Blog Updates and inspiration

If you came into the world today and could pick your nationality, there are at least 15 better choices than to be born American, according to a study by the Economist Intelligence Unit. The firm looked at 80 countries, scoring them across 11 variables to determine “which country will provide the best opportunities for a […]

According to U.N. Habitat, 62% of the urban population in Sub-Saharan Africa lives in slums, which it describes as being typically characterized by “deplorable living conditions, a feeling of insecurity and inadequate infrastructure for basic energy, sanitation and water services.” In an effort to provide more sustainable housing in South Africa, researchers at the University […]

When it comes to the art of writing, most writers will tell you they have a routine. Stephen King says that he writes 10 pages a day without fail, even on holidays. Truman Capote had to write lying down with a cigarette and coffee. Vladimir Nabokov wrote Lolita entirely on index cards. Victor Hugo wrote in […]

Speaking earnestly, I only know who Grace Coddington is because of Netflix Instant and the documentary The September Issue. Pre-The September Issue, I cared very little about fashion and the fashion industry, despite having a number of friends in that world. Post-The September Issue, I have a wild respect for what I think is the […]

Hello, 2013. We’re a week in and chances are your resolutions are already being modified and/or broken. Fear not – you’re not alone. My goal of thrice weekly trips to the gym has already been unsuccessful and don’t even talk to me about how my rule of no caffeine after 1:00PM is working out. While […]

[Invisible Children Music: We firmly believe that music has a necessary role in giving social movements tremendous amounts of momentum. It is a universal language, and at Invisible Children, it’s important for us to be a part of that language.] Laura Mvula has been pretty much dominating everything about the beginning of 2013. Her debut […]

I scoured the internet and compiled my favorite photos from 2012. Enjoy. (Photo credit: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)

For many of us, having our photo taken isn’t a big deal. Our Facebook pages are full of photos of ourselves and friends, and our instagram feeds are brimming with loved ones. Yet, for so many people across the world, having a portrait made is a unique and special event. This realization is what spurred […]

We’re less than a week into 2013 and we’ve already got some exciting news about the impact you are making to help end LRA violence. Late Tuesday night, Congress passed the Rewards for Justice expansion legislation (S. 2318) to help strengthen efforts to arrest Joseph Kony– and there is no doubt that your voices helped to make that happen. […]

The UK Deputy Prime Minister recently wrote in The Guardian: “Twitter has given me a voice and a connection to millions of people that the distorted prism of the mainstream media denied.” We may or may not use Twitter for that exact reason too, Prime Minister. Twitter has become a new way to communicate with world leaders […]