CASA

The Court Appointed Special Advocate center of El Paso is one of the best charities standing in El Paso. There are thousands of orphans in the neighboring area that are waiting to find a home, and that is where CASA comes in. CASA trains its volunteers in many aspects. Having volunteered with them before, I worked at a book fair in Cielo Vista Mall and al proceeds went to CASA. It's main goal is to train its volunteers to go to court and represent a child and why they need to either be transferred to another orphanage where thepercentage rate of adoption is higher, or whre they can be adopted by a couple striving to better this chld's lif.

Short and Long Term Peace Commitments

Dreaming peace is something everyone has, but contributing to its worldwide existence is completely different. A short term peace commitment is to help around my commnity, I oftenly involve myself in canned food drives with my fraternity. Every weekend we have a community service event (park clean-ups, canned food drivers) but are few things we involve ourselves in. I look foward to each service, it makes me feel as if I know what im doing will help those in need in the surroinding community. A long term goal of peace is to start my own music foundation to teach guitar to kids who are underprivileged. I think that learning music at a very young age allows the creativity of the human mind to flow so much smoothly and greatly that anything can be accomplished if we just set our mind to it. Playing the guitar since I was 9 years old, I want kids all around the world to be able to escape the poverty they face and escape through the world of music.

Idea of inner peace

We sit quietly under a tree, reading a book, the breeze gently pushes up against our skin. We find comfort, we find ourselves trapped in our own thoughts. This is what I believe is inner peace. Peace is too much of a general idea, the same imagery all people see. Hippies, flowers, too much of the same thing. The idea of inner peace is the feeling of peace and comfort we get when we have no worries, are comfortable for the longest time, and know that everything is going to be fine no matter what. I personally find my inner peace while I drive home from work at 1 in the morning. Tired, sleepy and about to yell at my manager, I stumble into my car, turn on my ipod, put on my favorite song, and peacefully drive home, knowing that the day is done, I can finally sleep and rest, all I have with me are the thoughts that cloud my mind at the moment. Everyone has those moments where they find inner peace, and the journey to find them is all up to us.

Homophobic Bullying

We see it happen almost everyday, at school, at the park, almost anywhere in public, but we only continue to do it. Homophobic bullying happens each and every day. for almost no reason. The private life and sexuality of others should have no impact on how we view another human being. The video shown gives us an example of how this bullying can begin, and end. They have been persecuted for so long, but now in modern day times, homosexuals are being given rights to marry and even adopt children. Instead of bullying these people, instead we should befriend them, because not only are they humans just like us, but we may never know if a certain friend or family member may come out with the news that they are too. Would that make a huge difference in the way we viewed them if that happened? Would we stop speaking to that someone? Would we treat them differently?

Egypt

Egypt, not just a  country of pyramids and sand, but now a country of protest and violence. This uprising demonstrated by millions of protesters has an example for all those around the world that with demonstrations of civil disobedience, change will come. Displeased by its government rulings, the citizens of this country have stood up now to demand change. Its main focus includes police brutality, lack of freedom of speech, heavy corruption, high unemployment never being resolved, and low minimum wages. Strikes by labor unions further continued these great protests by upsetting not only the government, but also business owners only seeking profit for their gain. With almost 400 deaths and 6,000 wounded since its beginning (January 25, 2011) we will never know when this madness will stop. Setting an example for others across the world facing the same corruption and poverty as Egypt, we can only agree that change does not come without force.

Central Asia Institute

The Central Asia Institute (CAI) is a school where many under privileged kids are given the opportunity at an education. Watching the video made me realized how much people these days take for granted. In a village with no clean running water, with no proper health care, with no one being able to read and write, one man gave this small village the opportunity of a lifetime. The kids are educated and are even given the chance to expand their education by going to college by being given scholarships. The women are able to go to school as well and are taught the trade if sewing which will provide income for their families after they master this skill. Places like this exist all over the world, and all it takes is the thought and dedication for one person to impact so many others.

Peace Within Our Own Reach

Peace

Some say that peace might never exist, some say peace is only an arm’s reach away, I say that peace does exist and is within our grasp. Peace exists in many ways, the biggest way this exists is with the little things that come by us in our everyday life. It is only when we lose something we truly understand its important significance it had in our life. Peace exists in those small moments where we find comfort and peace. Whether it be from a hug from a loved one or a night out with those who are important in our life, peace exists in those little moments where everything just seems to come together and only a bright smile comes to our face. I personally find peace when I’m either listening to or playing. Without them in my life, I cannot find peace. Although the world may never find peace because it is plagued by war and famine, its people may find peace with those that they surround them with or in any way that may brighten them up.