Today is #DigitalSisterhood Wednesday on Twitter. It’s a weekly celebration that I host to honor women in social media. It always energizes me and leaves me feeling proud to be a woman who uses her digital voice to honor, connect with, and build community with a diverse group of social media women. Many of these women keep me informed, inspired, and encouraged.
Last week was a hard one. I had difficulty watching and reading the attacks against President Barack H. Obama. I took it personal. I let it all get to me. I started doubting my power to affirm and support the successful 2012 re-election of President Obama. My attitude shifted when I started reading the Twitterstream of Dr. Goddess and Zerlinda Maxwell on Saturday, June 9. They were live tweeting from the Netroots Nation annual conference. One of Zerlinda’s tweets included a link to President Obama’s video message to the Netroots Nation attendees. Click here to watch it.
After watching President Obama, I started to feel hopeful. My day got better when I went to run errands in my neighborhood and met two sistafriends who gave me a mouthful of reasons why they were stepping up their support for President Obama. I came home and wrote my mission statement and a list of the ways I will support President Obama’s successful re-election campaign. See below.
My Mission Statement
As a supporter of President Barack Obama, I choose to express my support by:
- Sharing information and advocating Obama Administration policies and programs (especially the programs that support women and girls) with my fellow Americans;
- Encouraging Americans to register to vote, to learn about President Obama’s successful policies and programs, and to invest financially in the Obama campaign; and
- Investing in the Obama campaign financially each month to demonstrate my commitment to President Obama and to take ownership of the counrty I choose to live in as an American citizen.
Ways I Will Support President Obama
- Create a mini vision board in my vision board book that affirms President Obama’s re-election and review it daily to keep my mind focused on the positive. (DONE)
- Dedicate my daily yoga and meditation practice to sending positive energy to President Obama, First Lady Michelle Obama, Obama family, Obama Administration, Obama 2012 Re-ElectionTeam, and people of the United States of America. (STARTED)
- Invest in the Obama 2012 campaign on a regular basis by making a financial contribution each pay period. (WILL START THIS MONTH)
- Use my summer and fall monthly yoga class as a fundraiser for the Obama 2012 Campaign. (WILL BEGIN ON JUNE 24)
- Plan and host a local fundraiser for the Obama 2012 Campaign with one of my neighbors. (WILL BEGIN PLANNING IN JULY)
- Stay updated on the White House Initiatives and Obama 2012 Re-Election Team’s efforts. (STARTED ON MONDAY)
- Use my digital voice wisely to blog, post Facebook updates, and tweet about the great things the Obama Administration and 2012 Re-Election Team are doing each week. (STARTED TODAY)
- Talk to people I meet about registering to vote and share the great things the Obama Administration has done to improve the United States since 2009.
- Identify ways I can support the Obama 2012 Re-Election Team on the ground in the summer and fall. (STARTED ON MONDAY)
- Talk to my father “J” about his digital activism in support of President Obama each week. Why? J stays on top of all things Obama. He uses his Facebook, Twitter, and email accounts to keep his network informed about the Obama Administration’s great works. His positive attitude and unwavering commitment to President Obama keep me uplifted. (STARTED ON MONDAY).
Check out my first week’s post about some of the great things President Obama and his team have done to improve the lives of women and girls. Most of my posts will focus on women and girls (so get ready!).
FYI — I read about the efforts on the WhiteHouse.gov’s Council on Women and Girls’ page. I also subscribed to the email updates. It makes it easier to stay updated (have been receiving them since the Council was created).
- In April, the Obama Administration hosted the White House Forum on Women and the Economy and released a report that outlines a wide range of policies, programs, and initiatives that support women and girls at all stages of their lives. Nearly 200 women participated in a conversation about the critical role women play in driving U.S. economic progress. Click here for more details. WOMEN POWER ROCKS!
- The White House released the Girls in STEM video and took it on the road with support from some of the Nation’s top women scientists and engineers in April. The video urges girls to open their minds to careers in these fields.
- In May, President Obama added a historic focus on women’s rights at theG-8 and NATO Summits. THAT HELPS WOMEN AND GIRLS AROUND THE GLOBE TOO!
- During National Women’s Health Week in May, Megan Slack,
Associate Director of Digital Content for the Office of Digital Strategy at the White House, wrote a WhiteHouse.gov blog post that reported more than 20.4 million women with private health insurance received preventive health services at no additional cost due to President Obama’s health reform law which requires new health insurance plans to cover preventive services such as mammograms, pap smears, and well-woman visits with no co-pay or deductible. FANTASTIC NEWS!
- Valerie Jarrett, Senior Advisor to President Obama and Chair of the White House Council on Women and Girls, published a WhiteHouse.gov blog post that discussed how women entrepreneurs are creating jobs in June. It includes an interactive timeline with profiles of different women entrepreneurs. I discovered Yes! Organic Markets owner Kathy Rachel is featured in the timeline. I shop at Yes! two to three times per week in my D.C. neighborhood. I’ve been supporting this woman-owned business since 1992. GO WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS!
If you are on TEAM OBAMA, how are you supporting President Obama’s 2012 re-election campaign? Share your comments below.
Ananda Leeke 