Gender Identity, Gender Studies

Standing Up for Gender Equality: Not at the Price of Human Rights

I am so grateful to live in a place where my rights, as a woman, are constantly being considered and protected.  I try to regularly participate in the discourse for gender equality in the name of the millions of women around the world who have little to no rights at all.  By pushing forward the… Read More Standing Up for Gender Equality: Not at the Price of Human Rights

Community Building, Justice

Differences in Opinion: Let’s Stop Oppressing One Another

A lot of people have problems with religion.  It’s to the point that I often feel that, as a religious person, I can’t talk about what I really believe in for fear of being labelled.  I have been called a fanatic.  I have been told that I can’t think for myself and that’s why I… Read More Differences in Opinion: Let’s Stop Oppressing One Another

Featured Post

Featured Post: ‘A rape victim delivers ‘powerful’ message to a former Stanford swimmer’

I can’t even begin to explain how difficult it was for me to read this post.  But just as difficult as it was to read, I think it was important for me to do so.  For however sympathetic I am to individuals who are the victims of rape, an increased understanding of what they have… Read More Featured Post: ‘A rape victim delivers ‘powerful’ message to a former Stanford swimmer’

Community, Community Building, Community Development

Unity Amidst Increasing Diversity in Smaller and Smaller Spaces: The Vital Importance of Respect

I recently posted reflections about the importance of learning the skills related to consultation in the context of a family, so that we can apply said skills in the context of society. The world is becoming smaller and smaller through increasingly efficient travel and exchange of information. This means two things: different people end up… Read More Unity Amidst Increasing Diversity in Smaller and Smaller Spaces: The Vital Importance of Respect

Community, Community Building, Community Development, Consultation

Why Compete? Building on Strength as an Approach to Seek Truth

I have had the amazing opportunity, in the last year or so, to both see and be a part of decision-making processes that were very different from what I had experienced previously. Those processes were based on one person convincing the others that his or her opinion was the best. It felt more like a… Read More Why Compete? Building on Strength as an Approach to Seek Truth

Community Building, Community Development, Empowerement, Personal Development

Positive, Powerful, and Empowering: Standing Up for Compassionate Justice in the Face of Sexual Abuse

Sahar’s Blog’s editorial calendar is pretty clear: Wednesdays are dedicated to product reviews.  But once in awhile, things happen and plans change. One of these things is an amazingly powerful post Martha uploaded a little under a month ago.  In it, she discusses how she was affected after being sexually abused by a family friend… Read More Positive, Powerful, and Empowering: Standing Up for Compassionate Justice in the Face of Sexual Abuse

Arts, Community Development

Putting Justice Back at the Centre of the Legal System: the Case of Kesha and Dr. Luke

On Friday 19 February 2016, a judge in New York ruled that Kesha could not cancel her six album contract with Sony. From what I understand, Kesha wants to break all ties with Sony, where she would continue to have some form of contact with Dr. Luke, the producer she said drugged her, raped her,… Read More Putting Justice Back at the Centre of the Legal System: the Case of Kesha and Dr. Luke

Community, Community Building, Community Development, Personal Development

Voicing Our Concern for Injustice: It Starts at the Very Foundation of Our Societies

If you are a long time reader of my blog, it will come as absolutely no surprise that I am a firm believer in the power of the individual to make a difference. And I believe in this power not only in the small or even medium things, but in the big things. One such… Read More Voicing Our Concern for Injustice: It Starts at the Very Foundation of Our Societies

Documentary, Maeve's Monthly Movie Review, Movie Review

Sahar’s Reviews Presents: Maeve’s Monthly Movie Review

I have been working on a short story collection with, amongst others, Maeve. The topic is the real meaning of heroism, so no wonder that her recent review of the Netflix documentary “Virunga” captured my attention and made the cut for this month’s Maeve’s Monthly Movie Review feature. Virunga — Nobility and heroism in the… Read More Sahar’s Reviews Presents: Maeve’s Monthly Movie Review

Book Review, Drama, Fiction, Middle Grade, Young Adult

Book Review: ‘Don’t Vote for Me’ by Krista Van Dolzer

We all know appearances can be deceiving and that we shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, but we still do it a lot more than any of us would like to admit. In this both funny and touching page-turner, Sourcebooks’ author Krista Van Dolzer shares how twelve year-old David learns this lesson. Veronica is… Read More Book Review: ‘Don’t Vote for Me’ by Krista Van Dolzer