The Causemopolitan

Categories: Events, Initiatives Supporting Women and Girls, Ways to Give Back. 3 Comments »

It’s always a telling sign when my favorite friends are suddenly all telling me that I simply have to meet someone because we’re from the same cloth and we’re destined to know one another. That is what happened with me and Becky Straw this fall. And honestly, everyone was right. We have tons of friends, passions and travel experiences in common and Becky instantly become a woman I not only wanted to be friends with but great admired. Soon it was my turn to be telling people about Becky and her new nonprofit, The Adventure Project. I’m proudly on the host committee for tonight’s Join our Nice List: A Celebration of Global Entrepreneurship honoring The Adventure Project and invited Becky to share her story of how The Adventure Project came to be and what we all can do to help.

If you’re in New York tonight, come on out and join us (RSVP here). For everyone else, consider making a $20 donation to buy a cookstove or shopping in their online store.

And now, Becky’s story.

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“People will tell you that it can’t be done. And you know what? They’re wrong. Nothing is ever impossible,” Gayle said matter-of-factly, before finishing off her glass of wine.

I admit I have ambitious dreams, but Gayle’s statements are not what I usually hear at happy hour. I was sitting in the clubroom at The Sheraton in Times Square, surrounded by five phenomenal women. Gayle Lemmon was speaking at the TEDxWomen conference in two days, and her friends gathered around her hotel room to hear her practice.

Gayle’s book, The Dressmaker of Khair Khana, has recently become a New York Times bestseller, chronicling a young heroine working as a successful entrepreneur under the Taliban. I had been invited because my nonprofit, The Adventure Project, works with female entrepreneurs around the world.
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By Sloane Berrent. Posted December 6th, 2011.

Celebrate Epic Thanks This Thanksgiving

Categories: Best Of, Environment, Giving Back, Initiatives Supporting Women and Girls. 5 Comments »

Welcome to the season of Thanksgiving. It wouldn’t be Thanksgiving the past few years without #EpicThanks, a project of Epic Change by my good friends Stacey and Sanjay and their countless amazing friends, volunteers and supporters. Epic Change amplifies the voices and impact of grassroots changemakers and social entrepreneurs. I’ve written about their fundraising projects here, here and here. I thought it was time for another voice to be heard!

Make a donation here:

This is a guest post written by Adriana Mistick, a junior at Wheaton College. She also happens to be my sister! This past summer she had the incredible opportunity to go volunteer with Mama Lucy at Sheperds Junior School in Arusha, Tanzania. This is her story.

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Addy and the students from Sheperds Junior School, Summer 2011

I’ve sat down to write about my summer in Tanzania so many times without ever being able to find the words or the descriptions that are just right. I’ve decided now that it was one of those experiences I will never fully be able t explain or attempt to show with photos because what I really want is for everyone to be able to go and experience it for themselves.

It was early this year when I decided I wanted to do something different for the summer. I was about halfway through college at that point and had been lucky enough to take some time off early in college to help me get my head on straight. Now I guess you could say I’m focused. On what, you ask? Water and teaching kids, or teaching anyone I can, about water and our environment. I’m a self-proclaimed “water junkie”. Thinking about my summer and not knowing where to start, my sister Sloane (maybe you guys know her??) was eager to help me find a good match in terms of location and program. The moment I told her what I was thinking she had something perfect in mind but still worked wonders by facebooking, tweeting and emailing a personal ad for her baby sis.

EPIC CHANGE. That’s where Sloane’s mind was from the start and from the moment she first told me about meeting Stacey Monk at a conference and following their progress, that’s where my mind was too.
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By Sloane Berrent. Posted November 23rd, 2011.

Join Me and Donate To My Birthday Fundraiser

Categories: Cause It’s My Birthday, Cause-Filled Living. No Comments »

Dear friends, family and everyone else who has stumbled onto this page,

Let me set the stage…the big one was my 30th birthday in 2009 – that was the year Cause It’s My Birthday was born and we raised $20,000 for Netting Nations and for malaria nets in Ghana.

Ever since then, I haven’t been able to shake the power of social media to help drive social change. I eat, live and breathe in this space.

I’m at it again! This year, I’m celebrating my Sweet Sixteen (x2) and 100% of online donations and donations at my birthday party will go to She’s The First.

She’s The First supports girls education in the developing world. The partner school I’ve chosen is Starfish One By One School in Solola, Guatemala. Only $300 provides a scholarship to one girl for one year.
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By Sloane Berrent. Posted October 5th, 2011.

Highlights from the 2011 WIE Symposium

Categories: Events, Initiatives Supporting Women and Girls. No Comments »

I was so honored to be invited to the recent WIE Symposium that took place in NYC during what is becoming known as Social Good week – a week that includes the UN Open Plenary, CGI, Social Good Summit and the dozens of events that surround those conferences. I attended the “Inspiration Day” which started with a breakfast for the White Ribbon Alliance and continued with talks and panels throughout the day.

Here are a few of my favorite quotes from the day:

“It’s the we not the me that makes a difference in the world.” – Donna Karan #WIE2011

“Don’t worry about falling on your face, at least it’s a forward movement.” – Pat Mitchell of @paleycenter #WIE2011

“We need to mentor women in all stages of our careers. I take a meeting with any young woman who asks for that 15 min.” - @hilaryr#wie2011

“The world is in chaos & we have to create the calm within the chaos.” – Donna Karan @Urban_Zen #WIE2011

“It’s not enough that I have my health, my children’s health. I want every woman to have choices & options.” - @CTurlington #wie2011

“Women aren’t dying because we can’t treat them but because society hasn’t yet made a decision they’re worth saving.” – M. Fatullah #WIE2011

“You must know your power and the difference you can make.” -@NancyPelosi #WIE2011
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By Sloane Berrent. Posted October 3rd, 2011.

Why White Ribbon Alliance?

Categories: Events, Initiatives Supporting Women and Girls, Ways to Give Back. 1 Comment »

“If we can fix things for mothers – and we can – we can fix so many other things that are wrong in the world. Women are at the heart of every family, every nation. It’s mostly mothers who make sure children are loved, fed, vaccinated, educated. You just can’t build healthy, peaceful, prosperous societies without making life better for girls and women.” – Sarah Brown, Global Patron, White Ribbon Alliance. From White Ribbon Alliance Atlast of Birth.

I first came across the White Ribbon Alliance at the World Economic Forum in 2010. I met their founder and was moved by not only her stories about women in the developing world but her hard facts about maternal healths and the truth about what is happening in many parts of the world today where little to no care is given to women giving birth and the very real mortality rate for mothers and newborns.

I have been a supporter ever since. Those who know me often say I’m a “cause filter” because I look very carefully at organizations, what they do, what their intentions are and where they are spending their money. I proudly support WRA because they are making a real impact, with powerful campaigns, partners on the ground and patrons around the world all working towards the same goal – to reduce mother and newborn mortality around the world.
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By Sloane Berrent. Posted October 2nd, 2011.

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