Congo Week

College students and university groups: Utah for Congo invites you to join us and Friends of the Congo for CONGO WEEK, October 17-23, 2011.  Join with college students in 35 countries and on 135 campuses to break the silence around the crisis in Congo!

Utah for Congo is here to help you plan successful events that will generate discussion and action on your college campuses.  We can visit your campus to give a presentation about the Congo crisis (or, if the scheduling is difficult, possibly join you via skype).  Although you would be responsible for organizing and publicizing the events, Utah for Congo can offer logistical support and assistance along the way.  Missy was the founder of the UNICEF student group at BYU and has lots of experience organizing on-campus events and community fundraisers.

Here are some suggested events that your student group could plan:

• A film screening.  ("Crisis in the Congo," a short film from Friends of the Congo, can be downloaded and screened for free, or Utah for Congo can provide you with other film suggestions.)
• A presentation or academic panel discussion.  Consider hosting faculty members at your campus who have expertise in Central Africa, gender issues, sexual violence, peace and conflict studies, or international development issues.
• Tabling and passing out information.  We can provide you with flyers and literature that you can use to educate your university community about the crisis and their connection to it.
• A fundraising event.  You could raise money for Friends of the Congo, or we can also suggest a number of organizations that are working in DR Congo if you have a specific area or concern that you'd like to raise funds for.  You could plan a benefit concert, a dinner party, a hunger banquet, an art exhibit, a bake sale, or any other fundraiser that you can imagine!  We're happy to provide ideas and logistical support if you decide to go this route.
• A local service project.  Are there groups in your community that serve refugees, survivors of sexual trauma, or survivors of war and armed conflict?  (We bet there are.  If you don't know, we can help you find out.)  Why not contact them to find out what their needs are?
• The Cell Out, an organized period where participants turn off their cell phones as an awareness-raising tactic (see here for details).
• Operation Recycle, where you collect old cell phones for recycling.

Check out the Organizers' Tool Kit from Friends of the Congo for more ideas and resources.

So far we are working with the STAND student group at Weber State, and we'd love to see events happening on college campuses across Utah.  Contact us at utahforcongo@gmail.com to let us know about your vision for Congo Week at your school, and we'll help however we can.  We'd also love to publicize your events on our blog and facebook page,

You'll need to get your group together and start planning soon, so don't delay!  Let's break the silence and stoke the activist spirit in Utah.  E-mail us today!

Our Sister Somalia Dinner Party

Last night was our Sister Somalia dinner party.  We were able to raise some money for victims of gender-based violence in Somalia, and we were also able to enjoy the company of each other and Lisa Shannon (via skype!)

Lisa recorded our conversation, and we will try to get it up on the blog for you to watch/listen to.  We talked about the situation of women in Somalia and about what Fartun Adan's organization is doing to help.  We talked about activism, policy, how to combat compassion fatigue, and (of course) about DR Congo.

For those who weren't able to make it, here are some photos of our evening.  We enjoyed a vegan dinner made almost exclusively of locally-grown, organic ingredients from our gardens and donated by BUG Farms (I wrote about why local food was such an important component of our dinner in this blog post.  Oh, and I'll post recipes here, if you're interested.)

Even if you didn't join us last night, you can still make a donation to the Elman Peace & Human Rights Center in Somalia.  Your donation will help Fartun Adan start Somalia's first rape crisis hotline, and enable her to provide victims of rape and violence with counseling, relocation aid, community, and vocational assistance.  You can donate online by clicking here.

Sister Somalia

If you've checked the news lately, you've seen the tragic images coming out of Somalia.  Because of a conflation of factors (like brutal drought and widespread insecurity and inept governance and poverty and etc.etc.etc.), an estimated 12 million people in the Horn of Africa are being affected by drought and famine, and at least 100,000 people have already fled to refugee camps.  It's estimated that 29,000 children have died of starvation in the past 90 days alone.  The situation is dire.

Today I read a story about an 11-year-old boy in Ghana named Andrew Adansi-Bonnha who has been so affected by the crisis in Somalia that he has set a personal goal to raise $13 million for famine victims.  So in Ghana, where the average yearly income is $2,500 a year, Andrew is spending his summer vacation walking from office to office, collecting donations for people in Somalia, where the average yearly income is $600 a year.  So far Andrew has collected $6,500... and $500 of that came from his father, who donated his entire July salary to the cause.

I also read a bunch of stories this week about rape in Somalia.  Rape often proliferates when there is a resource shortage, and the present moment in Somalia is no exception to this trend.  Women fleeing their homes in Somalia are telling stories of being raped as they travel, and women in refugee camps are often subjected to sexual violence.  The International Rescue Committee reports that "the IRC's operation in Dadaab saw a four-fold increase in sexual violence attacks in June, and that it doubled again in July and continued to increase in August."

We want to provide our Utah for Congo supporters with a way to send assistance to women in Somalia who are being affected by famine and gender-based violence, and so we are planning a Sister Somalia dinner party to raise money for the Elman Peace and Human Rights Center, a Somali organization founded and run by Fartun Adan, who is an experienced and tireless advocate for women in Somalia.

Here's the plan for the dinner party; it's pretty simple.
-We make dinner for you.
-You bring a donation for Sister Somalia.
-After dinner, we will have a skype conversation with Lisa Shannon, the activist/writer who wrote A Thousand Sisters and founded Run for Congo Women.  This is a great chance for us to talk to Lisa in person and ask her questions!

Because we will be making dinner, the dinner party is by-invitation... so if you'd like an invitation with the address, you can send us an email at utahforcongo@gmail.com or contact us on our facebook page.  We'd love to have you join us!

If you can't make it that night, please consider making a donation to Sister Somalia or another organization that is on the ground in Somalia (see this link for a list of organizations).  If Andrew Adansi-Bonnha's father could spare his entire monthly salary, and if Andrew himself is willing to commit his entire summer vacation to his fundraising drive, surely each of us can do something.

Crisis in the Congo

This is a portion of a film-in-progress that discusses some of the historical and contemporary issues at play in DR Congo.  We encourage you to set aside half an hour and watch the film.  And you can learn more at congojustice.org.

If you are anywhere near Roosevelt, UT...

...then we would love to have you join us on Saturday, July 9 for an informational presentation about DR Congo. We'll be talking about Congo's history, the current situation, and what we can do to help break the silence about the crisis in Congo.

7:00-8:30 p.m.

The Cynthia Center for Fine Arts
53 N. 300 E.
Roosevelt, UT

Check out the facebook event page to RSVP and read about other critical details, like childcare and treats :) Big, big thanks to Christy Hancock for organizing and hosting the presentation!

Our Run for Congo Women SLC Slide Show:

Thank you for the photos, Jen Fauset and Chelsi Barnard Archibald.  And Lindsay Park for all the time you put into creating this slide show!

The results are in...

... and Saturday's Run for Congo Women 5K was a success!

The best news first:  We raised $3,023 to support Women for Women's Congo programs.  This is enough money to support 8 Congolese women for a year of vocational training, psychosocial support and rights training.  This is enough money to make a big difference in the lives of these women, and for their families and communities.

As I was going through the donation checks, I was amazed at the generosity I saw there.  We offer our sincerest thanks to everyone who made donations, and we hope that you feel more connected and empowered as a result of your participation.

We had 124 runners/walkers this year!  Last year there were only 35, so this represents a huge increase in just one year. 

Our fastest runner of the day was Jesse Ward.  Congratulations to Jesse and all of our other winners, and congratulations to all those who completed the 5K!

Pictures of the event will be coming soon, thanks to our talented photographer Jen Fauset.

One more thank-you to our fantastic sponsors: U of U Women's Resource Center, Basa Body, Cafe Rio, Carino's, Mandarin Boards, Jason's Deli, and other businesses and individuals.  We couldn't have pulled it off without you.

Just so you know, Saturday's raffle...

... is going to be awesome. 


For $1-$3, you can buy raffle tickets and enter into drawings for the following amazing prizes:

2 Nook Colors

2 $100 Visa gift cards

A bunch of Basa coconut oil lotions with t-shirts

2 Mandarin Boards

3 handmade seed pot gift sets

Handmade bracelets

$25 iTunes gift card

$30 Bed Bath & Beyond gift card

2 Utah College of Massage Therapy gift cards

Kids’ “Piggie & Gerald” books

1 copy of “Half the Sky”


Do we have great sponsors or what?!


You don't have to be a runner to enter the raffles; anyone who attends the event is eligible.  And of course 100% of the funds we get from raffle tickets will go to Women for Women International.  Spread the word!

5K Schedule

Saturday is upon us!  We have had an amazing response so far--well over 150 people have already formally registered for the 5K!  (If you haven't yet, click here to register for free.)

Here's the schedule for the day:

8:00-9:00 a.m.: Sign-in and registration.  The first 100 people to arrive will receive gift bags and t-shirts!  At the registration table, you can provide us with information about how much money you've raised, or make a personal donation in the amount that you choose.  We ask that all participants make a donation, and 100% of our proceeds will go to Women for Women International's Congo programs.

9:00 a.m.: Race begins!

*During the race we will have kids' activities available, as well as live music and an information table for you to peruse.  Visitors who are not running/walking in the 5K are welcome to remain with us on the lawn, or visit the animals on the farm.

10:15 a.m.: Fun races for kids

10:30 a.m.: Awards ceremony (with prizes awarded for the top three male and female runners, and others) and a raffle with great prizes!

Prizes and raffle items have been donated by businesses and individuals, and include gift cards to Jason's Deli, Cafe Rio, iTunes, Subway, Bed Bath & Beyond, Coldstone Creamery, the Utah College of Massage Therapy, Carino's, and Chili's.  The raffle will also include Mandarin Boards products and other handmade items that have been donated.

And of course, huge thanks to our main event sponsor: the U of U Women's Resource Center!  RoadID is also generously providing us with race-related materials.

We can't wait!  See you on Saturday!

June is Utah Refugee Month...

...which means that the month will be filled with amazing opportunities to get to know communities of refugees in Utah!  Film screenings, soccer tournaments, presentations, and parties will be held throughout the month, and the World Refugee Day celebration will be held on June 18 at Granite High School.

Join World Refugee Day on facebook and check out the online calendar for more information about all of these amazing events: 

June 1 "Utah World Refugee Day" Facebook Photo Contest Begins

June 2 Opening Ceremony & Press Conference, 12:30-2pm, press 1:15 @ International Peace Gardens Plaza (1060 S. 900 W., Salt Lake City)

June 8 Refugee Stakeholder

June 9 Global Artisans African Bead Making, 7pm @ Harriman Library (13011 S. 6000 W., Riverton)

June 9 Refugee Health Fair, 3-7pm @ Granite Peaks Learning Center
(501 E. 3900 S., Salt Lake City)

June 9 English Skills Learning Center Documentary Screening, "Rain in a Dry Land" 6pm @ Columbus Center (2531 S. 400 E. room #105, Salt Lake City)

June 10 &11 Utah State Office of Education "Equity in Action" Conference, 8-5pm @ U of U (June 10 focuses on educators, June 11 on refugee students & parents. Pre-Registration for parents required by June 1, preferred by May 23

June 10-17 Global Artisans Around the World in 7 Days @ participating restaurants in Salt Lake City and Park City

June 11 Hser Ner Moo Center‟s Cultural Celebration, 1-4pm @ Columbus Center Auditorium (2531 S. 400 E., Salt Lake City)

June 11 Run for Congo Women 5k, Reg: 8am, Race begins: 9am @ Wheeler Farm (6351 S. 900 E.) Preregister at saltlakerfcw.eventbrite.com

June 11 Soccer Tournament Begins, 8am-2pm @ (2825 S. 200 E., SSLC)

June 13 Community Dialogue: "We are all Refugees- Exploring our Pasts, Presents and Futures," 6-8pm @ Horizonte (1234 Main Street, Salt Lake City)

June 15 "Why Hire A Refugee" -Employer Panel Discussion, 1-3pm @ Metro Employment Center (720 S. 200 E., Salt Lake City)

June 16 & 17 Refugee Art Exhibit, displayed @ Visage Salon (2006 S. 900 E., Salt Lake City) & Especially for You Floral (209 E. Broadway, Salt Lake City)

June 17 Women of the World Fashion Show, location TBA

June 17 Visage Salon Refugee Donation Drive and Fundraiser, 6-9pm @ Visage Salon (2006 S. 900 E., donations will also be accepted June 18 from 9 am- noon)

June 18 World Refugee Day, 12-6pm @ Granite High School (3305 S. 500 E.)
& Soccer Tournament, 9am-3:30pm @ Granite High School

June 20 Catholic Community Services (CCS) "Refugees in Utah: The Real Story,"
4:30-6pm @ CCS (745 E. 300 S., Salt Lake City)

June 20 Community Dialogue: "We are all Refugees- Exploring our Pasts, Presents and Futures," 6-8pm @ Horizonte (1234 Main Street, Salt Lake City)

June 22 Spy Hop Youth Films screenings, 7-8pm @ Main Library Auditorium
(210 E. 400 S., Salt Lake City)

June 24 Creating Professional Pathways- Refugee Job Fair, 9-4pm @ Horizonte (1234 Main Street, invitation only, contact fmaxfie@utah.gov)

June 25 Youth Day of Service, 12-1:30pm @ Utah Food Bank (3150 S. 900 W., Salt Lake City)

June 25 Rwandese Community Cultural Event, 4-9pm @ Horizonte Cafeteria (1234 Main Street, Salt Lake City)

June 27 Community Dialogue: "We are all Refugees- Exploring our Pasts, Presents and Futures," 6-8pm @ Horizonte (1234 Main Street, Salt Lake city)

June 28 International Rescue Committee and Bhutanese Community‟s Cultural Event,
6:30pm @ Horizonte Auditorium (1234 Main Street, Salt Lake City)

June 30 Facebook Photo Contest Closed, Winner announced July 1 Community Town Hall Meeting, 6-8pm @ Horizonte Lecture Hall (1234 Main Street, Salt Lake City)

Team Hope and the Ogden Marathon

This weekend is the Ogden Marathon, and Run for Congo Women advocates will be there!  Several people (including me and my husband) will be running the marathon to raise awareness and funds for victims of the Congo crisis.  If you'd like to make a cash donation in support and solidarity with the marathoners, you can do so on the Team Hope website.  And in the meantime, wish us luck!

This Week in Congo:

It's been a busy week for the Congo advocacy movement in the U.S.  A much-anticipated study is being released in the Journal of Public Health that finds that rape statistics in DR Congo are 26 times higher than those that have been previously reported.  The new statistics:  1,150 women raped every day.  That comes out to 4 women raped every 5 minutes.  We are talking about 2 million people here.  The report got tons of media attention this week, and it seems that many people are reading the articles and seeing just how widespread this particular human rights violation is within the Congo conflict.  You can read articles about the study here, here, and here, and in a number of other news outlets.


Then, on May 12, a letter signed by 77 organizations was sent to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.  Take a minute to read the letter if you can; it outlines specific steps that the U.S. government should take in order to "bolster and better coordinate U.S. diplomacy and assistance in the Democratic Republic of Congo in order to help avert a further deterioration of the situation there."  One of the key points of the document revolves around appointing a Special Envoy to the Great Lakes region of Africa, who would report directly to the Secretary of State as they craft and implement American policy in DR Congo.


This week online activists will be participating in a virtual protest on facebook, expressing their support for the appointment of a Special Envoy to DR Congo.  You can join in!  All you have to do is "like" the Special Envoy Now facebook page, then download some photos of yourself (and your family and friends) holding protest signs.


And... remember that we are less than a month away from the 5K!  We already have three times as many people registered as we had last year, but if you haven't registered yet, here's the link.  We are looking forward to seeing you.

Presentation this Saturday, May 7, in SLC! Bring your friends!

The deadliest conflict of our generation is happening right now, in

DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO:

·       7 million people killed

·       3 million people raped

·       Systemic violence and insecurity

Join us for a presentation by Missy Lambert and Utah for Congo

to learn more about the conflict in DR Congo: Its historical roots,

the current situation, and what you can do.

Saturday, May 7

At 6:30 p.m.

Free Speech Zone

411 S. 800 E. (Salt Lake City)

Lots of good news today...

GLOBALLY,
Last night the FY2011 budget compromise passed through the U.S. Senate, and I'm happy/relieved to report that nearly all of the funding for international humanitarian aid programs remained intact.  This is great news for people around the world who are helped by these initiatives.  Thanks to everyone who signed petitions, wrote letters, and made phone calls expressing your support for international aid.

NATIONALLY,
The California State Senate passed statewide conflict-free regulations!  Under the new legislation, state agencies would be barred from contracting with businesses that aren't making efforts to comply with the new Dodd-Frank legislation that passed last year.  Not only is this an important legislative landmark, but it's also a sign that awareness of the Congo conflict is spreading across the country.  As more people become aware of the crisis, we can expect to see more grassroots movements, legislative action, and commitment to the cause.  This awareness is so critical.  I think of something Nicholas Kristof wrote in an op-ed last year:

"An ugly paradox of the 21st century is that some of our elegant symbols of modernity — smartphones, laptops and digital cameras — are built from minerals that seem to be fueling mass slaughter and rape in Congo. With throngs waiting in lines in the last few days to buy the latest iPhone, I’m thinking: What if we could harness that desperation for new technologies to the desperate need to curb the killing in central Africa?"

LOCALLY,
Preparations for our June 11 5K are rolling along!  We now have printed large posters that we are ready to start distributing around the Salt Lake area.  Would you like to put up a poster or two (or 3, or 10) for us?  Leave a comment or contact us on our facebook page and we can make arrangements to get posters to you.  We also need help contacting local businesses about in-kind donations for our prizes and our raffle items.  If you would like to donate something or help  us contact businesses, let us know.

Thanks, everyone, for your support!

Sign a Petition for Congo

It is a critical time for DR Congo and people around the world who are suffering from the effects of poverty, conflicts, and natural disasters.

Right now the U.S. legislature is threatening to make devastating cuts in international aid, slashing emergency assistance as well as programs that fight AIDS, malaria, and global hunger. Proponents of the cuts claim that they are designed to reduce the deficit, but these cuts deal with such a small proportion of the budget that they won't even make a dent. Studies show that most Americans believe that 25 percent of our national budget goes to international aid--but in reality, it's less than 1 percent of our budget.

Sign this Oxfam petition to let your representatives know that you won't tolerate these cuts, which are purely symbolic in terms of deficit reduction but that have real, tragic, devastating impacts on the lives of impoverished people around the world.

And while you're getting your petition on, check out this Change.org petition that asks President Obama and Secretary Clinton to appoint a Special Envoy to the Great Lakes region in Africa. The mass atrocities aren't showing any signs of slowing down in DR Congo, and the United States needs to step up our international leadership as we seek to understand and respond to the conflict as a global community.

Women's Day 2011...

...was over a month ago, but I really love this video of some of the bridge events held around the world.

5K Planning Meeting, this week!

The 5K is approaching!  Have you registered yet?  At our event registration site, you can register for free and we will send you information about fundraising.  Tell your friends!

If you are interested in helping with the planning of the 5K, we would love to have you on our team.  We'll be meeting this Saturday (March 26) at 2:00 p.m. in Murray.  If you'd like to come, just leave a comment with your e-mail address and I will send you the address for the meeting.  If you want to help but you don't have a ton of time to spare, come anyway!  We could use help with lots of little things, so it doesn't have to be a huge time commitment.

If you have connections to local businesses that would like to help sponsor the event (or make donations of items or gift cards, that we can give out as prizes or raffle items), please get in touch with us.  We would love to let our participants know that you are a socially-conscious and community-oriented organization.

Photos: Join Me on the Bridge: Stansbury Park

Check out these great photos from the group that met on a bridge in Stansbury Park for International Women's Day!

The final count is in: Last week, on March 8, people gathered on 464 bridges in over 70 countries around the world to celebrate women and speak out for peace.  Thanks to everyone who joined us here in Utah!

Photos: Join Me on the Bridge: Murray

Today was International Women's Day.  Sadly (and I don't know why), we don't really celebrate this holiday in the United States.  When I lived in Russia I got flowers and chocolates from all my students; when I lived in Brazil people wished me happy women's day all day long on March 8.  Although none of this happened today, I was able to celebrate International Women's Day in a different way today...

Utah for Congo wanted to join in the worldwide Join Me on the Bridge campaign, to gather in solidarity and express our hopes for peace and justice and global gender equality.  Today thousands of people gathered on hundreds of bridges, all over the world--and a few of us here in Utah were on bridges, too.  Thanks to everyone who joined us, and thank you to Meili Ware for taking these great photos of our Murray gathering!

"What would happen if one woman told the truth about her life?

The world would split open."

(Muriel Rukeyser)

Photos: Yoga for Congo Women: Salt Lake

Jen Fauset was our photographer for the Yoga for Congo Women event in Salt Lake last weekend.  Her lovely photos really capture the essence of the experience!  Jen and Ann both already posted photo-essays with Jen's pictures, so rather than reposting them here, I'll just send you over to their blogs to view the photos:

Ann Richmond: "Awe"

Jen Fauset: "One Woman Can Change Anything"

Also, our Salt Lake sponsor, Buzz Foto, has posted some of the photos on their website; click here to see them!

Photos: Yoga for Congo Women: Logan

Our evening Yoga for Congo Women event was held at the Whittier Center in Logan.  To be honest, I was expecting a smallish turnout--so I was thrilled when nearly 30 people attended!  Here are some photos of the session, courtesy of the wonderfully generous Trisha Hawes:

Tomorrow! + Giveaways!

Yoga is tomorrow!  Are you going?

I wanted to let everybody know that we will be doing several giveaways for participants at both yoga events.  Ann Richmond is generously bringing some little treats for the participants, and we will also be doing a drawing for prizes.  The drawings will be held before the sessions start (at 10 a.m. and 7 p.m.), so arrive early if you want your name to be entered into the drawing.  You could win:

**A beautiful lotion, soap, or beauty product made by Basa Body and manufactured from sustainably-produced, fair-trade coconut oil from Kenya (donated by Basa).

**One of several copies of the book "Half the Sky" by Nicholas Kristof and Cheryl WuDunn (donated by Lindsay Park).


**In Logan we will also have a Mandarin Board donated by Leslie Judd (www.mandarinboards.etsy.com)

You can arrive up to half an hour before the yoga sessions begin.  In addition to getting your name entered into the drawing, during that time you will be able to:

**Peruse and purchase beautiful products that are handmade by refugees from Congo, Sudan, Nepal and other countries (so bring some extra money!)

**Purchase Run for Congo Women t-shirts for just $5 (which will be perfect for you to wear as you train for the June 5K!)

**Take a look at our "book recommendation" library and note down the ones that you're interested in getting for yourself.

**Learn about upcoming advocacy events and share with us your ideas for future events.

See you tomorrow!

Yoga for Congo Women, and Your Questions:

Yoga's in just over a week, y'all!  Saturday, February 26.  Details to the right --->.

Be there or be square.

As I've been telling people about the yoga events, I've heard a few questions over and over again.  You may be wondering about similar things, so I thought I'd address them here.

FAQs:

Q: How much does it cost?
A: How much do you want it to cost?  Please bring a donation (cash or check), and remember that karma loves generosity.

Q: What's the money going to?
A: We've gotten all of our expenses covered by sponsors and donors, so 100% of the donations made at the yoga events will go to Women for Women International.  Women for Women offers the opportunity for women in war and post-war areas to enroll in year-long programs where they receive vocational training, rights training, psychosocial support, and financial assistance.  All of our donations will go directly to WFW's Congo programs, so that Congolese survivors of violence and rape can be involved with supportive communities and receive assistance in rebuilding whatever has been broken for them.

Q: I've never done yoga before.  Can I still come?  (What I'm really saying is: Am I going to look stupid?)
A: Yes, you can still come, and no, you are not going to look stupid.  If your prior experience with yoga is watching movies where people are all sweaty and competitive and twisted into pretzel-like shapes, then I can assure you that this will NOT be like that.  Ours will be an atmosphere of solidarity, supportiveness, warmth, community, and engagement.  Ann Richmond, our instructor, will be leading a basic class suitable for both beginners and those with yoga experience.

Q: What should I bring?
A: Yourself.  A friend.  A spouse.  A family member.  If you have a yoga mat, please bring it, but if you don't have one, don't worry about it--there will be some donated mats available for you to use.

Q: A spouse?  So can men come, too?
A: Of course!

Q: What about kids?
A: Depends on how old they are.  Just keep in mind that we will be talking about the conflict in Congo (and a critical component of the conflict is systematic sexual violence), and also keep in mind that we hope to achieve a very peaceful, calm environment.  (But we do believe that activism is a family affair, so our June 5K will be outdoors and family-friendly!)

Q: What should I wear?
Something comfortable.  Loose-fitting clothing.  Be comfortable.

Q: What time should I show up?
A: Yoga will start promptly (at 10 a.m. in Murray; at 7 p.m. in Logan), so we will begin registration 30 minutes before.  Please arrive during that half-hour registration period so that we can get started right on time.  There will be reading materials, fair-trade items for sale, and a few cool surprises for those who come early.  And of course we will keep things quiet so that you can sit on your mat and meditate for awhile (if that's your style) before yoga begins.

Q: Look at me.  Do I look like someone who does yoga?
A: Yes.  You sure do.

And to get you excited, go look at these photos from last year's Denver event.  Namaste, and we'll see you next week!

And now, a word for our sponsors...

Yoga for Congo Women is really coming together; it is going to be a terrific event.  (February 26--it's already on your calendar, right?)  I want to let you know about the sponsors who are helping us make it a success.

* Ann Richmond, the organizer of the original Yoga for Congo Women in Denver and yogi extraordinaire, is coming to Utah on her own dime to lead the two yoga classes.  Salt Lake in the morning, Logan in the evening, and we can't thank her enough for her dedication.

* Buzz Foto and Basa Body generously donated the venue fees for our Salt Lake and Logan events, respectively.

* Aramark is donating t-shirts with our in-progress Utah for Congo logos on them.  We should have enough shirts that everyone who attends Yoga or the 5K will get one for free!  (Of course, if you'd like to donate a little extra to Women for Women in exchange for the shirt, we won't complain.)

* The Yoga Center is lending us yoga mats for the Salt Lake event, and Whittier Center Yoga is allowing us to use their mats in Logan.

* I'm also thrilled to announce that Basa Body donated some of their wonderful fair-trade beauty products that are sustainably-produced by Kenyan women.  We'll be giving these products away as door prizes, so get up and come do Yoga with us... You might get lucky and go home with some chocolate-scented soap or a stick of coconut balm!

If your business or organization would like to collaborate with us for our Yoga or 5K events, please leave a comment and we will get in touch with you!  Thank you!

Excited about Yoga...

These fantastic press releases were designed by Lindsay P.  The blue one contains the information about our Salt Lake Yoga for Congo Women event; the orange one has the information for our Logan event.  Both events will be on Saturday, February 26.  Registration begins at the times noted on the press releases; the classes will begin half an hour later.

We're looking forward to seeing you there!  The yoga classes will be facilitated by Ann Richmond, who organized the Yoga for Congo Women event in Denver last summer, and she has planned a class that will be suitable for beginners and those with more yoga experience.  Don't be intimidated if you've never done yoga before; you will find a warm and supportive environment focused on generating solidarity and compassion.  Don't forget your donation for Women for Women International; we'll be sending all our good vibes out into the universe, but let's send out some practical cash along with them!

Calling all activists!

Welcome to our new Utah for Congo blog!  

Here's why we're mad:

Over the past decade, nearly 7 million people have been killed in Democratic Republic of the Congo because of war and conflict.  That makes it the most deadly conflict of our generation, the deadliest since World War II.  Half of these deaths are children under the age of five.

One of the most horrific elements of the conflict is the habitual use of sexual violence and rape to terrorize women and children and destroy communities.  The sexual violence is characterized by its unspeakable brutality and by the pain and destruction left in its wake.  Figures are hard to come by, but a soon-to-be-released study suggests that the number of people raped over the past decade comes close to 3 million.  

What haunts us is the fact that each of us is complicit in the continuation of this conflict.  Violent groups are fighting for control of natural resources like gold, tungsten, tin and tantalum: Resources that tech companies use to manufacture the electronics equipment (like computers and cell phones) that Americans use.  So every time we use our mobile phones, which are filled with these conflict minerals, we are part of the problem.

So let's be part of the solution.

Right here in Utah, we have several upcoming events to raise awareness about the conflict as well as funds to help survivors.  See the sidebar of the blog for information about our upcoming Yoga for Congo Women events in Salt Lake and Logan, and our second-annual Run for Congo Women 5K Walk/Run in Salt Lake.  The events are open to the public; all we ask is that you bring a donation and participate with us.  If you'd like to assist in planning these events, or if you know a business that would like to help sponsor them, please leave a comment letting us know how we can get in touch with you.

100 percent of event proceeds will go to Women for Women International, an organization that provides psychosocial support, job training, and resources to women who have survived the horrors of rape and war.


Please join us.  Let's create a community of Congo activists in Utah; let's make our voices heard.