I learned everything I know about the problem of incarceration in the US from my friend, Piper Kerman, author of the memoir Orange is the New Black and the inspiration behind the hit Netflix show of the same title. Piper is an advocate for women and men who are or have been incarcerated, and she educates people by sharing her own experience in prison at the Federal Correctional Institute in Danbury, Connecticut—an act of bravery, in my opinion, given the stigma attached to being an “ex-con.”
When you hear the word “Leather”, there’s a good chance that Italy comes to mind. What if we told you one of the leather capitals of the world is actually in North America. Located in the center of Mexico, just a little northeast of Mexico city, sits Leon, Guanajuato. Nestled between vast mountain ranges at 6,000+ feet above sea level, stands a city that is as tough and malleable as the leather it produces.
The second largest memorial to Martin Luther King Jr. in the United States was built in San Francisco in 1993 and is called “Revelation.” This moving tribute to one of the most important people in American history sits in Yerba Buena Gardens behind a 50’ x 20’ foot waterfall that creates a sonic experience meant to block out the sounds of the world outside and induce reflection.
Fall is a time for celebration in the wine country. It’s nature’s way of saying that the grapes are ready to pick. One of my favorite hidden wineries is Analemma, owned and operated by Kris Fade and Steven Thompson. Located in Mosier, Oregon in the Columbia River Gorge, it sits on 12 acres in the oldest Vineyard in the Pacific Northwest, one-hour drive from Portland. What makes this place special is not only the golden yellow of the trees, and exceptional views, but the farming practices which are regenerative....
Having lost her mother at a young age, former Olympic-style professional boxer Cary Williams was raised by her father and lacked a female role model. As she got older, reflecting on her mother's death, she began to think about her own purpose in this life....
Do you know how much water you are wearing when you put on your favorite pair of denim? It can take up to 2900 gallons of water to make one pair of jeans from start to finish. Think about it, that is equivalent to almost 11,000 1L bottles of water.
As a sophomore in college I had no idea what to do for a career. At this time, the genocide in Sudan was getting widespread media attention. An estimated 300,000 people were killed during this conflict and during the summer of 2007 "Save Darfur" bumper stickers were common. The question I had though was, "how exactly would we 'Save Darfur'?" I stopped by a Barnes & Noble and picked up a book on Sudan to try to answer that question....
Gary White & Matt Damon, co-founders of Water.org, an international nonprofit organization, believe water is the way… to break the cycle of poverty…to protect and save lives…to make a bright future possible for all.
