the touchdowns. Every girl at his school wanted him (at least I thought so) and every guy wanted to be like him. He was his parent's pride and joy and they practically worshipped the ground he walked on. The boy could do no wrong. He was built like a college football player. Jacked. He was dark haired, tan, big smile, friendly, drove around a Firebird sports car, and was completely in love with me. Or so it seemed. He also had an arrogant air about him that strangely reminded me of Gueston from Beauty and Beast.

I remember the warning signs that told me he was too into himself. For instance, he showed up at my house to take me to prom and when I came around the corner in my gorgeous dress that I had spent countless hours finding, he said, "How do I look!?" At his prom, he took off his shirt and put his vest on over his bare chest while dancing up on stage. But still he seemed really in love with me. His mom loved me too and told me he had plans to marry me and take me wherever I wanted to go after high school. This kind of creeped me out since I wasn't ready for any level of commitment like that and still secretly was trying to get back at my ex. Nate and I dated for about a year and some months and looking back I regret ever part of our courtship. He slowly began revealing more of himself month by month and it kind of snuck up on me that he was a jerk. I wasn't looking for it. My extremely low self esteem and willingness to settle didn't help matters. He continued to push my sexual boundaries and I let him. He was a good talker and liar. Every time he lied to me he sent me a dozen roses at school. To my delight, it caught the attention of our entire class and I was hoping sparked jealousy in my ex. Nate slowly started raising his voice to me, then yelling at me, then cussing at me, then throwing things at me. I remember the day he chucked a video tape at my head while yelling at me. It missed and he immediately apologized saying he didn't mean it and he would never do it again. At that moment I realized he was abusive.

At my birthday celebration in front of my whole family he fought with me, whispered "F*** off," and refused to sit with the family while we were out to eat. I'm so thankful I had the guts and self worth to break up with him over it. I knew the relationship was spinning out of control and it wasn't a good thing. This devastated him and he called me and came over repeatedly trying to win me back. I thought I had finally convinced him I was done with him and he couldn't guilt me back by buying me roses. He apologized for his behavior and told me he wanted to make it up to me by taking me out as "Friends." He swore it was just as friends and he owed it to me.....

He came to pick me up in a stretch limo he had rented from Indianapolis. I was shocked and upset since it wasn't supposed to be a date. It drove us to Indy and on the way down he had prepared a slide show he put together of all of our pictures from our relationship set to sappy romantic music. This infuriated me since I had told him time and time again we were over. Once in Indy, we ate at my favorite restaurant (Cheesecake Factory) and then went to Beef N Boards dinner theater to see my favorite play, Westside Story. After the play it was about 11:00pm. As we were getting back into the limo, he proceeded to tell me he had rented the limo until 6am and told the driver to drive around in the country! This sent fear down my spine. What would we do for the next 7 hours?! I felt trapped.

He started explaining that after a night like that, he was thinking that we would get back together. I told him I could not even consider it and he knew that before taking me out. He instantly was angry and was screaming in my face. He got in my face yelling a bunch of stuff about me and him and how he went out of his way for me that night and he deserved "something" in return (if you know what I'm saying). He was cussing and grabbed my face around my jaw, squeezing it like he wanted to crush it to make me look at him. What he said was a blur since I couldn't believe what I was seeing through my tears. I remained silent. He went into a full blown temper tantrum where he laid down on the couch in the limo and started kicking and punching the seat yelling "WHAT ABOUT MY NEEDS?!" Meaning sexual needs. That's when I almost started laughing. The audacity of this boy. I ordered him to take me home, but he didn't listen and I still felt trapped. Some time later we finally arrived at my house and I had a huge sigh of relief to get out of the limo. I ran in crying and told my parents and best friend. In one night, Nate managed to ruin limos for me. And in that one relationship I realized how easy it is to let boundaries be crossed, compromise a little here and there, and end up on dangerous, shaky ground. I honestly could have been raped that night. I thank the Lord that he stepped in when my judgment was horrible. I guess you just NEVER think you could be that girl....

This story was written by a friend of mine who is now a very successful woman, wife and amazing mother.

Thank you for sharing!

Ripple Effect

2010-05-11T09:33:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago, I heard about a young girl who killed herself because her peers were emotionally bullying her. It started at school and quickly progressed to the internet. They played on her already existing self doubt (fact: EVERY girl is her own worst critic) and materialized her inner fears and feelings for everyone to see. After taking as much as she could handle, her parents later found her hanging in a closet in their home. This is not the first time this has happened. It has been occuring more and more frequently over the past few years. It’s called cyber bullying. That’s right, it’s so “common” there’s a title for it. Below is a short news clip just in case you don’t know what I’m talking about.

Our words hold more power than we may realize. What is going on inside the hearts and heads of these “bullies” to make them do and say the things they do? Kindness, empathy, compassion and encouragement seem to be lost concepts to the newer generations. So the question is; "What are we doing about it?!?!" because the responsibility starts with us, the adults in their lives. We are their examples. Every girl wants to feel loved, beautiful and worth something. And they would, if we would teach them how to love others and most of all, love themselves. Let's cause a positive ripple effect.

“As representatives of the grace and love of God, our communication should be seasoned with love and compassion.” Donald Miller-Blue Like Jazz.

Grab your kleenex. Seriously.

2010-05-10T11:24:00.000-07:00

I watched this video for the first time about a month before I started The Bella Project and the story Matt Chandler tells, is one of the reasons TBP exists.

Mother's Day

2010-05-05T05:13:00.000-07:00

This is a poem that a woman who was amazingly influential in my life, used to quote to me. I heard it today for the first time in...well...a long time. I thought I would share it in honor of Mother's Day, because I don't think that mother's day is just for the women who gave us life, it's also for the ones who help shape our lives.

Our Deepest Fear
Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear
is that we are powerful beyond measure.
It is our light, not our darkness,
that most frightens us.
We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous,
talented and fabulous?
Actually who are we not to be?
You are a child of God.
Your playing small doesn't serve the world.
There is nothing enlightened about shrinking
so that other people
won't feel insecure around you.
We are all meant to shine as children do.
We were born to make manifest
the glory of God that is within us.
It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone.
And when we let our own light shine,
we unconsciously give other people
permission to do the same.
As we are liberated from our own fear,
our presence automatically liberates others.
- Marianne Williamson

What pieces of wisdom have the women before you, left you with?

The Price of Beauty

2010-04-09T08:20:00.000-07:00

On the latest issue of Marie Claire, Jessica poses with hardly any makeup on to help promote the heart behind her new show. We’re used to stars glamming up for shoots and getting ready weeks before; some even admitted they don’t eat anything before the shoot in one day! But that wasn’t the case for Jessica, she’s not afraid of being natural and boy how good she looks just doing that!

Could you do this?? And not just on the days where you don't leave the house. Or has make-up become too much of what makes you feel beautiful and confident? What is your price of beauty?

The Beauty about Seeds

2010-04-08T19:46:00.000-07:00

Beauty is not about looking good. It's about feeling good and being good. Beauty starts on the inside. I know, we've all heard that a million times. It sounds like a round-a-bout way of saying "you're ugly". Well, you're not. It's just something people say to get us to realize that there are more things that make a girl beautiful than make-up and that shirt from that store that everyone shops at.

Feeling good is not just about eating right, it has to do with having a life! Get off the couch and do something!! Fill your time with fresh air, friends and all the things that make you exhale. Once you relax into life and accept that you are who you are, I promise, you will feel an overwhelming peace that will turn into confidence, that will make you feel beautiful!

As far as being good... I don't mean getting straight A's, although, that's not a bad thing... But I'm talking about being a good person. Be selfless and humble and honest. Doing something nice for someone else, just because. Give food to the homeless, rake your neighbors leaves, send shoes to kids in Africa...or whatever you may be passionate about. Helping someone, being a servant, makes you feel good and in return, gives you confidence that makes you feel beautiful. And when you feel beautiful, you are beautiful.

This kind of beauty sinks into your soul. It only takes one time to plant the seed. And the beauty about a seed is, once it's planted, it's natural instinct is to grow and with a little care, it will grow inside of you until it becomes part of you. That's beautiful!

Try it. I dare you. And if you need help getting started, just ask.

What Men Really Need from Women

2010-04-08T10:32:00.000-07:00

This is borrowed from Donald Millers' blog. I thought it was an excellent perspective.

This week I’ve been featuring edited excerpts from my new book Father Fiction. It’s a reprint of To Own a Dragon with new material. I’ve excerpted from one of the new chapters, a chapter about dating. Father Fiction is direct advice to people who grew up without fathers. Today’s blog focusses on what men really need from women. I start in mid-chapter, and as such in mid thought. So for the first bit, I’m talking about the dangers of victimhood, which is true for both men and women, but then I get into some details about what men really need from women:

“…Weakness isn’t attractive in either sex. Some girls think being weak will attract a strong man, but it won’t. Being weak will attract a predator, which is why girls who show self-pity often get hurt in the end. Bad guys smell it out and take advantage of them. The girl thinks he’s strong because he’s bad, because he’s confident and mysterious, but really he’s insecure and is only using her to make himself feel like a man. It’s a cycle, though, because once a girl gets used, it gives her something to feel sorry for herself about, and she just starts all over, attracting predators.

This sounds very unfair, I know. It sounds unfair because IT IS unfair. A sad reality in our world is those who are hurting are often the same people who are taken advantage of. Our response, without question, should be to defend people who are hurting and protect them, but also to guide them into healing so they can be strong and not get taken advantage of again. If a woman gets hurt, it’s important to get counseling and help before putting herself out there. There are countless exceptions to this, but I still believe it’s true that when somebody is weak, they need to find people they can trust who can help them gain strength. Girls who grew up without fathers are often hurting and looking for strength and affirmation from men, and it’s important they get that from a community or from men who are safe.

To read the rest go to:
What Men Really Need from Women