women issues global

1. Grace & Gratitude
Cover Photo by Tim Trumble

2. From the Editor
Shavawn M. Berry
For These Things I am Thankful
As November blows in, with a cavalcade of falling autumn leaves cueing us that winter will soon be
here, I am reminded of my deep need to reflect on all the blessings in my life. Thanksgiving is just around
the corner. It’s sometimes easy to feel overwhelmed by the expectations attached to the holiday season. It’s
easy to complain or eat too much and rest too little. It’s easy to wallow in self-pity and to look back instead
of move forward. It’s easy to rant about how our glass is half empty instead of half full. And this year – this
terrible year – while many of us watched our 401K accounts sink like the Titanic, as our jobs were threat-
ened and the cost of all our bills rose, it has been as hard as ever to remain hopeful about our collective and
individual future. However, despite the definite “worst of times” feeling that I get from my daily dose of
CNN, I am actively turning my prayers toward the grace that permeates my life and reminding myself of all
that I have to be thankful for. The list is long.
Because I am unmarried, for much of my adult life I have spent Thanksgiving in the presence of
friends in New York City, Los Angeles, Fairfax, VA and Phoenix, Arizona. Occasionally I have even cooked a
whole bird and all the trimmings of a festive meal, and invited friends over to enjoy it at my house! I have
witnessed many traditions, dishes, and ways of celebrating the holiday. One family eats paella. Another one
serves sticky rice instead of mashed potatoes or gravy. I’ve had turkey and ham, lasagna and red pepper
soup, corn stuffing and peach pie. Every single situation has been unique. But one thing that has been rela-
tively consistent is the camaraderie of the meal itself and the sharing of what each person feels most thank-
ful for. Hearing each person’s singular reasons for giving thanks is often humbling, to say the least. I have
heard thanks given for all manner of good fortune, including the ability to rise again after misfortune.
So, when I think of what I will list this year, I think of people, events, places and, yes, even a few pre-
cious possessions: I am thankful for the beauty and wisdom of my mother’s life and her ability to help me
find my way through life’s detritus again and again. I am thankful that she’s in good health and still able to
enjoy her life (at the age of 73). I am thankful for cherry pie and the peaceful purring of my cats; for the
sound of laughter and the transformative power of books. I am grateful for my friendships – particularly
with my women friends – who offer me so much solace every day. I am thankful that I can write about my
life. I feel gratitude for the hope percolating up from the very soil of this nation; for our brave-hearted and
eloquent president-elect; for his wife whose brains and beauty are a true pleasure to witness. I am glad I
have access to kisses, comfort food, flannel pajamas, pumpkin pie, hot coffee, and the occasional beer…I am
thankful for my spiritual practice and the support system it provides. My heart is gladdened by hearing mu-
sic and tasting chocolate. I am grateful for my job and my amazing students; for my ability to take care of
my basic needs and still buy an ice cream now and then. I am thankful for my body, my brain, and my
health. I am thankful for church bells, and true love, and heartache, even if I am alone right now as a result.
I am grateful for solitude and sadness and angels and ice bergs...for polar bears and rain showers, for the
sound of Oak Creek and the roar of the ocean. I am thankful for the stars poking through the cloud cover
here in the desert. I am thankful that I had my father in my life as long as I did — even though it was not
long enough. I am thankful for poems and language and paintings and prairie dogs. I am thankful for the
promise of my life and the things that Spirit has set at my table to accomplish. I am
grateful for prayer, for hardship, for the ways in which my life is changed and trans-
formed in relationship to others. I am thankful for the books I read and the conversa-
tions I count on. As I edge toward the half-century mark, I am grateful for every single
day, every lovely breath, every opportunity to dance. The world is full of wonders.
This Thanksgiving, between the turkey and the sweet potato pie, turn to
those sharing your table and express your love and joy and gratitude to
them. You will be glad you did.
More musings on spirituality, grace, art, and life in general can be read on my blog at http://
www.fallingintowonderland.wordpress.com or on my website: http://www.shavawnmberry.com
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3. The Thing About Grace
by Kim Eagles
If you were asked to give
your definition of the word
grace many might reflect to
what one does at mealtimes:
a short prayer of thanks to
God said before, or some-
times after, a meal. Others
might think of a person of
elegance, beauty, and
smoothness of form or move-
ment—or a women’s name.
And for some people, it’s the
extra time allowed before
having to pay a debt or com-
plete a transaction also
known as a grace period.
As I child, I have fond memories of the grace and gratitude of our good neighbors—back when family and
community stuck together. Growing up in our modest and nearly poor household, our neighbors were very
important to our family—we could rely of them in times of need. There’s a familiar scripture that states: “Do
not withhold good from those who deserve it, when it is in your power to act. Do not say to your neighbor,
“Come back later; I’ll give tomorrow”—when you now have it with you. Do not plot harm against your
neighbor, who lives trustfully near you.”
During that era—as opposed to the times we live in now—people sincerely took care of each other. Perhaps
caring was the order of the day because things were not simply handed out freely. Back then a long, hard
honest day of work instilled virtue and kindness that caused most people to feel that they should take care of
others in their time of need, with no strings attached, simply as a means of giving to give. I now see the im-
portance of a ‘timely blessing’ and the act of ‘truly giving from the heart’. As a child, I received help from
others; and that was very humbling for our household. It caused us to become proud, yet envious, instead of
thankful. Unfortunately, when the tables shifted and I became able to give, I really did not give freely as I
should have; sad to say—my heart had hardened. I quickly developed a desire to get things in order to have
things—not simply to give to others.
My life has now turned full circle and my heart has softened, mostly because of the grace and mercy of
God—primarily because I have allowed wisdom and grace to enter into my heart, soul and mind. In certain
areas, I’ve come to the end of myself and my selfish exploits of self promotion, mistrust of others, manipula-
tion and attempting to control my circumstances in order not to be exposed and humiliated by my desire for
achievement. The spiritual legacy of Christ promises each of us the opportunity to walk in the light of truth,
not in our past disappointments. The thing about grace is that
grace is a gift. Grace is often distinguished from mercy. Mercy is seen as not
receiving punishment that one deserves to receive; whereas grace is receiving a posi-
tive benefit that one does not deserve to receive. Divine Grace also can be defined as
God's empowering presence in one’s life enabling each one of us to do and be what we
were created to do and be. Grace emerges from the generosity of spirit that gives indi-
viduals the capacity to endure intolerance, accommodate the unlovable, and forgive
the unforgivable. Grace is God's gift to humankind.
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4. Giving the Gift of Time
by Mary Powell
Despite the plummeting of the U.S. stock exchange, the increase in housing foreclo-
sures, and a stumbling economy, Americans have much to be grateful for. Most of us have clean
drinking water, vaccinations, food, and a roof over our heads. Many of us have people in our lives that inspire
us emotionally and spiritually, supporting us through the best and worst of times. It is for this reason, that it
is so important to give people the thanks they deserve for making a difference in our lives. This holiday sea-
son, rather than spending money on another sweater for our siblings or scarf for our mothers, perhaps we
should make them gifts of gratitude.
Gifts of gratitude need
not be extravagant. In today’s fast
paced world, where one can apply for a job, cook
dinner and play solitaire on the computer simul-
taneously, making someone a gift for the holi-
days, or a simple thank you present, is crucial.
What are some simple options? A kind, cheerful
note or poem can be more meaningful, since the
majority of us e-mail rather than hand write let-
ters. Hand writing a thank you card to a friend
or loved one takes more time and effort, and can
cheer up a person’s day. If you want to add a
more personal touch to it, decorate the card; add
some scrap-booking pieces from a local crafts
store, use magazine cut outs, or fabric scraps to
add color to the cover.
Another gift of gratitude that does not
cost much but can be so special is a natural gift
such as geodes, pretty rocks, or fresh or dried flowers. You can even purchase a plant at your local Home De-
pot or Target that will cost you as little as three dollars. These make nice gifts of gratitude because they are
thoughtful and can be used to brighten up the office, or add color to a room. Food can also be a wonderful
gift. Baking cookies, bread or brownies, making chocolates (you can find easy recipes online) or creating a
trail mix of dried fruit and nuts make wonderful gifts for friends.
My favorite gift of gratitude, however, is time. Offer to wash a friend’s car, help him/her study for an
exam, or take care of his/her pets. Create a “spend time with me” coupon, good for treating a person to a meal
or helping him/her with weekly chores, such as grocery shopping or picking up the yard. This assistance will
greatly ease stress in a person’s schedule. Treating a friend or loved one to a cup of coffee on a Sunday morn-
ing, hiking or biking with him/her, even something as simple as keeping a person company while they are
watching their children, are all ways of showing how much each special person means to you.
For those of us who have children, the most precious present we can give them is our time. Taking
children on a picnic or spending the day watching old movies on television are powerful strategies for bonding
with your children. It is important to choose an activity that does not require you to spend much money on
your children because you want the focus to be on being together rather than on material items. Offering your
time allows you to refocus on what is most important: the time you share together.
In this time of financial crisis, advertisements tell us to spend more money when we actually need to
save it. So this holiday, instead of buying presents for people, be creative and make them. Our time is more
precious than our money, but it is the one gift we can give freely. When we look back upon our lives, we think
of the time we spent with our friends, we do not crave the objects they purchased for us. This year, let the fo-
cus be on memories rather than merchandise.
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5. Reflections on Gratitude
by Wendy Brunner
Gratitude is not the same as happiness. We all strive for something called hap-
piness; we go places, we do things, we read or listen to music, we drink or take a pill to be
happy. To be happy is what everyone in this world wants. Happiness is a new Lexus. Happi-
ness is a Caribbean, white-sand beach. We search for something, or someone to trigger hap-
piness in ourselves, so inside we will feel something good. Gratitude does the opposite.
Gratitude is directed toward an outside influence; it flows out of us rather than in, yet feels
just as good, if not better than the pleasures we seek for happiness. It is the outward sharing
of our energy with another, with nature, rather than the internalizing of an outside influence. We may be
taking or accepting something from another when gratitude arises but we are also giving back. When we
have gratitude for another person, they receive it as appreciation and true understanding. When we have
gratitude for a moment in time, we send this wave of good energy out to those around us, our friends, our
culture, our children and our families. Gratitude washes over
you in unexpected moments. When your infant son is lying in
critical care, where he’s been for weeks, with you at his side day
and night, in anguish worrying for him, longing for your other
child who is still so small and in need of her mother too. Then one
day, in the endless march of days, you are walking up a steep hill
back to the children’s hospital, high on top of the hill, with its con-
crete and old creaky windows and doors, its needles and instru-
ments of pain, its teddy bears standing under rainbows painted on
the walls. It’s a crystal clear, blue-sky, San Francisco day and you
are stopped in your tracks by a sudden wave of happiness and con-
tentment. The sky is beautiful, the air is fresh and you are able to
say to yourself that you will accept whatever happens to you in this
life. You are filled with gratitude for walking on this city street, for witnessing the deep blue California sky
and for having the opportunity to love and care for this boy, no matter how hard it is to do so. What would
you be doing otherwise? What is more important than this, even if it is hard? And you think it strange
that you have gratitude for this moment that seems on the surface to be the worst time of your life. Grati-
tude is a gift. Recognizing gratitude when it arises can be a gift to ourselves as well as to others. Grati-
tude is a mind-body experience which can put you in touch with your spiritual self, your deep sense of a
higher-power, or a master plan. At the very least gratitude gives you a sense of peace that balances you and
lets you rest. And for others, knowing of your gratitude for their presence in your life is a gift that can last
forever.
Wendy Brunner is a writer and mother living in Fountain Hills, Arizona. Her writing interests include examin-
ing human nature to see how seemingly superficial, everyday acts can unexpectedly become profound.
Gratitude Letters, Visits and Lists by Shavawn M. Berry
Martin E. P. Seligman, a professor at the University of Pennsylvania and founder of the “positive
psychology” movement, advocates something called a “gratitude visit.” The steps are simple:
think of a person in your life who has played a significant role in terms of kindness or generosity, but to whom
you have never properly expressed thanks for that kindness or help. Write a detailed “gratitude letter” to
them, explaining why you are grateful for the role they have played in your life. Then visit them, and read
your letter out loud. According to Seligman, gratitude visits always offer catharsis for both the recipient and
the letter writer. They also allow the recipient a chance to “pay it forward” by writing their own letter, and vis-
iting another person whose impact may have been overlooked. In Daniel H. Pink’s amazing and encouraging
book, A Whole New Mind, he offers two other options to express our gratitude: The birthday gratitude
list which requires you sit down and write out a numbered list of things you are grateful for that corresponds
with your current age; or the “one-a-day” expression of gratitude which “is a way to weave thankfulness
into your daily routine” (Pink, pg. 216). Whatever choice you make, possessing an attitude of “gratitude is a
key component of personal happiness” according to scholars who study positive psychology (216).
VO L U M E 6, I SSU E 6 Page 5

6. The Tipping Point
by Marcela Marenco
For example, when I travel to remote
areas in Mexico, one of the things I see is
how expensive things get wherever Ameri-
A taxi
cans travel on a regular basis.
ride that should be $2, is
$10 or $20. Why? Because
when the locals charged $2, people gave
them $5, thinking, “That is too cheap!”
When they charged $5, everybody gave an
extra dollar (i.e. tip) and made the price rise
even higher. The effect of all this over
spending and over tipping is that we (as trav-
elers) end up complaining incessantly about
How much you should tip? how expensive some things have become!
When we go out of the United States, we often won- So, next time you travel, read about
der how much we should tip. This is a fair question coming tipping etiquette for the country you plan to
from a society that tips almost everybody, and where that visit. Treat it like you would any other seri-
extra buck is not always just appreciated, but expected. If ous subject. You want to respect the culture
you disagree, try overlooking the people who get your bags of the place you are visiting. Knowing when
at the airport! and how to tip is part
Tipping etiquette is a must read when going abroad, of that sense of un-
because knowing what the rules are can make our trip go derstanding and re-
much more smoothly. There are countries where tipping is spect. For addi-
a must even when asking for directions. At restaurants, tional help with
sometimes leaving the change (i.e. coins) –whatever it was- this topic see the
is enough; in other countries, the tip is already included and following link:
nothing else is expected, and in others tipping is even con- http://
sidered rude! We tend to over tip everywhere we go. We www.ehow.com/
tip taxi drivers, hotel staff, etc., The effect? All we do is how_112003_tip-
make them expect it every time they see an American tour- foreign-country.html
ist.
Would you like to write for Global
Thinking Women Newsletter?
Do you have expertise to share with other women?
December’s Issue will cover the theme:
Offerings: Community Service; Giving Back
Submit articles, article ideas, or ideas for themes for
upcoming issues to shavawn.berry@asu.edu
Articles are due on 5th of each month for each monthly issue.
Page 6 G L O B AL T H I NK ING WO M E N

7. Enhancing and Maintaining Memory
by Sue Grace
Where Did I Put My *@#& Keys?!
Americans fear the possibility of losing their memory. A Met-
Life Foundation study from 2006 surveyed American concerns about
illness, and found that those between the ages of 18 to 55 feared only
cancer more than Alzheimer's Disease. For those over 55, Alz-
heimer's was their greatest fear.
Of course, not all memory loss is a precursor of Alzheimer's
Disease, but how can we tell when our forgetfulness is a part of the
normal aging process versus when it signals something more seri-
ous?
When should I be concerned about
memory loss?
Memory loss shouldn’t always be cause for concern. As we
grow older, our brains store more information and it can take our brains longer to process and retrieve infor-
mation. There are “red-flag changes in mental functioning”, however, that can be serious. A new Johns
Hopkins 2008 study titled “Memory” details them:
Problems with learning and retaining new information;
 Difficulties handling complex tasks, such as balancing a checkbook, cooking a meal or other tasks that
require a complex train of thought;
 Ability to reason or react appropriately to common occur-
rences such as dealing with a flat tire;
 Spatial ability and orientation that allows us to drive and
find our way in familiar surroundings;
 Language problems that prevent us from speaking or un-
derstanding conversations;
 Behavioral changes such as acting passively or becoming
more suspicious or irritable.
Can we improve or maintain our mem-
ory? The answer is yes. We can take proactive steps to
positively affect our memory.
Exercise According to the Johns Hopkins study, blood flow to the brain decreases by 15 to 20% be-
tween the ages of 30 and 70. Exercise increases this blood flow so find some activity.
Brain exercise: read, do crossword puzzles, play Sudoku, take a class, perhaps in new area of inter-
est. Or go out and dance. This gives you double benefits since you’re getting exercise and your chal-
lenging your brain with two different activities-movement and focus on dance steps. AARP offers a
range of memory games that can be accessed on its website, www.aarp.org.
Proper sleep and proper diet are also factors in helping all of us maintain a healthy
memory, so be sure to get enough rest, and eat your fruits and vegetables!
VO L U M E 6, I SSU E 6 Page 7

8. Profile: Jerrie Ueberle—President, Global Interactions, Inc.
by Kim Eagles
Who said women can’t dation Board of Directors of SIAS University, the
have it all—brains, beauty, first private U.S. University in China, located in
grace and a company that Zhengzhou, Henan Province.
spans the globe? We have
Another project Ms. Ueberle is passionate
certainly found that
about is Challenge: TOMORROW. It is a 21-day
woman! Jerrie Ueberle,
China – U.S. Youth Program designed to bring Chi-
President of Global Inter-
nese and American youth together for cross-cultural
actions, Incorporation.
immersion and leadership development around the
Global Interactions, Inc. is
theme “Two Continents, One Tomorrow, Endless
a non-profit organization
Possibilities.” Together the students will address
that creates and facilitates
issues and generate ideas for creating the world they
opportunities for professionals to interact worldwide
want to live in. The planning and implementation of
with domestic and global counterparts. Through
this experience focuses on building sustainable rela-
such interactions, they seek to increase the exchange
tionships and partnerships that will grow and ex-
of best practices, technologies, and research in edu-
pand beyond their time in China.
cation, science, and technology. They also enable
individuals the opportunity to work together, build- The American students will meet, share, and
ing relationships that accelerate their learning and learn with Chinese students and staff in a rural area
ability to apply knowledge that improves services, of Henan province on SIAS University campus, and
products, and systems for their clients and custom- with a second group of students in Beijing, Haidian
ers. District. The two sites will provide the contrast of
geography, socio-economics, and life styles in two
Ms. Ueberle’s energy and enthusiasm is con-
distinctly different areas of China. This will enable
tagious from the first moment she greets you. She is
the American students to gain a perspective of the
the “hostess with the mostess” whether in her home
vast differences between regions, economy, and de-
office in Arizona or in China where she has traveled
velopment of people living in a country the geo-
nearly 100 times in the past 24 years.
graphic size of the United States inhabited with five
Currently, Ms. Ueberle owns a Phoenix- times more people.
based non-profit corporation focused to increase
worldwide communication and understanding 2008-09 Programs & Events
among U.S. professionals and their international 2009 America Asia Education Partnership
counterparts. Conferences, seminars, and study pro- Summit April 14-16, 2009 - Phoenix, Arizona, USA
grams engage participants in sharing best practices,
research, and technologies that contribute to identi- 2009 Challenge: TOMORROW July 2009 -
fying common concerns and discovering new meth- Shanghai, Beijing, Zhengzhou, Moon Lake (Inner
odologies for achieving results. She is also the owner Mongolia) - CHINA
and president of Jerrie Ueberle & Associates, a 2nd Annual Women's Symposium & Study
woman-owned and operated company specializing Program - May 16-May28, 2009 - Shanghai, Sias
in collaborative team building for personal and or- International University, Xinzheng City, Henan
ganizational change. Provice, CHINA
The purpose of this work is to create partner- For more information or to become a
ships with colleagues to continue the dialogue and women’s mentor, contact:
develop sustainable relationships. The work of
Global Interactions began in 1984 and has focused Global Interactions, Inc. 14 West Cheryl Drive
primarily on China, spanning a 20 year period of Phoenix, Arizona 85021 Phone: (602) 906-8886
rapid change and development. One of her more http://www.globalinteractions.org
recent activities involves a Beijing conference on
Multiple Intelligences. She also serves on the Foun-
Page 8 G L O B AL T H I NK ING WO M E N

9. Living Gratitude: An Attitude of Unconditional Love
by Elaine Yoshikawa
Let us rise up and be thankful, tude is to touch Heaven.” Thus, easier to reconnect to what is sa-
for if we didn’t learn a lot today, our goal should be to ‘live grati- cred in the external world because
at least we learned a little, and tude.’ gratitude connects us to what is
if we didn’t learn a little, at least sacred within. In this sense, grati-
When we live gratitude
we didn’t get sick, and if we got tude is transformational. It pro-
as a spontaneous expression of
sick, at least we didn’t die; so, motes spiritual and personal
unconditional love, our attention
let us all be thankful. -- Buddha growth because it calls upon us to
shifts away from the self onto
acknowledge and to exercise our
Gratitude is the other. In this way, it pro-
divine nature, unconditional love,
motes the formation of human
generally regarded fellowship and the foundation
and humility. This results in true
service.
as thanksgiving or for lasting relationships. Fur-
thermore, living gratitude helps Service that is borne from
appreciation for us to become truly humble and the overflow of unconditional love
what we have re- thus to appreciate what we typi- becomes a privilege. It is a privi-
cally take for granted. When we lege to help, instruct, and encour-
ceived. However a deeper take things for granted we run age those who are in need; to sup-
spiritual construal of gratitude the risk of living life on the sur- port, uplift, and love those who
includes the foundation of un- face. Humbleness has a way of feel isolated and alone. This kind
conditional love, that is to say, keeping things in perspective. It of service connects us to the divine
gratitude is a natural expression helps us to keep our hearts con- elements within our own nature
or manifestation of appreciation tinuously open to God. and acknowledges the divinity in
that is based upon unconditional all other things. It is natural to
love. There are innumerable St. Teresa of Avila
serve others when we realize that
ways of expressing this kind of reminds us: “In all created
we live in a sacred world. When
gratitude. We can speak our ap- things discern the providence
we are genuinely grateful, we can
preciation to others, we can en- and wisdom of God, and in all
demonstrate kindness to others,
act our gratitude through ser- things give Him thanks.” Since
express our joy, and humbly speak
vice, and at the highest level we everything that surrounds us is
our truth.
can live gratitude. Gratitude in God’s domain and belongs to
becomes a deeply engrained as- Him, we should be thankful for
pect of character. Johannes A. the privilege of temporary stew-
Elaine Yoshikawa, Ph.D., is a
Gaertner, an art historian, poet ardship. Perhaps the only thing
Lecturer in Philosophy at ASU,
and theologian, said: “To speak a person truly owns is her own
Polytechnic Campus. Her current
gratitude is courteous and pleas- heart, and if she is wise, she
research interests are: Virtue Eth-
ant, to enact gratitude is gener- would also lovingly give her
ics, Christian Ethics, Buddhist
ous and noble, but to live grati- heart to God (in gratitude).
Ethics, and happiness.
When we live in gratitude, it is
“The greatest gift
that you can give to
others is the gift of
unconditional love
and acceptance.”
— Brian Tracy
VO L U M E 6, I SSU E 6 Page 9

10. The Audacity of Hope: Yes We Can
By Barack Obama, the 44th President-elect
From the acceptance speech in Grant Park, in Chicago:
“...The true genius of America [is] that America can change. Our
union can be perfected. And what we have already achieved gives
us hope for what we can and must achieve tomorrow.
This election had many firsts and many stories that will be told for
generations. But one that's on my mind tonight is about a woman
who cast her ballot in Atlanta. She's a lot like the millions of oth-
ers who stood in line to make their voice heard in this election ex-
cept for one thing - Ann Nixon Cooper is 106 years old.
She was born just a generation past slavery; a time when there
were no cars on the road or planes in the sky; when someone like
her couldn't vote for two reasons - because she was a woman and
because of the color of her skin. And
tonight, I think
about all that she's seen throughout her cen-
tury in America - the heartache and the hope;
the struggle and the progress; the times we were told that we can't, and the
people who pressed on with that American creed: Yes we can. At a time when
women's voices were silenced and their hopes dismissed, she lived to see them stand up and speak out and
reach for the ballot. Yes we can. When there was despair in the dust bowl and depression across the land, she
saw a nation conquer fear itself with a New Deal, new jobs and a new sense of common purpose. Yes we can.
When the bombs fell on our harbor and tyranny threatened the world, she was there to witness a generation
rise to greatness and a democracy was saved. Yes we can. She was there for the buses in Montgomery, the
hoses in Birmingham, a bridge in Selma, and a preacher from Atlanta who told a people that quot;We Shall Over-
come.quot; Yes we can. A man touched down on the moon, a wall came down in Berlin, a world was connected by
our own science and imagination. And this year, in this election, she touched her finger to a screen, and cast
her vote, because after 106 years in America, through the best of times and the darkest of hours, she knows
how America can change. Yes we can.
America, we have come so far. We have seen so much. But there is so much more to do. So tonight, let us ask
ourselves - if our children should live to see the next century; if my daughters should be so lucky to live as long
as Ann Nixon Cooper, what change will they see? What progress will we have made? This is our chance to
answer that call. This is our moment. This is our time - to put our people back to work and open doors of op-
portunity for our kids; to restore prosperity and promote the cause of peace; to reclaim the American Dream
and reaffirm that fundamental truth - that out of many, we are one; that while we breathe, we hope, and
where we are met with cynicism, and doubt, and those who tell us that we can't, we will respond with that
timeless creed that sums up the spirit of a people: Yes We Can. Thank you. God bless you, and may God Bless
the United States of America.” The full text of Obama’s speech can be found online at: http://
www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/11/04/obama-victory-speech_n_141194.html Scroll down to see it.
Page 10 G L O B AL T H I NK ING WO M E N

11. Leadership and Development
Arizona Thinking Women
Kim Eagles, M.A.—Global Leadership
Founder/Director
Tempe, AZ 85281
kim_eagles@msn.com
www/igloo.org/arizonacommunity
www.igloo.org/kim_eagles
http://eagles-thinkingwomen.blogspot.com/
A Division of:
ODATS
Organizational Leadership and Development Training System
“Global Women Have Something to Say”
We’re on the Web!
http://globalthinkingwomen.weebly.com/
Yes We Did! by Kim Eagles
It’s not often that we fearful of the future, sending them
“into mourning” as quoted by
get an opportunity to Family Activist, James Dobson.
celebrate a moment in Whatever the reaction, President-
elect Obama’s election is historic.
history—examples include a People of all races, creeds and col-
woman’s right to vote and man’s first ors voted for a man because his
step onto the surface of the moon. But values, intelligence, dedication
the first week in November, change oc- and love for the American Dream.
curred in America. Whether or not The long cherished dream of Dr.
your candidate won the 2008 Presiden- Martin Luther King Jr. came true
tial Election, Barack Hussein Obama is on November 4th, 2008. Without
our nation’s 44th President-elect. Not bad for a black man raised by sin- violence or revolution, on the
gle woman once on welfare! wings of over 65 million votes
As predicted by the late singer Sam Cook in 1964 in his song, “A (65,855,918), America embarked
Change Gonna Come,” ‘change’ has finally arrived. Emotions ran high in a new direction. All I can say
with the worldwide announcement that the United States had elected its is: YES, WE DID. For
first Black President. For some individuals came tears of joy; some fell more on Kim’s reaction see: http://
to their knees in thanksgiving; some were speechless; and some became globalthinkingwomen.weebly.com/.