KA here:

This is super noble of this kid.  He is pushing for there to be a law that requires that a bitter taste be put into antifreeze so that no other dog will die from drinking the sweet nectar taste of antifreeze.  Right on little one!  If each of us just stood up for ONE thing.... we will have actual change.   

Click here for the story

KA here:

This is what I am talking about.  And this makes me wish I was 10 years younger so I could be involved in this group!!  But it is geared towards the youth of 15 to 30, so all ya'll in that age range check this out.  All us elders, (what? since when),  will sit on the sidelines and cheer you on to ignite this movement.    Creating A Thriving, Just, Sustainable World.  NOW.

-Tony here

...working with the public is something that all of us have to do in our lives at one point or another.  Its a rarity when your first jobs dont have something to do with the public. I work two jobs at panera bread and also at a family owned ice cream shop; both of which require a good amount of people skills to even sustain your spot in the place. From my family and from both of my jobs I have learned these people skills. From these I have learned  how I see other people around me. This is something I think a lot of teens my age have issues dealing with. It's something that requires both an acquired maturity level and the humility that can only be learned within oneself. There is no way to force yourself into these, but there is definitely a way to work towards this goal.

I watched a video the other day that sparked my interest towards this subject. My head boss at panera bread is proudly gay, and has continually taught me life lessons in her crude but humble humor. We were talking just the other day about how people my age are so exclusive towards people that they think they are superior to.  And as the conversation proceeded the reoccurring question came to the both of us, "who the hell has the right to decide whether someone should be excluded from a certain group?"

Entering high school with a good head on my shoulder and a high maturity level has taught me many more lessons than those that I would learn in a textbook. I've watched friends become enemies, and I've hesitantly welcomed past enemies as friends. But the biggest thing I've been able to change about myself and learn more about is the idea of acceptance and the way that I look at other people. That girl walking down the hall by me, holding her stack of books, long messy black hair, dark makeup and red scars on her arms...she has her troubles. Shes going through rough times too, and hey maybe shes in a worse spot than I've ever thought to be, but how could I know that? How can one look at a person that they've never spoken to in their life, that they don't know a damn thing about, and make an immediate judgment that they are better than that person? We're all no better than the next person.

KA here:

We need more kids like this speaking up and saying NO.  

KA here:

4 year old brilliant and absolutely meditative to watch her work...

-Tony here

 

            So I recently began thinking about myself a lot more than I ever have previously in my life. I am in the seventeenth year of my life. I am just barely getting the taste of excitement on the near horizon. Throughout the past seventeen years, I have definitely gone through some of the hardest things that I hope to never have to repeat ever again, and I very much know that I am not alone going through those struggles. The older I become, and the more maturity that I obtain in my life, I realize that without the struggles and all those dark times, I wouldn’t be the strong willed, 6’2 teenager that stands before me in the mirror…

                       

            So the question I have come to recently is: What defines Tony Vanzo? What makes me who I am? Is it my red hair that sticks out in a crowd of blonde haired, MC1R gene carriers… Or is it my quirky personality that seems to grow on all the people I chose to surround myself? Maybe it’s the stupid jokes I like to make just to see a smile on a sad face. But as I sit and mull over the question in my head, time and again, sitting there trying to force out an answer… I find that the truth is: it doesn’t really matter. There are so many unanswered questions that exist for us needy human beings. The higher power above us, whatever you may call It, put those questions before us in order for us to dig deeper within ourselves, to search, to find, to seek out the answer, and in the end to find out more about ourselves than we ever did know before.

            So I think to myself, I’ve only just begun my life. And even twenty years from now, when I start to see the grey hairs streaming through my thick red hair, my life will still be an open book flowing endlessly. I have so much more to learn about myself, so much more to write in my book. I’m still in the preface. So I’m happy to find that I can truly be whatever I want to be. I define my own self. And throughout my chapters, I will run into a heaping pile of unanswered questions thrown my way, and I will search until my fingers bleed, but whether I find the answer or not, I will keep flipping the page, because I am human, and my will to proceed and succeed is bursting.

           

            Many years from now, when my final chapter does come, I know I’ll be able to turn back and be proud of what I’ve written for myself. Will you?

(Click here to go to a link to the 'High School Newspaper'.  Go to the end to see the images)


When Yemeni Youth decided to peacefully revolt against the corrupt regime they had nothing in their hands but their revolutionary spirit, having faith in the peacefulness as well as the goals of their revolution, and social networks  just like the Youth of Egypt and Tunisia. However, as time passed and the little street of tents eventually became a "town of tents" called the “Change Square,” many incidents demanded the Youth to dig back to the hidden power that was buried behind in their childhood.

Yemeni regime has never appreciated young talents, and anyone who didn't have access to the circles of the "elites" could never have opportunities. That idea now died at about three months ago when Youth decided to up rise and demand liberty. It is notable to everybody in the change square the incredible talents appearing everyday.  Most of these talents are not really a "new born" to the Yemeni society, but the meanings now have grown to finally adjust to 2011, and even better, these talents are now used used as acts of "peace building." Acts of peace building through art are one of the most important methods these youth use such as music, plays, and dance. It is true that to some extent some art was used as a "distraction" tool from the political changes and the important events happening at the time of the revolution. On the other hand, some have used these arts to really implant the idea of "doing good things through art."

Almost everyday the Yemeni security forces decides to attack the peacefull protesters, and especially becomes very violent on the peaceful rallies and this has caused more than a thousand injuries and hundreds of deaths because of gunfire that is shot directly at them.

After one of those rallies I was walking in the change square at night, and I remembered a "little" tent that I saw before that had about four to five nice drawings in it, so I decided to give it a visit. I walked behind the podium, and head through the little street now occupied with tents from both sides. When I got to the tent, I was amazed. I usually rather use my camera only when important things happen, but this ... should really be written in history books.

The five or four drawings now became more than thirty, and the tent now became a “workshop!" I couldn't resist but grab the camera and start capturing the talents youth have. I don't even know where they learned to draw like this because art isn’t taught in government schools.When I asked the guy who was wearing the card of the "movement" called, “Coalition of Youth for Modernization,” what was the tent and the drawings about. He started explaining to me that this is a way of honoring the revolts who were injured. By drawing pictures about the revolution and selling them to help them.

I was being more curious, and I asked, but “who is allowed to draw?”

He simply answered, "everyone," and was already telling to find a place where I can sit and draw. But to me I was in another world by then, I was thinking of the ambitions the Youth revolts have in giving everyone the right to opportunity and the right to participate in their community. This word "everyone" never existed in my life in Yemen, it's only if you are "from that area," or you have “those friends” that you can participate in any event. In addition, when I got to the tent, I saw a little girl drawing too which proves that all ages are allowed to draw as well. Will the next generation be more talented and brave?