It is with sadness and anguish that I am writing a tribute in the wake of the sudden and tragic death of a man who meant so much to me, Michael Johns. I can't even begin to think about what his wife, family, and friends are feeling right now. They have my deepest condolences, love, and prayers. Michael was a gorgeous …
Beloved American literary figure Maya Angelou has passed away at the age of 86 at her home in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Dr. Maya Angelou was one of the most influential voices of our generation. As a teacher, a speaker, an activist, and a survivor, she was a warrior for civil equality. As a writer and a multi-faceted …
The world has lost one of its finest leaders. Nelson Mandela, the South African anti-apartheid activist who spent 27 years in imprisonment, led his country to democracy, and served as its first elected black president, passed away at the age of 95 on December 5th. In his long-lived life, the influential human rights advocate was …
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=moSFlvxnbgk I was inspired to write about Disney's Frozen after reading my friend Megan's blog - where she talks about how she sees Queen Elsa's storyline as an insight into inner struggles, and, even deeper than that, into the realities of mental illness and depression - and I definitely agree with her perspective! Elsa can …
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c0KYU2j0TM4 In Susan Cain's TED Talk, she advocates for those people who are often not heard from - the introverts. In a culture where the personality traits of being social and outgoing are prized above all else, it can be difficult, even shameful, to proudly identity oneself as an introvert. But, as Cain passionately argues …
I am heartbroken over the death of Cory Monteith. My thoughts, prayers, and love go out to his family, his friends, his fans, and everyone who is affected by this tremendous loss. Like most, I was introduced to Cory through Glee and instantly connected to his character of Finn Hudson, a young man who was …
"If I'm going to sing like someone else, then I don't need to sing at all." - Billie Holiday The timeless and instantly-recognizable Billie Holiday's insights go beyond singing; it's applicable to putting your own stamp on whatever it is that you do. When we start out fresh in any field - whether it's a …
It’s graduation season! As students celebrate the end of their studies and get ready to move on to the next phase of their lives, it’s time to reflect back on memories made during their university experience. After six years at Simon Fraser University, I have quite the rich collection to draw from. Throughout the good …
Vulnerability is a topic we tend to avoid talking about, but it is so crucial to our existence. In a TED Talk on "The Power of Vulnerability" and an article on "Vulnerability and Inspired Leadership", Brené Brown discusses how vulnerability is commonly seen to be synonymous with weakness. We shield ourselves from the discomfort of vulnerability (and …
The theme of this year's YWiB SFU International Women's Day Conference was 'Gaining Momentum', which I found to be optimal since that is exactly what I will be focusing on in the next life phase I'm heading towards! There was a poster board in the lobby where all of the attendees could post paper butterflies containing …
