Ok here are some of my favorites!!!<\/p>\n
I also found this list from the United States Department of Labor<\/a> that lists countries and what goods are being made by child labor and forced labor. \u00a0You can find companies who only get these goods from fair trade companies or just not buy these products to help reduce child and slave labor. \u00a0The best thing you can do is buy less, reuse more and recycle as well! \u00a0Buying less and buying from thrift stores also keep clothing out of our landfills. Another organization I am involved in donating to is the International Rescue Committee<\/a>. \u00a0They have local chapters in many cities, including Salt Lake City. \u00a0Right now you can fill out this form<\/a> to oppose Trump’s ban on refugees. \u00a0It literally take 30 seconds. \u00a0There are many things you can do for your local IRC, including monthly donations, volunteering your time, give gifts<\/a>\u00a0and much more! \u00a0“The IRC and its partner organizations have responded by rapidly delivering vital lifesaving aid to these crisis areas. In 2015, 23 million people in more than 40 countries and 26 U.S. cities benefited from IRC programs that help restore health, safety, education and economic well-being to those devastated by conflict and disaster.”<\/p>\n I also donate to the LDS Humanitarian Fund<\/a>. \u00a0One hundred percent of every dollar donated is used to help those in need without regard to race, religion, or ethnic origin. \u00a0Love this quote by Dieter F. Uchtdorf<\/a>, a former refugee: One very important\u00a0<\/strong>piece of legislation that needs to get passed ASAP is the Adoption Citizenship Act<\/a>. \u00a0Here is a little about what is going on with that: Are you still reading?!? \u00a0Just a few more!!!<\/p>\n This last year I got quite involved in the Black Live Matter<\/a> movement. \u00a0Now before you stop reading, let me clarify\u00a0a couple of things that always<\/em> come up. I want to end on LOVE. \u00a0 If we are looking for ways to love our fellow human beings, you really will change your world. \u00a0Everyone deserves to feel loved and of worth. \u00a0Quentin L Cook said,\u00a0\u201cAs a Church (LDS\/Mormon) nobody should be more loving and compassionate. \u2026 Let us be at the forefront in terms of expressing love, compassion, and outreach. Let\u2019s not have families exclude or be disrespectful of those who choose a different lifestyle as a result of their feelings about their own gender.\u201d \u00a0Some organizations that are doing great things in Utah to offer support for the LGBTQ community and their family and friends is Mama Dragons.<\/a> \u00a0This group of moms who celebrate, educate, protect and provide the love and support families in the LGBTQ community need to survive and thrive. \u00a0This Christmas my cul-de-sac donated to the Ogden Outreach Resource Center<\/a> which\u00a0is a non-profit collection of youth resource centers dedicated to transforming communities and saving lives through comprehensive programming, community advocacy, and training designed to promote positive outcomes for\u00a0the LGBTQ community. \u00a0They have drop centers from Logan to Clearfield and provide housing and services to teens that have no where to go. \u00a0They are always in need of supplies like women’s sanitary items, food, clothing and other basic needs as many of these teens are homeless or come in with not much besides what they can carry. \u00a0We were able to donate some DVD’s and board games and they told us they love home cooked food\/treats! \u00a0You can also volunteer your time at these centers as well!<\/p>\n If you have made it to the bottom of this, THANK YOU!!! \u00a0I realize there are SO many causes out there that you can go and spend your time and money on, these are just a few that are close to my heart! \u00a0I’d love to hear about your favorites! \u00a0 Comment below!!<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/terracooper.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/womens-rights-advocate-1024x1024.jpg\")
\n<\/a>One of the first organizations I got really involved in was one I heard about on Oprah, Women for Women International<\/a>. \u00a0The above picture is a letter and photo of one of the sisters I sponsored in Nigeria. \u00a0I also through the years was able to sponsor women in Rwanda, Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Bosnia. \u00a0I love this organization because you are able to sponsor a woman for a year and they are given education, job skills, therapy and group support which in turn, goes out to their communities. \u00a0 \u00a0Women learn how to manage their health, including reproductive health and stress management, and the importance of good hygiene and nutrition for their families.\u00a0They are connected with local healthcare providers. \u00a0Here is an info graph of what they do:
\n![\"women](\"https:\/\/terracooper.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/wfwi-program-framework-visual-2.jpg\")
<\/a>
\nI love this African Proverb and is really why I believe so strongly in how this organization is set up:
\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/terracooper.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/educate-a-woman-1-1024x1024.jpg\")
<\/a>
\n<\/a>Women for Women is on Amazon Smile<\/a>, so anytime you use Amazon, some of the proceeds can go to them.\u00a0 They also sell Fair Trade items made by women in the program here<\/a>.
\nWomen’s rights are Human Rights. \u00a0These include access to education, healthcare, access to birth control, clean food and water, access to mental health services, the right to vote, the importance of civic participation and negotiation, and learning job skills to name a few. \u00a0These are rights we should all be fighting for for all people around the world. \u00a0 They also train men to become allies and teach them the importance of empowering women and girls.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/terracooper.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/sexual-assault-justice-advocate-1024x1024.jpg\")
\n<\/a>A cause that goes right along with \u00a0Women’s Rights is Ending Sexual Slavery and getting Justice for Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Survivors. \u00a0These are things that happen more to women and girls, but we cannot forget it happens to men and boys as well. \u00a0One of my favorite organizations is the Polaris Project.\u00a0 Some documentaries I would recommend that you watch on sex trafficking\/sexual assault are:\u00a0Testimony<\/a>, The Hunting Ground<\/a>, Finding Home<\/a>, Daughters of Mother India<\/a>, and Tricked<\/a>. \u00a0If you have been sexually assaulted, you can call the RAINN <\/a>confidential line at 1-800-656-HOPE.<\/p>\n![\"fair](\"https:\/\/terracooper.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/fair-trade-advocate-1024x1024.jpg\")
\n<\/a>After watching The True Cost<\/a> and Poverty Inc<\/a>\u00a0I knew I needed to change how I shopped, especially for clothes. \u00a0One of my favorite organizations I found through Poverty Inc is Papillon Enterprise<\/a>. \u00a0Their motto is Orphan Prevention through Job Creation. \u00a0More than 80% of all “orphans” in Haiti actually have living parents. \u00a0This organization gives the parents jobs so they are able to care for their children and not put them in an orphanage to get basic needs and education. \u00a0I bought the shirt and necklace above on their site and LOVE them! \u00a0Another great place to shop is at Ten Thousand Villages<\/a>. \u00a0“From communities throughout the developing world, every inspired design is crafted with love using local materials (usually natural or recycled) and time-honored skills<\/span> by makers we have known and worked with for years. \u00a0Every purchase improves the lives of makers by supporting their craft and providing a fair, stable income.” \u00a0You can shop online and some cities have stores! \u00a0I bought some really great things at the one in San Antonio a few weeks ago.
\n![\"goods](\"https:\/\/terracooper.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/TheListInNumbers-1024x663.jpg\")
<\/a>
\nI created a Facebook group that has some great Fair Trade companies for clothing that you can order from and support businesses with ethical work practices. \u00a0If you want to join, click here<\/a>. \u00a0Sadly there aren’t many children’s clothings sites I could find, so if you know of some great ones, please leave the links in the comments below!
\n![\"ending](\"https:\/\/terracooper.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/WhatCanYouDo-791x1024.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n
\n![\"humanwire](\"https:\/\/terracooper.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/refugee-advocate-1024x1024.jpg\")
<\/a>
\nThis last year has been one where I have felt so helpless with the refugee crisis that has been going on for years in Syria.\u00a0 I found a non-profit that was doing some amazing things-then sadly, it went away.\u00a0 Make sure to stay vigilant checking on any non-profit that you donate to.\u00a0 Check their financials.\u00a0 Make sure your money is going where it should.<\/p>\n
\n![\"dieter](\"https:\/\/terracooper.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/dieter-uchtdorf-refugee-quote-1024x1024.jpg\")
\n<\/a>Another great local organization in Utah to help out our local refugees is the Refugee and Immigrant Center<\/a> in Salt Lake. \u00a0They are always looking for volunteers and donations. \u00a0The non-profit I chair, United for Adoption, did a diaper and wipe drive for them. \u00a0Some of our local refugee families were using just one diaper a day since WIC doesn’t include diapers. \u00a0A really great resource you can use to get to know more about immediate issues, who to call (your reps) and even what to say is 5 Calls<\/a>. \u00a0Seriously such a time saver!!!<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/terracooper.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/infant-loss-advocate-1024x1024.jpg\")
\n<\/a>For three years I volunteered in the hospitals taking picture of stillborn babies for their families. \u00a0Sometimes I am still able to provide this service and although it is really hard, it is something I am passionate about as these are the only images they will have of their sweet babies. \u00a0One in four pregnancies end in miscarriage, stillbirth, or infant\u00a0loss. \u00a0It is a subject that more women need to be able to talk about and I am so happy that to me it seems like over the last few years, this topic has become less taboo. \u00a0When you feel like you aren’t alone and have support systems through this tragic time, it helps so much. \u00a0One of my favorite local organizations that I was able to work along side is Utah Share.<\/a><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/terracooper.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/stillbirth-advocate-1024x1024.jpg\")
\n<\/a>\u00a0This organization is ran completely by volunteers who have all experienced the loss of their child. \u00a0They go to the local hospitals at all hours of the day and night and do footprints, handprints and molds for these families. \u00a0They provided memory boxes, clothing, keepsakes and support groups. \u00a0They are always in need of donations for their supplies they provide for these families as well as donations like blankets, clothing, and diapers that are made to fit even the tiniest of babies. \u00a0If you don’t have a Share organization<\/a> near you, you can contact your local hospital and ask them what they need for their bereavement kits for these babies. \u00a0Another great organization to look into is NICU Helping Hands<\/a>. \u00a0As a former NICU mom, the NICU has a special place in my heart. \u00a0They do a program called The Angel Gown Program where they sew former wedding gowns into burial clothing for these angel babies. \u00a0So many losses happen early and there isn’t any clothing that can fit these little babies, so this is a great service you can provide if you can sew!
\n![\"adoption](\"https:\/\/terracooper.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/adoption-advocate2-1024x1024.jpg\")
<\/a>
\nAnother issue very close to my heart as an adoptive mom is Adoption Advocacy and Education. \u00a0I am the Chair of United for Adoption<\/a>. \u00a0UFA is an organization comprised of adoptive couples, birth parents, adoption professionals, and others who support the ethical practice of adoption. Together, UFA members work diligently to strengthen and promote the institution of adoption. \u00a0I love to try to educate as much as I can on this subject because much of the media on it is not realistic. \u00a0Birth parents are often portrayed in negative lights and that is far from the truth! \u00a0I did a series on Adoption dot com that helps you get to know real life birth mothers-check it out<\/a>! \u00a0I also advocate for ethical adoption practices, especially with adoption laws and agencies. \u00a0Some things you can do if you are a birth parent, adoptee or adoptive parent is volunteer in your local high school health\/adult roles class and tell them your adoption story. \u00a0You can also speak on panels with adoption agencies or even through UFA. \u00a0Sharing your story is a great way to educate others on the realities and complexities of adoption.<\/p>\n
\n![\"adoption](\"https:\/\/terracooper.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/ALDC-Infographic6-587x1024.jpg\")
<\/a>
\nPlease contact your local representative RIGHT NOW and please let them know this needs to be passed ASAP so people like Adam Crasper<\/a> don’t get deported because of a technicality in their adoption.<\/p>\n![\"black](\"https:\/\/terracooper.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/blm-advocate-1024x1024.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n
\nThis is NOT\u00a0an anti-police movement.<\/strong> \u00a0I am part of the Community Advisory Board for Salt Lake City which is a group of citizens, police officers and city officials that work together on this issue. \u00a0I love what our SLCPD is doing \u00a0under the direction of Chief Mike Brown and\u00a0Mayor Jackie Biskupski. \u00a0They have hired one of my favorite people ever, Dr. David Parker, as a consultant with the department who is also an educator and Transformational Culture Consultant AND a children’s author<\/a>! \u00a0He does implicit bias trainings with the police department and has even done training for Trans Racial Adoption for UFA and really is amazing! \u00a0Attending these meetings has been great because I get to see first hand how our police and citizens are working together to bridge the divide. \u00a0I would highly recommend contacting your local police department or city to see what you can do to help. \u00a0I realize that there are a lot of negative things posted in the media about this movement, but I would suggest you go to your local police and see what is really happening and what they are doing to get more deescalation and implicit biased trainings. \u00a0You can also go to educational classes through the police departments to learn more about their job and what to do in situations.
\nPlease don’t say<\/strong> ALL LIVES MATTER<\/strong>. \u00a0There are so many reasons why this statement is hurtful and counterproductive to healing the divide. \u00a0I made this checklist a while ago to help you see how far we all need to come before we really can say All Lives Matter. \u00a0We must show by our actions, our purchases and our words that we truly value all life equally before we can truly say that phrase.
\n![\"all](\"https:\/\/terracooper.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/16389272_10154863289317088_1839020451_o.jpg\")
<\/a>
\nThis checklist is also just a great resource of other issues that you can look into advocating for! \u00a0 Some things I would highly recommend watching are:
\nWhat Does it Mean to Be White<\/a> (also available as a more comprehensive book here<\/a>).
\nPretty much anything from Jane Elliot like this clip<\/a>, or any of her Angry Eye experiments like this one from Oprah<\/a>.
\nTim Wise is also an excellent resource. \u00a0A great book is White Like Me<\/a>, or some of his lectures like this one<\/a>\u00a0or this one<\/a>.
\nThese are really just the tip of the iceberg, but it will give you a good start on learning how to be a better ally.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/terracooper.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/healthy-food-advocate-1024x1024.jpg\")
\n<\/a>Watching Food Inc<\/a>\u00a0a few years ago really changed the way I buy food. \u00a0This is something easy that you can do every time you shop! \u00a0As much as possible, buy organic, Non-GMO food and support your local farmers. \u00a0You vote with your dollar, so make sure what you buy not only supports your local farmers, but is healthy for you and your family! \u00a0You can also go and sign the petition to repeal the Monsanto Protection Act<\/a>. \u00a0This company drives local farmers out and controls our food. \u00a0Many countries around the world have banned this company\u00a0and in Hungary, they even destroyed all Monsanto corn fields<\/a>.<\/p>\n![\"love](\"https:\/\/terracooper.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/love-advocate-1024x1024.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n
![\"#goanddo\"](\"https:\/\/terracooper.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/go-and-do-1024x1024.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"![\n<\/a>Women for Women is on](\"https:\/\/terracooper.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/educate-a-woman.jpg\"){kind=link}