International Justice Mission...in Thailand

Not too long ago, I found out about the International Justice Mission. Justin Schneider a friend and co-worker of mine who works for CitySquare's Legal Action Works law firm. In the last month or so, Justin was chosen to do a legal fellowship with International Justice Mission at their field office in Chiang Mai, Thailand. The fellowship lasts 12 months and starts in June.

Once we found out about their trip, Imtiaz Haiyoom, our Director of IT at CitySquare, jumped into action and called several of us at CitySquare together to start helping Justin and his wife, Angela, raise the funds needed for their trip. What has resulted is a an excuse to get a lot of cool people together who want to, simultaneously, help good people fulfill a mission that will have an amazing impact.

On Saturday, May 7^th from 7:00-10:00 p.m. we will be hosting a fundraiser for Justin and Angela. The event will be held at 511 N. Akard. You can see more (and RSVP) on the Facebook page here: Let's Get 'Em to Thailand. We want you to come, too!! We have quite a diverse group of friends so I am sure that whoever you are and whatever your interests, you will meet some cool, new people...and/or bring your own friends so that we can meet them as well!

Here are some of the facts I found out about IJM:

The International Justice Mission is a human rights agency that secures justice for victims of slavery, sexual exploitation and other forms of violent oppression. IJM lawyers, investigators and aftercare professionals work with local officials to ensure immediate victim rescue and aftercare, to prosecute perpetrators and to promote functioning public justice systems.

Because of IJM, in the last four years:

• More than 2,000 children, women and men have been freed from slavery
• More than 800 women and children have been freed from forced prostitution
• More than 300 individuals have been arrested for trafficking-related offenses
• Hundreds of widows and orphans have had stolen property returned to them
• Thousands have received their entitled documentation of citizenship or elevated legal status

Justice is important to me no matter where it is. After watching the above video and reading about IJM, I was nearly convinced to apply to the organization to be a social worker in one of their locations...and I would, except that for now I know I am needed here. I am so thankful to know there are the Justin's and Angela's in the world who can and are willing to work in the IJM arena. Fighting injustice takes all kinds of careers, fields, and people all over the world.

In addition, here is what I think is super-awesome about Justin, Angela, and the amazing people I work with at CitySquare: I love that immediately, when Imtiaz heard about it, he automatically started figuring out ways to help. I love that our entire "committee" of people planning this fundraiser work for CitySquare or other non-profits. I love that each person on the "committee" understands their own organization's financial constraints, yet are still dedicated to the justice of people everywhere...so much so that they're willing to give up money themselves to see it happen (and those of you who are familiar with non-profits understand people in the non-profit business are not working with bunches of disposable income). I love that in my conversation with Justin asking him if he was concerned about the large gap between what they have raised and what they need, he explained to me without missing a beat or adjusting any kind of facial expression that, if needed, he and Angela would cut into their savings to make it happen.

Please come join us.

However, if you can't come, but would like to support Justin and Angela, you can either go here: http://www.ijm.org/getinvolved/internshipsupport, click on "support an intern/fellow," then choose "Justin Schneider"

OR

Go to http://bit.ly/CitySqDonate and choose "LAW Fellowship" from the dropdown menu.

If you would like to help by donating something cool to the silent auction we will have the night of the party, please let me know.

Let's Get 'Em to Thailand!

Angela and Justin:

5th Annual Art Showcase

Mark your calendars!!!

Central Dallas Ministries and The South Dallas Cultural Center present...

The After-School Academy
5th Annual Art Showcase
May 23, 2008
5:30-7:00 p.m.

featuring the work of the 3rd-5th graders in Mr. Wendell Gordon's digital photography/Photoshop class.

Photographs will be auctioned off in a silent auction. All proceeds will go to the After-School Academy. Hor d'oeuvres will be served. Dress: Business Casual

(above: photos from last year's exhibit)

Central Dallas Ministries

As I have often mentioned, I have been at Central Dallas Ministries for a while now. Throughout the years funding has always been tight. Each year it seems we get a stronger plea to buckle down in our spending. Perhaps we wouldn't have to do that if we didn't keep growing. But growth is what is allowing us to become a holistic ministry that is filling the gaps in services that aren't readily available to the poor in Dallas. So, we keep growing and we keep stretching our resources.

Our newest attempt at expansion is to purchase a downtown high rise so that we can move our administrative offices from our much smaller building at Haskell as well as offer affordable housing (economy apartments) to low-income working people, many of whom work in that downtown sector. To gain more context and information about our Akard building process, click here: Akard building. Larry James (our CEO) has blogged several times about our attempt to acquire the run down facility in downtown Dallas.

His most recent post about the building (Larry's Blog: Help Me) explains our current need for funds to purchase the building. We would love to have your involvement in this project if you can.

Race for the Cure

Last night, two things happened. I attended an event for my friend, Charlie Mae Ransom. Ms. Ransom is an amazing woman. She has lived in the Roseland Homes Housing development for (I forget exactly) over 60 years, I believe. She moved in when the development was first built and has been a leader (or should I say "the" leader) of the community ever since. If all of our communities had leadership like she gives Roseland, we'd all be better off. Ms. Ransom has recently been diagnosed with cancer. Though she has now lost her hair from her treatments, her energy level was still high and she looked stunning in a brightly colored, stylish dress with a bright pink scarf tied beautifully on her head. I would like to think that I could follow in the footsteps of a woman as amazing as she is.

Last night, the city of Dallas officially proclaimed April 21st as Charlie Mae Ransom Day. She very much deserves that honor. Congratulations, Ms. Ransom.

After I left Ms. Ransom's celebration, I went to the P.C. Cobb Field in South Dallas to support the Race for the Cure, also an amazing event. Evidently, they have this event every year in South Dallas. This year it seems more meaningful just because several people I know have been diagnosed with, and some have died from, cancer recently.

From 7:00 p.m.-7:00 a.m. at the event in South Dallas, people walk around the P.C. Cobb track. At 9:30, when I arrived, the entire football field was covered with tents ready to camp out for the night. The whole area had that wonderful Texas bar-b-que smell as people had already kicked the grills into high gear and had food available for the evening.

This reminded me of the Immigration march I went to a few weeks ago. There weren't quite as many people, but it was very much a family event. However, this time, it was mainly African-American families. Moms, dads, and kids...kids in strollers as well as teenagers...walking around the track "racing" for the cure. Some teenagers entertained on a stage, other teenagers danced off to the side. Jump houses were available to give the smaller children something to do when they weren't walking.

Some of the cancer survivors participated wearing purple t-shirts that said something like, "I had it. I fought it. I survived it." I loved getting to one point at the track where about three people stood as a cheering section specifically for the people with purple t-shirts. Every time a person with a purple t-shirt would walk by they, cheers would go up.

Recently I've had several friends and family who have been diagnosed with cancer:

Ronnie Smith, Vern Cubbage, Dorothy Pringle and Tommy Clegg have died recently or within the last few years.

Charlie Mae Ransom, Charlie Clegg, and Brenda James have been diagnosed, but are doing well.

I'm sure I've forgotten some. Please keep them and their families in your thoughts and your prayers. Click on the title of this blog if you would like to make a donation to Race for the Cure.