New Noise Magazine Cover with Trail Blazers: Barbara Walters, Oprah Winfrey and Maria Shriver

Three powerful women, who are friends and colleagues. Each has characteristics that we need more of in this world, leadership, decisiveness, integrity, compassion, patience and tolerance. And this post features three issues that need more attention in our communities (adoption, poverty, education). These issues have influenced Barbara, Oprah and Maria as journalists and in their private lives. I hope by sharing information about their journey's involving the three issues listed, the readers of this blog will also be inspired to make a difference in their communities and globally.

Photo Variety, Icon Barbara Walters - Read BW Interview at Variety Online

Adoption

From ABC "Barbara Walters was unable to bear children for years and discusses how painful it was having three miscarriages. She wanted desperately to have a child. When the chance finally came through adoption, Barbara said that adopting her baby girl “made her life complete.”

Read More Online at the ABC Website 

Opening your heart and home to a child is an option you should consider. Adoption can be rewarding for you and your child. This is a great opportunity. There are many children out there in need of a good home. And there are many reasons why child adoption may be right for you. Different people may have different reasons for adopting a child. Here are a few. 

1. you're unable to have a child due to infertility or other reasons

2. when a child may need to be rescued from a dangerous environment

3. Same-gender couples often have the same dreams of parenthood

4. They are single and would love to be a parent

5. A couple already has a child and wants to expand their family

Fear is probably one of the major reasons holding people back from adoption. The process might be intimidating and scary but stay with it.  As Barbara Walters’ daughter says, her mom always told her that mommies can have babies from their tummies or their hearts, and she had me from her heart. 

Adoption organizations are located in every state in America. Learning more about adoption is easy, just call the adoption agency to begin! 

Above is a Barbara Walter's Memoir, you can pick up a copy at Amazon by clicking the photo. Oh and I would like to say that Barbara Walters has my admiration and respect and I hope she doesn't retire because I will miss her too much.. Love and Hugs Shelley ♥ 

Maria Shriver meets with President Barack Obama in the Oval Office to discuss the findings in “The Shriver Report: A Woman’s Nation Pushes Back from the Brink” in partnership with Center for American Progress.

Poverty 

Poverty is a women’s issue. Poverty rates are especially high for single mothers, women of color, and the elderly. Globally women living in poverty face gross inequalities and injustice from until death. The discrimination that a woman may suffer because of no education and low wages is unaccetable. And in my opinion (Equal Pay) for working women would reduce poverty and grow the economy. Don't listen to greedy politicians would are bought and pay for by cooperate interests. The same goes for raising the minimum wage, which should have been done years ago. After all this is "America" the richest, most powerful country in the world. Anyway, according to the overview from Amazon.Com, the "Shriver Report" by author Maria Shriver asks and answers the big questions about women who live in poverty. 

From Maria Shriver's Website - Shriver’s groundbreaking report examines America’s new economic reality

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Maria Shriver met with President Obama in the Oval Office at the White House to brief him on the findings from her latest Shriver Report. Her statement on that meeting is below.

“I’m delighted that the President could meet with us today to hear about the startling findings of the Shriver Report, produced in partnership with the Center for American Progress. I told the President that the bottom line message of our report is that, if you lead with women you’ll have a robust economy and healthier families, and if you leave them out, you won’t. President Obama told me that he would like the issues we highlight in the report– paid leave and sick time, pay equity, access to benefits and child care — to inform the summit he is hosting this spring on working families. We look forward to working with the Administration and a bi-partisan coalition on the important public, private, and personal solutions raised in our report.” 

Check out Maria's website for more information and get involved. 

From Amazon.com - Katherine Schwarzenegger, twenty-four, is an author, activist, and entre­preneur. She is also the bestselling author of Rock What You’ve Got: Secrets to Loving Your Inner and Outer Beauty from Someone Who’s Been There and Back. A recent graduate of the University of Southern California, Katherine is a clear, sound voice for her generation. She hopes this book will offer the direction needed to help young graduates navigate through the unknown with just a little less stress and a little more certainty. Throughout her process, Katherine has learned that there is no right way to figure out the next steps in your life, just your way. Kather­ine also hosts her own lifestyle website, where she regularly posts conversations with up-and-comers of her generation. 

Graduation at Oprah's South African School 

Education 

Starting off part three by saying, education is important for everyone, but it is especially significant for girls and women. Unfortunately, women and girls around the world are denied opportunities for education. Lack of education limits prospects and decreases family income and limits the economic advancement of entire countries.

Educating girls and women saves children's lives. Teaching women about health and nutrition reduces infant mortality rates. 

The bottom line is, empowering women and girls with education will improve the lives of families worldwide. 

Now here is an excerpt From Oprah's Harvard Commencement Speech. “You will find true success and happiness if you have only one goal. There really is only one, and that is this. To fulfill the highest, most truthful expression of yourself as a human being. You want to max out your humanity by using your energy to lift yourself up, your family, and the people around you. Theologian Howard Thurman said it best. He said, ‘Don’t ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive and go do that, because what the world needs is people who have come alive.’

Winfrey is an advocate for the education and well-being of women and children around the world. And now Oprah and Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz have come together to create "Oprah's Chai Tea" that will be sold in Starbucks and Teavana stores across the U.S., with Starbucks making a donation for each product sold to the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy Foundation to benefit educational opportunities for youth. Also, (according to the Steep Your Soul website) through the foundation, Oprah has contributed to the empowerment of scores of girls and their families. Read More. 

Oprah Teavana Chai Tea 

Oprah Steep Your Soul 

Oprah and Howard CBS Interview

Oprah Talks to Thich Nhat Hanh

Hope you all had a wonderful Mother's Day! Please check out the front page and my "Book of The Month" selection. Actually, this month I have two books for you to check out. Also, please don't forget to check out the new Noise Magazine Cover I designed with Barbara Walters, Oprah Winfrey and Maria Shriver. Thanks for reading my blog. Have a good day. All The Best, Shelley