04Jun

Matt Damon is This Month’s Curator of @ONEGirlsWomen!

mattdamon

As a proud supporter of everything ONE supports and pushes, it made me smile to see actor & Water.org founder Matt Damon is this month’s curator of @ONEGirlsWomen! He's my hero of the day. This is why he stands for women & girls: My daughters do not know what it is to spend hours collecting water.  My girls may suffer the occasional stomach upset, maybe even miss a day of school because of it, but they will never lay dehydrated and dying with only the water available, the very same water that made them sick in the first place. Before I went Read More

08Mar

In Honor of International Women’s Day: Poverty is Sexist

povertyissexist

Now this is a campaign I'm thrilled to get behind...every step of the way. It has to do with girls, equality, equity and fighting extreme poverty to make the world a better place. The name of the campaign: POVERTY IS SEXIST. According to new analysis published by The ONE Campaign today, International Women’s Day, girls and women are hit hardest by extreme poverty across every area of life, but they also hold the key to change. ONE’s report, “Poverty is Sexist: Why girls and women must be at the heart of the fight to end extreme poverty” shows how Read More

04Mar

Becoming a Shot@Life Champion

shotatlife

If you've read my blog before, you know of my passionate and fervent interest to help others. Using it and other streams over the years, I've raised large amounts of money for St. Jude Hospital and the Haitian Amputee Mothers Alliance. I've raised awareness for Every Mother Counts, Mothers 2 Mothers, Save the Children, Dress for Success and ONE. I write over at The Broad Side and BlogHer when given the opportunity and really try to raise the bar on issues I care about, most pertaining to women and children. Yet I am not known for this work. I'm the Read More

04Mar

10 Ways to Make a Difference on International Women’s Day (with Tips from GVI)

gvi

How are you observing International Women's Day? I get to go hear Cherie Blair speak. She's the wife of former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, a leading lawyer and committed campaigner for women¡¯s rights and the founder of the Cherie Blair Foundation for Women, which supports women entrepreneurs in developing countries. You can count on the fact that I'll be live tweeting and blogging about what she has to say right here on The Culture Mom.  Having just come from the Shot at Life conference, I am more inspired than ever to make a difference in the Read More

09Feb

Highlights from the Athena Film Festival

dearwhitepeople

This past weekend I had the ultimate experience for a female culture vulture like myself at the Athena Film Festival. Several days prior to the festival, I interviewed Melissa Silverstein, editor of Women & Hollywood and co-founder of the festival,  about the event. We were talking about why there is a need for a festival for and about women's equality in 2015 and she told me this: “There is not a lack of talent for women in film, there’s a lack of opportunity.” She and her co-founder, Kathryn Kolbert, weren't the only ones aware of the lack of Read More

21Jan

Advocating for Children’s Health is a Global Effort #MDGmomentum

motherandchild

I can’t believe that I had my first daughter 11-1/2 years ago.  It feels like yesterday, and for some reason, the images are more vivid than when I had my second child a few years later. It was an induced pregnancy, so we went in to the hospital rather leisurely on a week night.  I laid on a table and was given medication to send my soon-to-be child a signal that it was time to come into the world.  After nine months of carrying her around in my belly and readying the house and my life to include a new child, my husband and I were more than ready to Read More

08Dec

A Human Rights Film: The Long Night

thelongnight

It's hard to believe that sex trafficking is happening in America. I always thought it was more prevalent in other countries, but I was very wrong. The crazy, painful truth is that human trafficking is one of the  world's fastest-growing criminal industries  and it's a monstrous issue in this country. In fact, 85% of confirmed sex trafficking victims are U.S. citizens, mostly runaway children. Often disconnected from family and friends, runaway and homeless children are particularly susceptible to traffickers who will lure them with the promise of food, Read More

19Nov

Being #Unselfie on #GivingTuesday

Giving Tuesday

#GivingTuesday inspires personal philanthropy and encourages bigger, better and smarter charitable giving during the holiday season, showing that theworld truly gives as good as it gets. The third annual #GivingTuesday will take place on December 2, 2014. It works like this. On Tuesday, December 2, 2014, charities, families, businesses, community centers, and students around the world will come together for one common purpose: to celebrate generosity and to give. It’s a simple idea. Just find a way for your family, your community, your company or Read More

27Oct

Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF

trickortreatunicef

There's nothing like a good Halloween campaign for social good. One of UNICEF’s most notable traditions, Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF began in 1950 as a way to help kids who need more than candy.  Since then, children all over America have gone door-to-door on Halloween with UNICEF collection boxes and have raised more than $170 million. Adding an extra treat to this year’s campaign, actress, platinum recording artist and author Zendaya has been named the 2014 Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF Spokesperson. For the first time in its 64 year history, Read More

12Sep

LiveHealth Online: A New App that Helps Simplify Parents’ Lives

livinghealthonlinecollage

Last week my daughter and I got treated to a very special "health" day by the wonderful women at Cool Mom Picks. She was treated to a cooking class; I was treated to an afternoon sipping mimosas and learning about a new app, LiveHealth Online, that can, quite simply, create healthier, safer lives. With the click of a button, you can have access to a physician who can advise, prescribe medication and help you save time and worry. The event was held at Havens Kitchen in New York City, a beautiful space dedicated to the preparation and enjoyment of yummy, Read More