tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-63228633282137870462009-07-01T00:11:47.619-04:00Joshua Velasqueznoreply@blogger.comBlogger59125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6322863328213787046.post-34256708006472592332009-06-14T14:47:00.005-04:002009-06-14T16:21:29.141-04:00

Yesterday, I spent the day selling Emerge jewelry at the first annual Fair Trade Boston event, hosted at the Artists For Humanity epicenter near Boston's waterfront. The event was packed with live music, tasty eats, and beautiful handmade crafts from around the world. It was great to meet like-minded individuals and organizations, and to draw inspiration from their stories and ideas.I found

Aliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00318756180050633015noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6322863328213787046.post-64781109081134361592009-06-11T10:14:00.002-04:002009-06-11T10:17:09.881-04:00

Come out and support Emerge Global and the girls we work with this Saturday! Emerge Global is one of Fair Trade Boston's featured vendors. Fair Trade Boston is a FREE event featuring a variety of music, art, food, socially conscious gifts, and more. We will be selling jewelry from 12-6pm at the Artists for Humanity Epicenter. We'd love to see you there!Learn more at: http://

Aliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00318756180050633015noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6322863328213787046.post-91837253904861657352009-06-10T09:46:00.011-04:002009-06-11T10:23:50.432-04:00

We are excited to welcome two new fabulous Emerginistas to our team in Sri Lanka!Rachael Pool (Country Director)- Rachael Pool grew up in Mountain View, Arkansas. In 2007 she received a BA in Philosophy from Bates College. While at Bates, Rachael competed internationally with the Brooks Quimby Debate Council, served as a peer health educator, and worked as a Campus Campaign Manager for Teach

Aliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00318756180050633015noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6322863328213787046.post-1745755185166824462009-06-01T14:42:00.005-04:002009-06-10T10:30:29.614-04:00

Check out our incredible Sri Lanka Country Director, Ellen Sojka, as she talks about Emerge Global in Lafayette, Indiana!

Aliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00318756180050633015noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6322863328213787046.post-45137896511720127392009-05-28T10:04:00.009-04:002009-05-28T11:07:47.245-04:00

Emerge Global with part of our dedicated legal teamFrom right to left: Alia Whitney-Johnson, Katie Galbraith, Akiyo Fujii, Betsy Munnell, and April WachtelIt's not every day that a non-profit of our size secures a dedicated team of probono lawyers to help navigate the legal landscape surrounding international non-profits. And, it's certainly not every day that a group of powerhouse attorneys

Aliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00318756180050633015noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6322863328213787046.post-46777284134624226202009-05-25T12:49:00.003-04:002009-05-28T11:08:38.821-04:00

What if a necklace could mean a lifetime of freedom and hope for a girl in Sri Lanka? With your help, it can...Emerge Global is currently recruiting highly motivated, creative, and passionate individuals to fill positions on our team in the US! As a young organization, this is a great opportunity to shape our evolving work.Emerge Global is currently recruiting highly motivated, creative, and

Aliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00318756180050633015noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6322863328213787046.post-31545905806612389272009-05-18T08:43:00.004-04:002009-05-18T22:26:44.839-04:00

I don't know how teachers do it. Last week I spoke in six different classes at my alma mater Harrison High School about Emerge Global and my time in Sri Lanka. And it was exhausting. The kids were great, don't get me wrong, but it was a physically draining process and by the end of the day I had déjà vu every time I began my talk.One of the highlights was reconnecting with old teachers, coaches,

Ellenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00506646675273070802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6322863328213787046.post-52848605949829924232009-05-12T17:46:00.004-04:002009-05-12T17:51:05.732-04:00

Today Emerge Global jewelry was featured at shefinds.com under the article title "Three Ways to Make Your Jewelry Help More Than Just Your Wardrobe." Check out a link to the article here. This is great publicity for us, and I hope that the shefinds community has a blast on our esty site! And also check out the article for other examples of jewelry producers who are trying to make the world a

Ellenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00506646675273070802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6322863328213787046.post-88901301112997895752009-05-09T07:06:00.002-04:002009-05-09T07:23:43.103-04:00

I'm from West Lafayette, Indiana, and have returned back home for the month of May to do outreach, sales, and fundraising events for Emerge Global in my hometown. So far, things have been going amazingly well! The following events have already taken place:Thursday Helen Magazine event: $911 in jewelry sold, $2 in donations (photo of Sharon and Susan of Helen Magazine and myself)Friday sale at

Ellenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00506646675273070802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6322863328213787046.post-46972021430934195022009-05-04T11:50:00.003-04:002009-05-28T10:01:48.014-04:00

Spring 2009 has been packed with excitement for Emerge. Our biggest news here in Boston is that we are opening an office at 515 Beacon Street and, thanks to the long-time Emerge supporters Kim and Dave, we have now moved an entire car full of Emerge materials out from underneath my overly-lofted bed and into its new home. Thank you both for helping us move!Another thank you to Jenifer Apazidis,

Aliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00318756180050633015noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6322863328213787046.post-53462418277258334892009-05-02T11:40:00.001-04:002009-06-10T10:19:50.038-04:00

What if a necklace could mean a lifetime of freedom and hope for a girl in Sri Lanka? With your help, it can...Emerge Global is currently recruiting highly motivated, creative, and passionate individuals to fill positions on our team in the US and in Sri Lanka! As a young organization, this is a great opportunity to shape our evolving work.Emerge Global is currently recruiting highly motivated

Aliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00318756180050633015noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6322863328213787046.post-59720637976273127012009-03-26T10:57:00.001-04:002009-06-10T10:20:58.301-04:00

I recently returned from a three week trip to Sri Lanka where Ellen, April, Nirukshi and I worked days and nights to plow through all types of Emerge-related work: curriculum development, feedback sessions with the girls, collaboration agreements, legal meetings to start a local non-profit "Emerge Sri Lanka"... the list goes on. Life followed the typical sinusoidal pattern that always comes with

Aliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00318756180050633015noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6322863328213787046.post-38409517931151959192009-01-12T11:35:00.001-05:002009-06-10T10:24:27.765-04:00

As we move into 2009 and I think of all that Emerge has accomplished in the past year, it's hard to believe that it was just a year-and-a-half ago that Emerge expanded from one student's project to an organization of many hearts and minds. Today, it's hard for me to imagine Emerge without our incredible team.Rewind. 20 months ago.I remember walking at night, knee-deep in water. My arms were

Aliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00318756180050633015noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6322863328213787046.post-68608870185130264622008-12-30T11:42:00.002-05:002008-12-30T11:55:59.675-05:00

On December 12th, I gave an Emerge presentation to Mrs. Nimmer’s creative writing class at Harrison High School. A majority of my talk was about (1) Sri Lanka and the social situation there, (2) stories about the individual girls, and (3) the process of jewelry making. The goal was to give the roughly 25 students context about what the girls we work with go through, so they could translate this

Ellenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00506646675273070802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6322863328213787046.post-25896123865558432592008-12-14T11:06:00.004-05:002008-12-14T12:08:59.642-05:00

Balimkiz Senman, Alia Whitney-Johnson, Danielle Whited, and Lyndz Steeves sell Emerge jewelry in MIT's Lobby 10This December, we have already generated more than $7700 in sales, all of which directly benefits the girls of Emerge by generating savings and helping sustain our program!How do we celebrate the holidays Emerge Style? With piles of colorful jewelry, bundles of handmade drawstring bags,

Aliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00318756180050633015noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6322863328213787046.post-88503340334745929222008-11-05T14:15:00.002-05:002008-11-05T14:25:55.822-05:00

New products are in and they have been posted in our etsy store! To check our girls' incredible creations, see: EmergeGlobal.etsy.com By purchasing Emerge jewelry, you become a part of our story and a part of an individual girl's story as well. All proceeds go directly to the creator's savings, funding for her shelter and community, and to sustain the program. What better gift for the upcoming

Aliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00318756180050633015noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6322863328213787046.post-77518142258434219922008-10-18T13:54:00.004-04:002008-10-19T00:02:29.012-04:00

Alia Whitney-Johnson spoke at "Stand Up and Take Action Against Poverty" on October 17th. The event was hosted at Harvard as part of a international movement, in which millions of people took part last year.More than 100 students from MIT, Harvard, Northeastern, and Brandeis gathered together at the event to learn from students and organizations working to fight poverty. At the end of the night,

Aliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00318756180050633015noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6322863328213787046.post-54865904598097015572008-10-10T21:16:00.019-04:002008-10-11T10:43:42.101-04:00

What does it take to help a person believe in herself? And, with this belief, what does it take to help her act upon her vision?In both Sri Lanka and the United States, we are learning together- learning to have confidence in our abilities, learning to communicate our ideas, and learning to work with one another to affect change. We are learning to believe in ourselves, and to channel both our

Aliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00318756180050633015noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6322863328213787046.post-4395883731123761292008-10-07T23:36:00.009-04:002009-06-10T10:25:56.965-04:00

Last week, as inspired MIT students crowded around a table to discuss the direction of Emerge Global, I couldn't help but think back to the spring of 2007. Just a year and a half ago, I took a semester off from MIT to make my third trip to Sri Lanka to conduct beading workshops for 20 persevering young girls. At the heart of these workshops were the emerging voices of the girls I had encountered

Aliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00318756180050633015noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6322863328213787046.post-69127232972700067572008-10-06T12:08:00.003-04:002009-06-10T10:13:41.533-04:00

As a growing organization with big hopes, we rely not only on the generosity of our many individual donors but also on an inspired and dedicated group of long-term volunteers. It is my pleasure to announce the following officers, who will be volunteering their time to Emerge for the next year:Assistant Director- Nour Abdul-RazzakDevelopment Officer- Lauren O'TooleOperations Officer- Dilini

Aliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00318756180050633015noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6322863328213787046.post-91058354763629309332008-09-05T14:24:00.007-04:002009-06-10T10:29:07.784-04:00

After nearly missing my connecting flight from Chicago to Houston due to engine trouble back in Boston, I arrived at the Houston airport just before midnight, greeted by the enthusiastic smiles of Medha Karve and Madhavi Padval, two long-term supporters of Emerge. They eagerly asked me for the latest updates on Emerge in the car, excited about the event that would be hosted the following day at

Aliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00318756180050633015noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6322863328213787046.post-16230197583636865092008-08-09T11:41:00.006-04:002008-08-09T12:14:11.848-04:00

I knew the event in West Lafayette I had been planning for months was going to turn out well when at 7:15 PM, fifteen minutes before the scheduled start time, I saw people walking in the door. Although it meant I had a little less time to put the last–minute finishing touches on my presentation, it was fabulous to see people so excited to come that they arrived early!I was born and raised in

Ellenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00506646675273070802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6322863328213787046.post-68668771076349495162008-07-30T17:00:00.004-04:002008-10-08T18:07:47.504-04:00

I'm excited to announce that we have a mission!Emerge Global is a community that empowers women who have survived abuse to rediscover and celebrate their personal beauty, develop their self-sufficiency, and become leaders within their own communities.Building off of my last blog about our mission, let me explain the wording and thought process of our word choice:"Emerge Global is a community that

Aliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00318756180050633015noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6322863328213787046.post-49008039285601997692008-07-23T09:00:00.004-04:002008-10-07T17:10:33.155-04:00

Dear Friends,I hope each of you is having a great summer! I'd like to share two pieces of news with you:Emerge is in the news today!The Journal and Courier (West Lafayette's local paper) ran a story on Emerge today! You can read the article online at: http://www.jconline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080723/NEWS/807230310 The story highlights Ellen Sojka's work with Emerge. Ellen is a recent

Aliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00318756180050633015noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6322863328213787046.post-57281425041831837382008-07-18T17:16:00.002-04:002008-10-08T17:30:10.011-04:00

I sit on my bed. Papers are strewn everywhere, devoured with doodles, scribbled writing, and colorful boxes. I can’t fit enough on any page. I have a whole pack of markers in front of me, a highlighter, and of course, ample sticky notes. As I jot down my thoughts, I continually ask myself "but what is the essence of what we are doing?" and "why?". I know Emerge through my gut. That is what I

Aliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00318756180050633015noreply@blogger.com