Sunday, October 26, 2014

Dare to Be Bold Next Saturday

I've made it a mission of mine since returning to Lexington to become connected with as many people as I can be. Getting out into the community, talking to people, and finding out what I can do to help make Lexington a better place just comes second nature to me now and I find myself becoming involved with more and more all the time. From food festivals, to local workshops, and of course historical organizations, I am busier than ever before. It's awesome.

When I was working for a local after-school program a few years ago, I learned of Girls on the Run and other after-school programs which work to empower girls and promote self-esteem. I was in Girl Scouts and was super involved in many clubs and activities which gave me leadership positions. And now, as an adult, it makes me very glad to see so many stepping up to make sure that no girls are left behind in this media-driven, male-dominated world, especially in light of controversies like Gamer Gate, #notallmen, and the like. It's imperative to teach the next generation of women that they are strong, that they are equal, and that they deserve respect.

The founders of Be Bold, Inc. have a mission to achieve just that, "to empower girls by partnering with them to set and achieve tangible goals for themselves through entertainment, education, and above all inspiration." For just $5, girls will be able to attend the workshop which will feature a number of inspirational speakers talking on topics such as self-esteem, empowerment, and entrepreneurship. A step team performance, a fashion show, and art projects are just a few of the activities that girls 9-18 will be able to take part in.

By instilling in them the ability to dream, to think of something greater than their poverty-stricken neighborhoods (or better yet, come back and do something to help them), and to share their goals with others, Be Bold is a program which will help young girls find their strength and bring to light the necessity to nurture those growing up in areas of Lexington like the East End, which are rich in history and tradition, but lose the attention to the more affluent neighborhoods.

Sponsors for Be Bold include University of Kentucky, Partners for Youth, and Third Street Stuff. There is still time to show your support for this initiative. Volunteer your time, make a donation, or just spread the word about the amazing work that is being done in Lexington.

If you know of a girl who would benefit from Dare to be Bold, registration has been extended to October 29. I'm excited to volunteer for Dare to Be Bold!

Dare to Be Bold
University of Kentucky, Student Center

November 1, 2014
10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
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Be sure to like Kentucky Geek Girl on Facebook and follow my daily updates on Twitter! If you have any questions or want to discuss partnership opportunities, be sure to send me an email.

Sunday, October 19, 2014

The best laid plans - An Update

There comes a time when one must take a step back and evaluate the importance of something in one's life. Is what I am doing successful? Is it meaningful to me and to other people? Is this something that I want to continue to do? I find myself looking at Kentucky Geek Girl in this way, and that's not a bad thing.

I started KGG in 2010 as an outlet to talk about gaming. I looked at a couple of apps that year and then started writing about pop culture in an expanded sense. It was then I started reviewing movies here and there and things pretty much took off. In 2011, I introduced KentuckyGeekGirl.com and started attended conventions on behalf of the site.

I've really enjoyed attending conventions, talking to people, hosting a table. I had plans to attend more conventions in 2014, but other responsibilities got in the way. Ah, responsibilities, professional, social, and the like. I've been so incredibly busy with work, volunteerism, and trying to keep up with everything there is to do, that I've neglected my blogging responsibilities. Truth be told, I have felt rather uninspired as of late. This has left me thinking about where to go with Kentucky Geek Girl.

Lately, when I have prepared to write, the words haven't quite flowed as well as I would have liked. I'm sure I'll work through it, as I have before, but I wanted to be completely honest with everyone as to why you haven't seen a lot from me lately. It's mostly not having time for blogging, but definitely a bit of the writer's block.

I'm always looking for story ideas and I'm brainstorming ways to keep KGG alive as a place for Kentuckians to get their geek news. Living in Lexington, I'll of course be focusing on Central KY, but I would like to also feature what's going on in other parts of the Commonwealth. I'm going to spend the remainder of 2014 really thinking about what to do with KGG and in 2015, I hope to celebrate the site's 5th anniversary with a bang.

Thanks to everyone for sticking out this dry spell. I really appreciate everyone's support!

Be sure to like Kentucky Geek Girl on Facebook and follow my daily updates on Twitter! If you have any questions or want to discuss partnership opportunities, be sure to send me an email.