Water scarcity, women's empowerment, and giving thanks.

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. I love it so much that I intentionally celebrate Thanksgiving for the entire month of November. As often as possible I gather with people I love, eat entirely too much carb filled, delicious food, nap, chat, and give thanks. If it were up to me, we would celebrate thanksgiving year round. I understand I come from a place of privilege, rather than take this for granted, I try to appreciate what I have and be part of solutions.

This weekend I spent time catching up on the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting. WEF gathers world leaders in government, business, and nonprofits together annually in Davos. While they had sessions on several interesting and important global issues, the two that I followed most were on water and women. A few highlights and moments of thanks

Water scarcity is something I've always known about, but had a chance to see first hand in Sierra Leone in 2012. After bucket bathing and only being able to drink bottled water for 2 weeks, I became very conscious of the incredible privilege of warm showers and drinkable tap water. Matt Damon uses his celebrity status and spotlight to bring attention to our global water scarcity through co-founding water.org - a few things that struck me:

Dripping taps in rich countries lose more water than is available each day to more than 1 billion people.

More people have a mobile than a toilet. 

"Access to water isn’t an end in itself. Access to water is access to education, access to work, access—above all—to the kind of future we want for our own families, and all the members of our human family." Matt Damon 

So in addition to being thankful for tap water and plumbing, I'm going to figure out a way to be part of the solution. Likely through involvement with Global Shapers. Stay tuned.

Glass ceilings, gender inequality, and societal gender roles have been constricting factors for women around the world for far too long. I've never particularly loved the term "feminism" but if defined as: the belief that men and women should have equal rights and opportunities, than yes, I am a feminist. And this weekend, I was virtually participating with some of the most audacious, passionate women around the world in a global conversation about the gender gap.

"When you invest in a girl's education, she feeds herself, her children, her community & her nation" Erna Solberg, Prime Minister of Norway

The US is ranked 23rd on the Global Gender Gap Index (#1 is highest equality for women)

There is a full 397 page annual report on the Global Gender Gap that I will be reading on my many upcoming flights. I know there is certainly work to do in the US on gender equality, but being 23rd made me realize my privilege once again. Sierra Leone wasn't even ranked, but Morocco where I will be in three short months is ranked 129th. I'm going on a Stretch Expedition for a week to care, share, and teach with an emphasis on women's empowerment. It'll be eye opening for sure. 

Women's leadership has been and continues to be a passion of mine. I formerly sat on the board of Leaders of Today and Tomorrow and while I still support their efforts, I can't be as involved due to my travels. I continue to look for ways to collaborate with, mentor, and learn from incredible women to be actively involved in a solution to this global issue.

There is so much to do, so little time. Systemic change requires global collaboration, but there are several ways to make a local and immediate impact. I go back to my favorite quote: "Don't ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive and then go do that. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive." --Howard Thurman


Come alive. Find your passion. Be part of a solution. Give thanks.