A Charitable Inspiration...

End the Violence.

www.VDAY.org has truly inspired me in more ways than one.  Weeks before the recent Proud and Pretty in Pink charity event, I spent at least one hour if not more on this website.  Within that hour my life was changed.  As I researched what V-Day was, their mission, core beliefs, and long-term vision, I geared my attention to V-Girls.  I was instantly glued to the computer screen; I watched the videos that were posted and the thoughts from the girls involved. It all was so amazing, but then I thought of all the other young people and what they were doing.  V-Girls are a network of young girls empowering themselves and others to change the world one girl at a time.  As I continued to read and research this website all I could think of were these four words. EMPOWER. CREATE. CHANGE. EDUCATE. The girls of V-girls were focused on empowering themselves and others to make a difference, creating a world were violence was non-existent, changing the world one girl at a time, and educating themselves and others on the issues we face today.  I tried to image what it would be like if we weren’t so obsessed with the next Jersey Shore episode or who commented on our Facebook status, and more focused on how many women would be or already have been abused throughout the world.  This image was suck in my mind.  I then thought back to one of the 4 core beliefs that V-Day goes by. “Lasting social and cultural change is spread by ORDINARY people doing EXTRAORDINARY things.”  In my opinion, we are all ordinary people, living ordinary lives, but what sets us apart from others is making our actions extraordinary.  I was once told by a very important man in my life, that you can’t just LET things happen, you have to MAKE them happen.  It takes a strong, courageous girl to stand apart from what is popular or accepted at the time.  I encourage young girls out there to want to be educated and to strive to be their best.  Challenge yourself to be different from what is “ideal” in this society, for it can easily change your life in such a positive way. 

–Chandra Mogan, Age 22