claredavina : MyBlogHer Profile

I love cookies.

I tend to take things to heart. I am serious about our need as a country, world, and individuals to do something about poverty, discrimination, and upholding rights of all individuals. I think people need to care more. People think I care to much. I cry easily. I have worked with abused, neglected, and abandoned children. I personally know people who have been trafficked. I have seen mothers sell their children to survive. I found Roma (one such child). I lost Lenuta (another). I have friends who have died of AIDS alone in hospital rooms in secluded wards. I plan to spend my life trying to right the wrongs I feel in the world. People always comment that they don’t know how my mother lets me do this stuff. To them I say 1- how could she stop me, 2- she doesn’t want to stop me, she is my biggest cheerleader, 3- why do people always think of the mothers… my dad cares too.

I do believe that one person can make a difference. I know that I have to.

I love to go out dancing. Most of the time, I stay home and read books. I am lazy. Sleeping is my vice. Kopp’s ice cream in Milwaukee is the best anywhere. Outside of Milwaukee I settle for Ben and Jerry’s half baked or dulce de leche. In the summer, I could live on fresh tomatoes and smoothies. I love food. I think I inherited my mom’s affinity for food.

I find myself ever changing. I am introspective as of late. At school, I pushed myself to exceed expectations and move beyond my own boundaries. I am no longer afraid of research. I worked on a research project on asset building in Uganda. It was fascinating. Even the data analysis.  I continued to work in research with Fulbright.

I finished my Fulbright in Chile, where I had a research grant to look at the risk that street children in Valparaiso and Vina del Mar have for being trafficked and exploited. I decided to stay for a while upon completion and work in community health.  I finished that project too. Now I am just searching for the next step.

This blog is a compilation of my thoughts. A lot of it is about work, about human trafficking, about ethical issues I run into, about my frustration and the hope I see. Some of it is Photo Wednesday– a weekly photo that inspires me to question, think or just sit in awe. Some of it is about food– because, let’s face it, I love food. Some of it is random, stuff I run into or do while procrastinating.

I welcome comments. I welcome other people’s thoughts and questions. I will not take bigotry or hatred on my site. I will erase any comment that I deem inappropriate. Feel free to poke around.

Also, feel free to email me at ClareSays at gmail dot com.

-Me