Why Family is Important
Family as the Key for Integral Development “The Family is the basic unit of the society and as such should be strengthened. It is entitled to receive comprehensive protection and support. (…)“ -World Family Organization Family is the basic unit of the society; it instills values in children and educates its members to have an […]
Examining “Reproductive Health” In the Philippines
On June 12, Attorney Jo Imbong gave an insightful presentation on the controversial Reproductive Health Law (RH Law) in the Philippines, which was signed into law by the Philippine President last December 2012. The venue for the presentation was the World Youth Alliance (WYA) Headquarters in New York City, with staff, interns and friends of […]
Quest for Dignity: Reflections on WYA Track A Training
I was expecting typical schoolwork: reading, writing, studying, the usual when it comes to classes. Keeping this in mind, I dove into the World Youth Alliance amidst taking 5 college classes, working 2 jobs, and performing numerous extracurriculars that denied me any time for rest. The Training started out as another academic thing on my […]
World Environment Day focuses on People and our Planet
It’s been 41 years since World Environment Day (WED) was first celebrated in 1972. From that year on, WED has been celebrated every June 5th. This annual initiative is promoted by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) to educate each one of us on how we can improve the environment, both now and in the future. WED advocates recycling, […]
What a Lumineers Concert Told Me About Young People
I was at a Lumineers concert the other day and I was having a blast. I was trying to gauge other people’s reactions to the music, as I often do at concerts, when something caught my eye. What on the surface appeared to be a rowdy group of young teenagers having fun at a concert, […]
The Gods of Peace
In the name of God I will murder, conquer, and oppress. This brief phrase summarizes centuries of exploitation and misinterpretation of religious values by oppressors and dictators. A practice that continues to exist in almost every conflict taking place today, regardless of globalization, the spread of education, and the mainstreaming of the international human rights […]
Freedom. Conscience. Who Cares?
If you ask a random sampling of young people what they believe conscience is, they will give you a relative response that divulges a myriad of opinions and viewpoints. Add to the question the meaning of freedom, and the same happens. Put the two together, and you will find yourself in a jungle of confusion with […]
What It Really Means to Be a Mother
A Journey through Motherhood and its Importance When I went to Paris on the au pair program, I was much younger. I took care of twins. I would take them to the park, shower them and I would eat with them many times. I would also play with them a lot. This was the second […]
Motherhood Explained
Nine years ago, when I was expecting my first baby, my mother-in-law told me matter-of-factually, that “you don’t really love your babies when they are first born, but you grow to love them after you take care of them.” At the time that she said this, a mere six or seven months into my new […]
A Mother’s Gaze
One February afternoon, I was riding the New York City subway, staring out the darkened window, rather melancholy and lost in my own world. Then, the mother and her young daughter to my left caught my attention and revolutionized not only my perspective on the day, but gave me an insight into the gift that […]