Guest Post with The Vagabond Studio - Peace

Hello, Kitty and Buck readers! My name is Shai and I blog over at The Vagabond Studio. Today, I want to talk to you about something on which I think we can all agree: Peace. See, I’m a Political and Social Philosophy major, and a Peace Studies minor. I get to take awesome classes like ‘Peace and Human Rights,’ ‘Peace Movements,’ and ‘Peace and Religion.’ Peace is just...sort of my thing.

You know what people who love peace generally do? They talk about it, like I am doing with you here today. They go to rallies and pressure the government to change positions on war and nuclear weapons. They give lectures on the environment, or religious globalism. They become activists. Me, though? I’m a little scaredy-cat. I can write papers and essays all day long, but actually getting in front of people and staking my claim in the matter? I’d pass out first.

Over the last couple of months, though, something in me just ‘clicked’. The lion in me has started to peek out and I’ve come to the realization that I have things I want to share with the world and causes I want to support. I’ve come to terms with the fact that I am an intelligent, capable person with a sound voice and keeping my mouth shut is doing a disservice to the people I could be helping. I can speak publicly. Since making that decision, I received the news that I am one of twenty-five people accepted into the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation’s Peace Leadership Workshop this summer. One of Twenty-Five!! In the whole world!! Talk about a kick-in-the-pants ‘You have to do this!’ moment. It’s basically a week of peace leadership training with one of my peace-related heroes - a dream come true. Even better, he is personally training us, and will teach us to speak publicly!!

I will spend seven days in Santa Barbara learning how to put my dreams into motion. Just receiving this news has lit a fire under me - I’m speaking in class more often, presenting ideas to professors, and am even helping with student workshops next month. I realized that I have a voice, and I will use it without fear. So, this summer I will be traveling from Atlanta to Santa Barbara to attend the week-long NAPF Peace Leadership Workshop, and I need your help getting there! I have awesome perks in my fundraiser just for bloggers because, you know, bloggers rock my socks. I want to help the water crisis. I want to help end war. I want to spread equality, love and compassion across the world. And, you know what? I know you do, too, in some way or form. Will you help me face my fear, reach my goal, and spread peace? You can either donate (every little dollar helps!) or tweet and share my fundraiser with your friends!

Thank you so much for sharing your journey Shai, it's so inspiring to see someone following their dreams, especially when they dream of making the world a better place! If anyone would like to find out more, head on over to The Vagabond Studio, or the fundraising page. There are some rewards especially for bloggers, so you should take a look if you're thinking of supporting, you could also land some bloggy benefits for yourself :) Kitty xo