Vision - Regard, Relationship - a Video Postcard for Howard

I am going to give a talk at commencement so I've been toying with subject. My French is popping up here - regarder - to look. As I was walking around Geneva today - I kept thinking that I was finally developing a relationship with this city. Rather than simply regarding it - passively, cooly looking at it, I felt myself investing in it and becoming almost impossibly in love with it. Call it Spring Fever - but something shifted with the lushness, the people all out, talking, engaging, connected. How shall we engage what we do as conflict transformers??? (remember, I am NOT a peacebuilder) Shall we regard? Or develop a relationship??? Either way, I think we should be intentional about how we engage.

The video doesn't add much - but the light was really beautiful... so here it is :)

UNHCR Feedback on my Capstone.

Today I gave a preview of my capstone to colleagues at UNHCR. The real deal will come on Thursday, April 23 at Eastern Mennonite University.

The capstone is very personal - about the process I've used to figure out vocation - or voice. When host-driven reality television came to the scene about 10 years ago, I became first frustrated, then outraged. But what to do? How do you shift to a different reality? My move to the country helped, then my Masters at Eastern Mennonite University. Through my practicum project I've been able to identify and articulate first a shift in my focus; from an energy expending orientation on goal... to an energy expanding focus on foundation.

Through an art project that was my practicum proposal, I identified Intuition, Home, Connection, Vision and Power as the building materials for the next phase of my life. This has helped me figure out my values, my voice, and the questions I need to ask as I move forward. Maria Soledad Rueda Garcia and Deanna Gergich provide generous feedback on all of these ideas.

Vision - Lisa Hannigan Video - a Fresh New Look

No Words. Just Watch...

Connection - New Restorative Justice Blog

If there was anyone who was made to blog, I would say it is my advisor, Howard Zehr. Howard is the grandfather of the restorative justice movement, a photographer who redefines image taking as image receiving, a mentor to countless students and profoundly connected to the world around him. We are fortunate that he recently launched this site, which will reflect on restorative justice, photography and whatever else Howard deems bloggable. He promises it will be "quirky". I don't doubt that... and I will be following closely.

http://emu.edu/blog/restorative-justice/

Video Postcard for My Advisor, Howard Zehr

In this, the end of month two of my UNHCR practicum, I interview Naoko Obi, the head of my Community Development, Gender Equality and Children section. Naoko talks of what we've achieved in our International Women's Day event... with the gender equality video and the creation of the slogan; "It begins with me. It begins with you. It begins with us." Next on the agenda is the creation of a blog to track an evaluation of Age, Gender, Diversity Mainstreaming policy... and trainings within UNHCR to teach others to blog and involve them in AGDM.

Watch 10 minutes now on YouTube:

Old Landscapes, New Eyes - Woman Lead Guitarist

Here is a fun morsel for a Friday afternoon. I am always interested in moments when I am seeing something original, fresh, forward when it comes to Age, Gender and Diversity.

This 1955 clip of American rock and roll singer, guitarist and song writer Bo Diddley features his trusted lead guitar player Peggy "Lady Bo" Jones in her gown playing electric guitar. Jones was the first female lead guitarist in history to be hired by a major recording act. Just kind of sad that more than 5 decades later this is STILL a fresh image... but enjoy the fabulousness.

Quote from Peggy Jones, "LIVE is real. Who I am is truth, and I am the artistry of what I created!"

Watch 5 minutes now on YouTube:

Interview with UNHCR UNV worker in Chad - Changing Perspectives

Giuseppe Rullanti, United Nations Volunteer in Chad in 2008, knows the challenges of bringing the values of Age, Gender and Diversity Mainstreaming to the field. In this interview Rullanti says for some UNHCR workers AGDM begins mainly with taking on the responsibility of being true partners in solidarity with people of concern to UNHCR.

Rullanti is a social worker and author of the 2006 book LA RECHERCHE-ACTION AU SERVICE DE L'AUTO-DÉVELOPPEMENT - which addresses the issues of empowerment in the refugee community.

Watch 2 minutes 30 seconds now on YouTube: