Progress in the Peace Negotiations in the Philippines

The Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB) signifies a great milestone of peace negotiations over decades of talks in the Bangsamoro region in southern part of the Philippines. It is significantly the compilation and sum total of all the agreements, declarations, joint statements, principles and mechanisms reached and agreed upon between the government and the… Continue reading Progress in the Peace Negotiations in the Philippines

SHYNE On You Crazy Diamond

For two weeks starting on January 17, Shyne San Diego—founded and led by Global Gather alumnus Cynthia Austin—partnered with area organizations in the San Diego and Orange County area to mount a first-of-its-kind exhibition on sexual and human trafficking entitled, “Behold Her: Portraits of Survivors of Human Trafficking” at You Belong Here, a co-working and community events… Continue reading SHYNE On You Crazy Diamond

Building On Our Assets Workshop with the Nsongwa Community in Cameroon

Dear Friends and Supporters: I hope this missive meets you well. Just to inform you that we met with the community leaders of Nsongwa Mile 90 recently. This community is amongst the four noted with high recruits of child combatants and separatist fighters. Also, the land is not fertile. After the meeting, the community leaders… Continue reading Building On Our Assets Workshop with the Nsongwa Community in Cameroon

Leading Lights Shine in South Africa

Dear All, It has been a while since I provided updates about my grassroots project as a GATHER Fellow and I thought with so much happening at the Global Leading Light Initiative (GLLI), it would be nice to share some of the news. I must warn you that this will be an unusually long missive… Continue reading Leading Lights Shine in South Africa

One Year Anniversary of Shyne!

Hello to the global network from San Diego! I am pleased to share an update on the work of Shyne on our one year anniversary! The Social Garden, a new space designed to include holistic alternative therapies to assist with healing complex trauma, officially launched with their Sprang Thang on May 25, 2019. It’s a… Continue reading One Year Anniversary of Shyne!

Finding My Brave

This journey I have been on for the last four years has seen real moments of me finding my voice, my inner power, shedding insecurities and finding my brave. It is a journey that has and is still changing my life. It is March 2014, and I am at the Sexual Assault Awareness Month kickoff.… Continue reading Finding My Brave

I Am Unstoppable

Cynthia Austin is the founder and CEO of Shyne, an organization based in San Diego, USA, created by women, for women, and in collaboration with those who’ve gotten out of, or are seeking to leave sexual exploitation.[/hl] When I was a little girl, my heart was pure and trusting. In those days, my bare feet… Continue reading I Am Unstoppable

Reflections on the 2010 Earthquake in Haiti

At 4:53 pm, January 12, 2010 an earthquake with a magnitude of 7.0 on the Richter scale struck the island of Hispaniola, comprising the two nations of Haiti and the Dominican Republic, 15 miles southwest of the Haitian capital of Port-au-Prince. “In ten seconds, everything the population took decades to build was destroyed,” recalled Goldin… Continue reading Reflections on the 2010 Earthquake in Haiti

Seeking Peace from Somalia to Dharamshala

Meeting for the first time in Dharamshala, India over the course of seven days in October, I had the opportunity to meet Goldin Institute team member Jimmie Briggs with whom I shared the unique opportunity to not only be in intimate dialogue with Tibetan spiritual leader and Nobel Peace Prize laureate the Dalai Lama, but… Continue reading Seeking Peace from Somalia to Dharamshala

Nothing For Us Without Us

On the 3rd of October, 2018, we at Youth Leaders for Reconciliation and Development (YOLRED) hosted our community visioning summit, an important part of the Gather curriculum, which was attended by 56 community members from various categories including youths, older people, and local leaders. During the sessions, participants were formed into four groups by Diana… Continue reading Nothing For Us Without Us