Latest news with #resilience
Yahoo
7 hours ago
- General
- Yahoo
How Haitian women-led nonprofit organizations are turning sisterhood into strategy
'Haitian heritage is a living force.' These Haitian women-led nonprofit organizations reclaim power, healing, and hope for Haiti. When folks talk about Haiti's revolution, names like Toussaint Louverture and Jean-Jacques Dessalines get all the shine. But what about Sanité Bélair, who faced the firing squad with her head high? Or Cécile Fatiman, whose spiritual power helped ignite the revolution? Or Marie-Jeanne Lamartinière, who picked up a musket and defended Haiti's freedom like her life depended on it—because it did? These women weren't in the background. They were the backbone. Their spirit didn't disappear with the end of the revolution; it just shifted. Today, their legacy lives on—not just in textbooks, but in the actions of Haitian women who continue to organize, resist, and rebuild in the face of adversity. At the heart of this modern movement is a simple but revolutionary belief that 'Haitian women deserve space to thrive, not just survive.' That belief is the foundation of the Haitian Ladies Network (HLN), a growing global sisterhood birthed from shared values and an unshakeable commitment to heritage, healing, and collective progress. 'We want the world to see beyond crisis-driven headlines,' HLN told theGrio, 'and recognize Haiti for its depth, resilience, and brilliance.' They are not alone in that vision. Across borders and time zones, Haitian women are rising to challenge not just the narrative about Haiti, but the systems that have long excluded their voices and leadership from shaping its future. Organizations like HLN, the Haitian Women's Collective (HWC), and grassroots coalitions like Nègès Mawon and Marijan Ayiti prove that when Haitian women lead, communities heal, and nations transform. For Carine Jocely, the founder and director of HWC, it all started when she gathered a group of Haitian and Haitian-American women who were doing powerful work—building clinics, running grassroots organizations, supporting survivors, and holding down communities back home in Haiti. What started as an informal space to exchange ideas quickly revealed a deeper need: connection, visibility, and recognition for Haitian women who have always done the work, but rarely get the mic. 'I quickly realized the power and impact of their work and the need to formalize the network,' explained Jocely. '[HWC] is grounded in an unshakeable faith in the resilience of Haitian women and girls. We are committed to changing the narrative for Black women-led organizations in Haiti from one of fragility to one of strength and capacity.' This shift in narrative is something Haitian women across the globe have been fighting for—and building toward—for years. While mainstream media often tells one story about Haiti—one of chaos, instability, and crisis—Haitian women have been crafting another story—one rooted in legacy, resistance, community care, and vision. They're not just responding to Haiti's crises. They're reimagining what's possible for Haiti. Like HWC, HLN began as a gathering of like-minded women and has grown into one of the largest platforms for Haitian women worldwide. With a bold and beautifully simple goal to connect Haitian women across generations and geographies to celebrate heritage, share resources, and ignite a sense of collective power, the organization leans on five pillars: Wellness and Healing, Financial Well-Being, Voice and Influence, Bridging Haiti and its Diaspora, and Culture and Heritage. But most importantly, they offer belonging. Whether mentoring young professionals, supporting women entrepreneurs, or cultivating cultural pride, HLN is in the business of restoration—of dignity, identity, and the right to dream beyond disaster. 'Our mission is to shift the narrative from one of struggle to one of strength, beauty, and infinite possibility with Haitian women leading the way in telling that story,' HLN representatives added. Still, it's an uphill battle. Only 3% of global funding for Haiti goes directly to Haitian organizations. And with USAID freezing hundreds of millions of dollars in aid, a 2025 UN Women study warns that nearly half of women's organizations on the ground may shut down within six months. Despite this, Haitian women keep showing up. HWC supports frontline groups embedded in communities, offers burnout prevention and trauma-informed care, advocates for fair international policy that recognizes the expertise and leadership of Haitian women, and organizes virtual healing spaces for human rights defenders, understanding that rest is resistance, too. 'Women in general need spaces that applaud them for their work,' Jocely shared. 'The grassroots groups doing the work, day in and day out, are often not recognized, provided a seat at the decision-making table, or afforded large, impactful funding opportunities,' Jocely noted. And perhaps no group lives that ethos more than Nègès Mawon. This Haiti-based feminist collective has made a name for itself by championing gender justice, political resistance, and healing practices amid some of the country's darkest days. Known for its outspoken advocacy and deep-rooted cultural work, Nègès Mawon creates spaces for survivors of gender-based violence, artists, and activists to reclaim their narratives and support each other. Whether through artistic expression, community action, or direct protest, their work is a defiant celebration of what Haitian womanhood really looks like—unbought, unbossed, and unbroken. Together, these organizations are doing more than offering aid; they are reminding the world that 'Haitian heritage is not just history. It is a living force that continues to shape the world.' More must-reads: Joy Reid warns Black community not to be fooled by Trump's recent pardons Shannon Sharpe postpones 'Nightcap' tour Trump provides coy response when asked if he would pardon Diddy
Fox News
8 hours ago
- Health
- Fox News
Civil War spy Elizabeth Van Lew defined courage fighting for what she believed
In an age of instant accolades and viral valor, heroes are everywhere. Celebrities tearfully describing a difficult breakup on daytime TV are deemed heroic. You knew the word had lost all meaning when alleged murderer Luigi Mangione became a "hero" on social media for taking the life of Brian Thompson, the CEO of United Healthcare. How is it that we have so lost the thread? Just who qualifies as a hero was on my mind as I began researching my book "Lincoln's Lady Spymaster" several years ago. We were in the depths of the COVID-19 pandemic, our lives upended. I eagerly ditched the commute and worked from home but as the months in isolation slid by, I began to worry. How long could this go on for? The situation was more dire for many of the young women producers I had worked with in our offices in Manhattan. They were lonely and anxious, living alone in tiny New York apartments or at home in their childhood bedrooms. One young woman I knew started having panic attacks. I wanted to help these co-workers cope – but what could I do? Look, I reasoned with myself, women in this country have faced far more difficult challenges than a temporary lockdown (it had to be temporary, after all!). American women have survived wars, myriad financial panics and so many challenges. I decided I would find a subject, a real woman from our nation's past, someone who lived through challenging times and not only survived but left her mark on the world. I wanted what we all want in a hero – someone acting courageously, not for headlines or money or even public gratitude, but because they felt called to right a wrong regardless of consequences. I first learned of Elizabeth Van Lew the same way we find out about most new things, from a web search. An academic historian had written about her, and she was sometimes included in lists of the moonlight-and-magnolia-style of female civil war spies, the kind historians don't take too seriously. I was hooked when I learned she was a spymaster, and strikingly, a Southern belle who chose to stay faithful to the Union and who ran a spy ring for President Abraham Lincoln's top general, Ulysses S. Grant, while living in Richmond, the capital of the Confederacy. When I began, I thought of myself as knowledgeable about the era. I knew the bright lights, Lincoln, Grant, Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee. But this woman had left little trace. She was generally missing from much of the Civil War literature. James McPherson mentioned her not at all in his sweeping nearly 900-page history of the conflict, "Battle Cry of Freedom." I learned she had left a diary, where she spilled her fears and hopes during the war. I imagined myself writing a book about a woman whom society underestimates and throws obstacles in her path, a tale of uplift! But my research exposed a secret history – a story Van Lew herself tried to cancel. Unlike other spies, she refused to write a book of her Civil War exploits after the war and conducted few newspaper interviews. I began to discover the real Elizabeth and she surprised me. I found she was complicated and made difficult, morally questionable decisions. She lied to friends and neighbors, brazenly stole secrets from some and bribed others. Although she was a supporter of both the Union and abolitionism, her family owned slaves. Late in the war, as she became frustrated at the pace of Union advances, she tried to convince Union war planners to abduct Confederate leadership. She was the kind of woman who could as easily inspect the body of a dead soldier at dawn under threat of discovery by the enemy as preside over a tea party, swapping gossip and passing canapes. And, yet she provided invaluable information to the Union and ran what historians have described as the most-effective spy ring on either side of the conflict. As I began writing the book, I recalled the fact that co-workers and friends had labeled me a hero when I went public with my diagnosis of Stage 3 breast cancer. While it felt nice to be called a hero, I never really accepted the idea. My fight with cancer was really an act of self-interest. What I saw in Elizabeth Van Lew was someone who acted with no self-regard, inviting risk after risk. Hers was not a Daniel Penny kind of courage, the kind of instant reaction to fight a physical threat on behalf of others that we all admire, but a more sustained battle of conscience and will. In this world, we need both kinds of heroes and could welcome more. This year marks the 160th anniversary of the Civil War's end and Lincoln's assassination. As we remember that tragic war, let's not forget the heroes that emerged, especially those that have remained in the shadows. Elizabeth Van Lew was one of tens of thousands of women who emerged to fight the war in their own way. Hundreds fought on the battlefield following husbands, brothers and fathers into service; women nursed the injured, others ran their family farms and businesses on their own for the first time. Van Lew's story is a testament to the essence of true heroism: unwavering moral conviction, selfless action and the courage to stand against prevailing tides. In an era when the term "hero" is often diluted, her legacy reminds us that real heroes are those who, without fanfare, commit themselves to justice and humanity.
Reuters
9 hours ago
- Business
- Reuters
With $145M Net Worth, Arun Kar Charts Greener Future from Military Service to Global Innovation
LONDON, United Kingdom, May 27, 2025 (EZ Newswire) -- In an age dominated by startup valuations and venture capital pomp, Arun Kar, opens new tab's journey stands apart — a narrative defined not by overnight success but by persistent resilience, clarity of purpose, and quiet determination. Born in Odisha, India, and raised in a modest household, Kar's early life was marked by adversity. One of the most defining moments came in 1999, when he survived the devastating Super Cyclone that ravaged the eastern coast of India. 'Witnessing the destruction and the quiet strength of my community left a lasting impact,' he recalls. That formative experience planted the seeds of a lifelong mission: to build solutions that serve both people and planet. Kar's path initially led to military service. After clearing India's Combined Defence Services examination with an all-India rank of 152, he was commissioned into the Indian Army's Artillery Arm. For seven years, he served with distinction, often in some of the country's most demanding environments. Kar said, 'The Army taught me the value of leadership under pressure, discipline, and unwavering accountability'. Those lessons would prove critical in the chapters to come. Battleground to Boardroom Following his military tenure, Kar transitioned to the corporate world, working with leading global IT firms including Tech Mahindra and Virtusa. There, he gained exposure to digital transformation, enterprise systems, and global operations — insights that laid the foundation for his entrepreneurial vision. In 2016, he founded Xpertnest, opens new tab alongside partners Chintan Panara and Pradip Butani. With no external funding, the team started from scratch — quite literally from their living rooms. Their first project brought in just $900. But what followed was nearly a decade of steady, values-driven growth. Today, the company is a global digital innovation firm headquartered in London, with operations spanning the UK, Europe, India, and the Middle East. The company's portfolio includes smart city infrastructure, AgriTech platforms supporting Indian farmers, and critical applications for Fortune 500 companies and national law enforcement agencies. Their technology has powered everything from 5G event solutions to IoT-based utility management systems. Notably, several of their applications have been featured in Apple's enterprise success stories — a testament to the firm's technical acumen and real-world impact. In early 2025, the company was independently valued at over $100 million, a figure verified by both a SEBI-registered Category-I Merchant Banker and a UK-based valuation firm, with the milestone reported across the London Stock Exchange (RNS), opens new tab, Reuters, opens new tab, and the Financial Express, opens new tab. Building a Greener Future Kar's ambitions extend beyond technology. In recent years, he launched Earthnest, a sustainability venture focused on biodegradable and plastic-free packaging solutions. The company's flagship product — Bio Bags — aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and is already in use across the UK, including a successful trial with Paultons Park, one of Britain's top family attractions. 'Technology must serve humanity and the environment — not just profit margins,' Kar says. A Quiet Rise In May 2025, Arun Kar's personal net worth was independently assessed and certified at $145 million by a SEBI (Securities and Exchange Board of India) registered Category-I Merchant Banker, based on his equity in Xpertnest, stakes in other high-growth ventures and companies, and a portfolio of income-generating real estate assets. Yet, despite reaching multimillionaire status long before public recognition, Kar remains grounded. His next goal? To support emerging leaders and startups through mentorship, investment, and ethical governance. 'Impact is the true measure of success,' he acknowledges. Kar's journey — from cyclone survivor to Army officer, tech innovator to sustainability champion — is a rare tale of purpose over hype. It serves as a powerful reminder that in an age of instant gratification, long-term vision, discipline, and integrity still have a place at the heart of innovation. Media Contact Benjamin ### SOURCE: The News Times UK Copyright 2025 EZ Newswire See release on EZ Newswire
Yahoo
10 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Anthony Scaramucci Says 'Own Your S***' Is The First Rule for Young Investors: Urges Them To Embrace Change, Take Risks And Learn From Market Veterans Like Him
Benzinga and Yahoo Finance LLC may earn commission or revenue on some items through the links below. Founder and CEO of SkyBridge Capital, Anthony Scaramucci, has some no-nonsense advice for young investors looking for success in an uncertain business landscape: own your flaws, consult older investors and embrace constant change. What Happened: Speaking on his podcast Open Book with Anthony Scaramucci, he said, "Own your s*** in life." "And once you're able to own your s*** in life you can make massive improvements and it'll help your psychological health. It'll help your happiness and it'll help your outlook on life." Trending: — no wallets, just price speculation and free paper trading to practice different strategies. He highlighted that this should be the "number one" priority for any individual. Highlighting the importance of resilience, he said: "People that are in business for three, four decades, they've had at least eight to nine cataclysms... those bear markets steel you for staying in things and being patient." This piece of advice echoes lessons Scaramucci learnt from unknowingly holding on to $1,200 worth of Microsoft stock from 1992, which went up to $288,000 over twenty years. For young investors, Scaramucci recommended consulting with seasoned professionals: "Seek out older investors that have been destroyed in the markets like me over the nine cycles that I've gone through because it'll help you. It'll give you perspective and it'll teach you patience in the markets."Why It Matters: Scaramucci stressed the value of risk-taking as a strategy for growth. "You have to embrace new technologies and you have to embrace new ideas," he said. "Your brain is incredibly neuroplastic. It definitely can evolve and reshape its thinking." Advising young investors not to harbor a fear-based mindset, he said: "When people say the word risk sometimes they only hear downside risk... But risk also means reward. And you got to be willing to take some risk." Scaramucci, who regularly doles out advice on his podcast, reiterated his stance on Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) being the single best investment idea earlier this week. Read Next: New to crypto? Get up to $400 in rewards for successfully completing short educational courses and making your first qualifying trade on Coinbase. A must-have for all crypto enthusiasts: Sign up for the Gemini Credit Card today and earn rewards on Bitcoin Ether, or 60+ other tokens, with every purchase. Photo courtesy: Al Teich / Send To MSN: Send to MSN This article Anthony Scaramucci Says 'Own Your S***' Is The First Rule for Young Investors: Urges Them To Embrace Change, Take Risks And Learn From Market Veterans Like Him originally appeared on
Daily Mail
a day ago
- General
- Daily Mail
Peru Two's Michaella McCollum reveals the hell that could await Brits accused of drug trafficking abroad - and why she sees them as 'victims'
Michaella McCollum has vivid memories of prison paella, and the maggots lurking within. 'I remember how I'd lay all the rice out, to see which grains I could eat and which were maggots. Back home, it was reported that I'd gone on hunger strike, but I hadn't.' She also remembers her poor mum arriving, braving corrupt prison guards and six-hour waits in the blazing Peruvian heat, with bags of food, which Michaella would fall upon. 'She'd bring a whole chicken, which I'd eat with my fingers, and there would be cockroaches climbing up onto the table and I'd just flick them away. I mean, they didn't even bother me, by then. You become so used to it. And I suppose there is a level of guilt and shame that you feel it's acceptable, even though it isn't.' The cockroaches bother her now, though. She raises her forearm. 'I've got goosebumps, just talking about them. But then... normal. It's astonishing what you adapt to, and how resilient you can be.' Even her resilience has limits, though. As one of the notorious Peru Two, Michaella served three years in a hardcore prison near Lima when she was convicted of drug smuggling. She does not quibble with the sentence, acknowledging she deserved it, but reckons today that three years was her 'top limit'. 'I could not do 20 years in a prison like that,' she says. 'I just couldn't. And that's what those girls are facing.' By 'those girls' she means the two young British women facing similar drug smuggling charges, currently locked up in prisons that must feel as far from home as hers did. The arrests of Bella May Culley, 18, and Charlotte May Lee, 21, have made global headlines in recent weeks. The cases are unrelated: Bella, from Teesside, is charged with trying to smuggle 14kg of cannabis into Georgia; while Charlotte, from Coulsdon in south London, faces similar charges in Sri Lanka relating to 46kg of synthetic drug kush – which can be 25 times more potent than opioid fentanyl. Charlotte appeared in court yesterday, handcuffed and tearful. If found guilty, both will be looking at up to 20 years behind bars. Few can possibly understand what they and their families are going through, but Northern Irish-born Michaella, who is now a 31-year-old mother to twin boys, can. She was just 19 when she made 'the greatest mistake of my life', effectively agreeing to become a drugs mule. She was arrested with 20-year-old Scot Melissa Reid, whom she had never met before their fateful trip from Ibiza to Peru. The pictures of the Peru Two as they came to be known, standing forlornly by mismatching suitcases – Michaella with her then black hair, scraped into a high, 'doughnut' bun – went round the world. An iconic illustration of how stupid, and perhaps gullible, young people can be. And now history appears to be repeating itself. Michaella says it was her mother who first heard about the arrest of Bella Culley and called her. 'The situation was almost exactly the same. Her mum had reported her missing, then it emerged that she'd been arrested. There were such parallels with my case – except it was just in a different country.' Her heart immediately went out to Bella, then to Charlotte, a former TUI air stewardess whose story emerged days later. Both women have denied the charges against them. 'I couldn't help but feel bad for them,' Michaella says. 'They are 19 and 21. Whatever they have done, it's so young to be caught up in something like this, and I know what they are going to go through. And their families. It's the worst thing anybody can have to face.' Bella's situation seems even more precarious. She told the court in Tbilisi that she was pregnant which, if true, adds a layer of horror. 'As a mum, I can't even begin to imagine what it would be like to give birth in that sort of place, and to potentially have the child taken from you and put into care,' says Michaella. 'That adds a whole new, terrifying, dimension. It's just incredibly sad.' In some quarters there has been scant public sympathy for these two, which Michaella understands. She challenges it, though. 'It's easy to look at girls like this and think 'how could you be so stupid?' but I look back at myself and think exactly that. 'I don't know the circumstances in detail here, but I do know that of all the women I came across who had been involved in drug smuggling, only about 10 per cent were doing it as a business, who knew the risks and accepted them. 'The vast majority were the victims of some sort of coercion, usually by men. Prisons all over the world are full of women who have been caught up in something like this. 'And the men at the top rarely get caught. The men who pulled all the strings in my case were never held to account.' Indeed, Charlotte May Lee has already spoken to investigators about a mysterious British man called 'Dan' whom she claims she'd met on the beach in Thailand, who – she says – bought her a ticket to Colombo, promised to join her later for a holiday, then promptly vanished. Ironically, it wasn't until Michaella cooperated with a 2022 Netflix documentary about her case that she started to regard herself as a 'victim'. 'It was when I was watching an actress do some of the re-enactments of my story that I realised there had been exploitation and coercion going on here. 'At the time I was so high (on cocaine) that I could barely walk. Yet the men around me were all sober. I thought they were my friends, but actually they didn't give a s*** about me. When you are 19 and 20 you are so hopelessly naive. You don't even know that there are such bad things in the world, never mind that it could happen to you.' Michaella had been offered £5,000 to smuggle those drugs – a pitiful figure, she admits. 'But in a lot of cases like mine the money isn't life changing, which makes me think even more that there is an element of being tricked into it. I mean who would risk spending 20 years of your life in prison for £3,000 or £4,000 or even £10,000. Even £50,000 isn't enough. No amount of money is worth your freedom.' A few years ago, Michaella wrote a book about her ordeal, which brought understandable criticism from those who feel she should not have been allowed to capitalise on her notoriety. She denies it was a money-spinner ('the financial return was very small, and I wasn't paid for the Netflix documentary either'). Still, on reading it, you do rather wish it could be handed out with boarding passes to youngsters venturing abroad for the first time, as she was. To her credit, Michaella has worked with the police to tell her story to impressionable teens. She grew up in Dungannon, County Tyrone, in a large and seemingly loving family, but her parents were separated and they were a Catholic family in a largely Protestant area. She cites sectarianism as one of the things she wanted to escape, first with drink, drugs and partying, before heading to Ibiza, to work as a hostess in clubs. She says she threw herself into the hedonism in the summer of 2013, taking cocaine and ketamine. 'I think the drugs were a big part of what happened. Everybody was doing them. It was just normal.' She 'fell in with a crowd' that included a drug dealer – 'a Cockney called Dave'. Alarm bells should have rung over the fact he was always sober 'when everyone else was drunk or high', but they didn't. The first time she was asked to transport a 'package', she refused. The second time, she agreed. The word 'drugs' was never mentioned, but she knew, 'sort of'. The naivety is extraordinary but she reminds me she was 'off her head, thinking in a way that wasn't stable'. On that fateful trip, she flew first from Ibiza to Mallorca, where it had been arranged that she would meet up with Melissa Reid, and fly to Peru. To this day, Michaella maintains she was so clueless that she didn't even know where Peru was. 'I thought it was another city in Spain,' she says. When the two arrived, their orders were to pass themselves off as tourists – hence a surreal trip to Machu Picchu. It was on the return trip – with bags full of cocaine – that they were arrested. So began 'the worst nightmare you can imagine'. Her account of her three years in Lima's notorious Ancon 2 prison is grim. Michaella shared a 'bedroom' with hundreds of other female inmates, sleeping on concrete bunks 'like a zoo'. The prisoners included a woman who had killed her own child and served the baby up as food for her unfaithful husband, and another who had murdered and dismembered her mother-in-law. Corruption was rife, with guards routinely taking 'food, magazines, books, chocolates' from visitors' bags. Also prevalent was the trading of sexual favours for basics like water. One of the first Spanish phrases Michaella learned was 'don't touch me'. There were specific challenges that came with being white and British. 'That made it worse for us. Some of the guards thought we were princesses. They just see white skin, blue eyes.' She says she was also 'scammed' by legal professionals. 'People see foreigners as money magnets and charge a lot more to help them. I remember looking back and thinking 'we have been robbed'.' Both girls were eventually sentenced to six years and eight months, after pleading guilty to drug trafficking. They ended up serving three years, and were released back home, on parole, in 2016. Michaella knows they were lucky – at one point they were facing 15 years. Whatever sentence she served – and deserved – the toll on her family was horrendous. The saddest part of her story is when she talks about the impact on her mother, who had a stroke as Michaella was waiting for her trial. 'She was suffering panic attacks. She was so depressed. Her life went on hold, the whole family's did.' Her mother, now in her 70s, made a full recovery but the guilt is still there for Michaella. She counts herself fortunate that her family stood by her. 'Some people in prison didn't have that. Their families didn't visit. They had no one on the outside. I only kept going because I knew I had to make amends to mine.' The last year of her sentence was particularly difficult. 'I think for the first two I tricked myself that it was fine, I was learning Spanish, getting my life in order – away from the drugs. 'But that final year, I struggled. When you are in that environment – there was always noise, screaming, chaos – it's hard not to go insane. I honestly don't think I would have been able to do another four or five or ten years. I would probably have thought of just taking a way out.' Michaella today is barely recognisable from the terrified young girl in those iconic photos. She jokes a little about her hairstyle: 'I didn't have a mirror. I thought I was making myself presentable.' She and Melissa are only in touch via Christmas cards. 'We obviously bonded through this experience that only we understood, but you don't always want to be reminded of that'. She appears to have made good her promise to her mum that she would rebuild her life. She has since gained a degree in business studies, and is soon to start a masters in cybersecurity. This reinventing of her life has gone alongside raising her twins, Rafael and Rio, who have just turned seven. There is no father on the scene. 'No, they weren't planned. I'm doing it on my own, but my mum has been my rock.' One day, she will have to tell her sons about her three years in a Peruvian prison. 'It's probably something that will wait until they are teens, but I will be honest with them. I don't think there's any shame in explaining that I made a huge mistake.' It may be too late for Bella May Culley and Charlotte May Lee, their fates very much in the hands of a legal system of which they have no understanding. But what advice would she give to them now? 'That's a difficult one, but I would tell them to never let their current circumstances define their future. It may seem hopeless at times, but there is always a way forward and don't let go of the fact that life can be rebuilt.'
