Our Featured Actionists™ this month are...
Donna Mac
A Voice of Inspiration
Female Evolution is what I called my career, especially since the turn of the millennium. But, my message remains the same: to help women and girls become more confident and courageous.
For the past 5 years, after 20 years as disc jockey, I became the host of “Vital Women Radio”, which aired on 2 huge stations in the northeast. This is where I was lucky enough to meet and interview Jess as well as more than 100 other accomplished, inspiring women. I hosted the show while developing my voiceover/audio recording business. It was a great time of personal and professional development for me. I learned so much about being an entrepreneur and what it takes to grow into a healthy, strong women. I was quite blessed to be able to share stories with women all over New England as well as fortify my mothering skills as I raised 2 daughters.
And then it happened. Corporate radio ran out of money. It was inevitable—with so much added competition, Vital Women Radio ended in January 2008. Now what’s a girl to do? Admittedly, I got a little depressed, I prayed and I worked very hard at listening to my inner calling.
Fortunately, I am able to earn a good living doing voiceovers for several corporate, medical and educational clients. But I wanted to make more difference in the world and use the knowledge and confidence I attained from five years of hosting the show. I considered many avenues which could make me lots of money but, don’t you know, this is not what brings happiness. I did not want to spend my days continuously thinking about how to grow my bank account. So, I challenged myself to figure out—if I could do anything in this world—what would it be?
My answer? Raise the self-esteem of the moms in this world. They are who’s raising our daughters. And, of course, kids learn by example. Plus, whether women have kids or not, we are so much more powerful when we can keep “self-doubt” at bay.
So how have I designed my life? I’m a voiceover artist. I’m also a producer of inspiring audio products, like sleep and breathing meditations, affirmation recordings, etc…so women can listen to empowering messages over and over again (it takes 30 days to break old habits). And my new endeavor which gets me out of the house to connect with people is working with the organization Big Sisters. I put in several hours per week to help recruit “Bigs” and match them with “Littles”. This, of course, will enhance the lives of both Bigs and Littles because the best way to attain self-esteem is to do esteemable acts (borrowed from Jess).
I believe this is a pivitol time in our world for the growth of women and girls. I think we’re understanding the fact that we have no choice but to fight our fears so we can live strong, healthy lives. We also must make a conscious effort to listen to our inner voices so we can hear how best to serve the world. I’m hoping that all my personal choices will lead me to my ultimate goal: to raise strong, healthy daughters AND to somehow deliver my empowering audio (possible preloaded mp3 players?) to mothers and daughters in the Middle East. This way, we can help them realize how powerful they truly are. I believe, this is what is needed to help bring peace to the region (and eventually to the world). Imagine, a world where women’s natural abilities: intuition, nurturing and love are respected and utilized? But we need to respect ourselves and every woman around us first.
For more information about Donna and her work, please click here!
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Hilda Pacheco-Taylor
Founder of Corazon de Vida
Children's Foundation
“It could have been the most devastating experience of my life, but being placed in the orphanage was a blessing.”
Mexico does not have a foster care system to support children in need due to neglect, abuse, or abandonment. There is no welfare system to help families with a single parent that is unable to provide for their children - the only way to support children in need is through a network of orphanages.
When I was seven or eight years old, my father left the family. Mom worked as a tortilla maker and could barely make enough money to care for us. So, I became the caretaker for my brothers and sisters.
One day, I was inside the house when I heard one of the kids yell for help. When I came out, he pointed to the family’s water reservoir. I jumped on the ledge and saw my brother Juan drowning in the water below. I remember feeling so helpless not knowing what to do. I remember thinking that my brother was going to die and it was all my fault... I was supposed to be watching him!
Luckily, a neighbor came to help and pulled my brother out of the reservoir. This was the incident that caused my mother to re-consider placing us in an orphanage. She decided that we would be a lot safer there.
Life in an orphanage was great. I had an opportunity to be a child again and get an education, and visitors to the home gave me a glimpse of a much bigger world. At the age of 16, I left the orphanage to join my mother in the US and focused on bringing the family together again. Within two years, we had reunited our family.
Fourteen years after I left the orphanage I went to visit, expecting to see the beautiful thriving home I remembered. I was shocked to find that the home had lost most of their support, they were down to 35 kids, and they could hardly feed those that were left. The buildings were all in need of repair and the few staff that remained had not been paid in months. I asked the director what I could do to help. He had started a child sponsorship program and asked if I could help find some sponsors. I picked up the child sponsorship forms, and came back to the U.S. determined to help.
My first challenge was to share with people about my background. For years, I had worked very hard to assimilate into the U.S. culture, and make my way in the business world, so the last thing I wanted was for people to feel sorry for me. However, in order to find sponsors for my orphanage, I had to stop thinking about my own worries and concerns, and share about my background and why I needed their help.
I approached the owners of the company I work for and they decided to not only sponsor every child at the orphanage, but they also helped me start the foundation... and that is how Corazon de Vida was born!
At last count, there are approximately 50 orphanages in Baja California, Mexico. Most are located close to the border because most of their support comes from the US. Over the years Corazon de Vida has grown from supporting one home with 30 children to helping 14 homes and over 750 children.
Each month Corazon de Vida takes over 300 volunteers to Baja to visit and spend time at a home. The philosophy is that often people are just waiting for an opportunity to help, and visiting these children can completely transform them. Corazon de Vida believes that every child’s life is valued and holds the same potential, excitement and opportunity as any other life. Working together we can make sure that our care transforms into each child’s hope for the future.
The foundation focuses on the basics – moving homes out of survival mode – making sure there are funds for food, shelter, clean water and utilities. Once a home has moved from survival mode the foundation works with donors and sponsors to provide education assistance. This year some of Corazon de Vida’s children are entering college – which is a huge accomplishment.
Click here for more information on upcoming trips, or watch these videos of past trips.
To learn more about Corazon de Vida please click here or visit them on myspace.com
Corazon de Vida would also like to recognize their generous private and corporate sponsors.
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Everyone can be an Actionist™!
Below are some definitions of the word:
1. Someone who motivates and inspires
people to take action in their everyday lives.
2. Someone of any age, race, class, and gender who wants
to walk their talk out in the world and lead by example.
3. Someone willing to do what it takes to make a difference
in their lives and in the world at large.
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