InHer City

I Put An End To It

If I were my mother, I would have prayed to God for help and begged Him to do something about my problem.  The fact is, I’ll never be my mother.  I’ve heard this statement many times in movies and middle schools, “Youth is from planet earth, Parents are from planned old.”  The difference amongst generations is obvious; the world changes everyday and so do the people that grow each day.  However, there are those people who love the way things were when they were young, that they simply don’t want to change.

In high school I was never involved in anything because of the strict rules of my Macho step-father.  I got into college and my mind sort of opened up.  Things I wanted to do and were fun, were things I couldn’t do because of the rules.  Where I come from, women stay at home with the children, while men go out and “work”.  I realized that’s what my father wanted me to do.  He never said it directly but when I put together all the verbal abuse I had over the past years of my life, it was all clear.  I begged my mother for support of the things I wanted to do, but she said she couldn’t help me because of the “rules”.  Surfing the web, I found something called “Girls For A Change” that would change my life entirely.  Immediately I signed up and decided that I could do the commitment as long as I lied to my parents and said “It’s mandatory for school, sorry guys”.  Things were hard when I would say, “ I have a meeting here and there” but I didn’t care.  If I would have listened, I would have missed out on so many opportunities.  With GFC my ideas were heard and were not only considered but were a reality.  I have a voice on the board of GFC, I have a voice in event planning, and I was a representative of Girls For A Change at the PBWC (Professional Business Women of California Conference)!  GFC offered me so much, that I can’t thank them enough. 

I have to admit sometimes I do feel awkward when being surrounded by girls younger than me, because I’ll be turning 20 in a month, but I realized that many girls at my college level could use a dose of GFC for the professional business skill it offers. So I am quite fortunate to be a member of the

Girl Steering Committee

.  Since my parents are from “Planet Old”, I decided that it was time to make my own life and follow my “fresh” ideas, not the old traditional way he wanted me to be.  I have moved out, my step-father doesn’t talk to me, my mother is sad; but I had to put an end to it and follow what I’m passionate about.  GFC is like my family now; I get so much support and continue to open my mind to the world.  "I put an end to it" and made a change for myself.  Since that change, I feel that any change I try to make is definitely possible. 

Mother for Peace

Cindy Sheehan's son, Casey, was killed in Iraq last year. She has been camped out in Crawford, Texas in an attempt to pressure President Bush to meet with her. Cindy is participating in this peaceful protest and is being joined by other military families and supporters from all around the US who believe in ending the war in Iraq.

"If he doesn't come out to talk to me in Crawford, I'll follow him to D.C., and I'll camp out on his lawn," Cindy said. "I want to ask George Bush, 'Why did my son die? What was the noble cause that he died for?'" she said. "I don't want him to use my son's name or my family name to justify any more killing or to exploit my son's name, my son's sacrifice, or my son's honor to justify more killing. As a mother, why would I want one more mother to go through what I'm going through, Iraqi or American? The only way to honor my son's sacrifice is to bring the troops home now."

If you want to support Cindy in her quest to meet with President Bush:

Call, fax, and email the White House and ask the staff there to contact the President on his ranch and ask him to meet with Cindy Sheehan.
Comments: 202-456-1111
Switchboard: 202-456-1414
FAX: 202-456-2461
E-Mail: comments@whitehouse.gov

Contact your representatives in Congress - Whitney

Chicanas Rising

Where's all the females in business today?  Statistics show that there are less women in business than men, and even less women minorities.  So, what do you say ladies, I think we need more women of color in higher positions in the corporate world.  We need more women to inspire us to be managers and CEO's of companies.  Well, I know one kick butt woman who has worked her way to the top of the business pyramid.  My mother, Lorraine Ramirez, is one of a hand full of Chicanas taking a stand.  She started out as a rookie at Xicor.  Majoring in computer science she got a job as a computer operator.  After four years she moved from Xicor to Loral Rolm Mil-Spec.  She finally became a supervisor here.  She then worked at Octel/Lucent for nine years as the Data Center Manager.  She had a group of people reporting to her, including men.  She has changed her field of work and now is in Community Relations at National Semiconductor.  She says, "This change has been so rewarding and exciting for me. I am able to work with nonprofit organizations, school districts, grant giving and volunteering in the community." On a side note, Lorraine has been a coach for GFC at Milpitas High. She is now on the GFC Board of Directors, which is also amazing. Lorraine might be a statistic, but she has truly untied the knot to success. - Stephanie