We believe that one of the best ways to combat teen pregnancy rates is to teach and encourage healthy relationships to young people. In this spirit of spring and new beginnings, we have created a fun activity to encourage ongoing discussions of healthy relationships and what they mean to each of us.

Welcome to our Healthy Relationships May Photo-A-Day Challenge.

Use your camera phone (or camera) and take a photo every day using the above list to inspire you. Each item on the list corresponds to the day of the month. For example, on May 1st, the word is “reflection” so you could take a photo of yourself in a mirror or a window, or a photo of someone else “reflecting” on something. There are no rules – just let yourself be inspired.

Once you have taken your photo, please share it with us! Make sure you attach #TTMayPhoto to your posts so we can all see them!

• - INSTAGRAM: Upload your photo to Instagram, add a filter and put #TTMayPhoto in the caption so others can see your photos {share to Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, Flickr etc from Instagram if you like}
• - FACEBOOK: Create an album titled something like, May Photo Challenge, and make the album public, then upload your photos. It’s a good idea to upload the list too so you can refer to it and others can see what you’re doing. You can also share your photos on the Tell Them Facebook page or tag Tell Them in your posted.
• - TWITTER: Remembering you 140 character limit (139 once you add the hashtag), describe your inspiration and tweet out your photo. Remember to add the hashtag #TTMayPhoto so others can see your photos
• - PINTEREST: Upload your photos to a board, and use the hashtag #TTMayPhoto so that others can search for them.
• - BLOGS & TUMBLR: Upload your photos to your blog or Tumblr and share with the world.
• - EMAIL: Send your photos to info@tellthemsc.org and we’ll post them on our sites.

You can share the links to where ever you’re sharing the photos in the comments below if you like.

Happy photo-taking! We’re excited to see how you inspire healthy relatonships in your daily life.

According to the event posting, the sixth annual National Walk @ Lunch Day, sponsored by Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies to promote the health benefits of walking and regular exercise, will be held on Wednesday, April 25.

BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina is encouraging workers to participate by wearing comfortable shoes to work and walking for at least 30 minutes during their lunch break. The company also is holding its annual community walks for those near the downtown areas of Columbia, Charleston, Greenville or Spartanburg.

Businesses and schools across the nation organize lunchtime walks for employees and students on National Walk @ Lunch Day. S.C. BlueCross will provide free planning guides and print-ready files for banners, fliers and other promotional materials to help any South Carolina company organize a workplace walk.

In February of 1865, General William Tecumseh Sherman and his Union army moved towards the hub of the Confederacy and the place where the Articles of Secession were signed. Sherman’s troops had already taken both Atlanta and Savannah, and moved against Columbia in order to continue splitting the South.

147 years later, we can follow in the Union army’s footsteps. Thanks to the Knapp Agency, 33 sites have been highlighted as a tour of Sherman’s March into Columbia. Sites on the tour include Congaree Creek, the Gervais Street Bridge, Trinity Episcopal Church, Hampton-Preston House, the Confederate Printing Plant (now the downtown Publix),  and, of course, the South Carolina Statehouse.

Over 36 blocks of Columbia, including the business district, were destroyed in the Union invasion. SC General Wade Hampton wrote of Sherman and his March through South Carolina: “For these deeds history will brand him a robber and incendiary and will deservedly ‘damn him to everlasting fame.’”

Destruction of the South Carolina Statehouse was complete, and the remnants of cannon fire can still be seen. They are designated by gold stars placed around the exterior of the main building. There are many ways to learn more about Sherman’s march into Columbia:

• • Read Sherman and the Burning of Columbia by Marion B. Lucas
• • Watch “Sherman’s March: Final Revenge“, produced, written, directed and funded by Frank Knapp, Jr.
• • Take the Tour – Download the brochure and follow in Sherman’s footsteps on this self-guided walking tour

Over the past few months, EmpowHER has expanded its reach with the launch of the EmpowHER Blogger Network, a new program aimed at connecting women interested in health and wellness throughout the world. Over 100 bloggers have already signed on, and one of them is a familiar face.

Tell Them’s own Sondra Bloxam has officially signed on as an EmpowHER recognized blogger. Typically highlighting her work in the Upstate, Sondra’s blogs examine the numerous facets of reproductive health and how restriction of access would impact women in South Carolina. Sondra regularly takes inspiration from her own life, including her dedication to the practice of Yoga. She is a beautiful, confident young woman who speaks on these important issues with a strong voice of reason, and we are excited to have her represent South Carolina in this arena.

Sondra’s blogs will now feature teh EmpowHER Blogger Network Icon.

“We are so pleased to welcome these incredible new bloggers to the EmpowHER social community,” says EmpowHER Founder, Chairperson and CEO Michelle King Robson. “We recognize the value that new and different perspectives bring when it comes to health and wellness issues, and by inviting these new contributors to the site we hope to inspire and connect countless women to begin advocating for their own health and wellness.”

Bloggers were selected to join the network after meeting a strict list of qualifying criteria. In addition to basic determining factors like monthly traffic and social media presense, the applicant’s blogs were vetted to determine whether or not their writing style and topics of interest would be of value to EmpowHER site members as a whole.

As a Top 3 women’s health and wellness site, EmpowHER.com gives bloggers the opportunity to reach millions of women engaging in a one-of-a-kind social health experience. With the use of reciprocal link sharing, bloggers reap the benefits of increased site traffic, social media promotion to EmpowHER’s more than 48,000 member social audience and the distinction of being part of this esteemed network. For audiences, the bloggers chosen to take part in the network will offer new, personal perspectives on a variety of topics including health and wellness, lifestyle or condition-specific content.

Congratulations Sondra! The entire Tell Them team is excited to join up with this incredible resource for women’s health and look forward to a wonderful collaboration.

Architect John R. Niernsee’s original design, circa 1862, features a square tower made of white marble in place of our round copper dome that currently resides on top of the granite building. With the arrival of General Sherman in Columbia in 1865, the Statehouse was destroyed, and a temporary roof was added while the building was reconstructed. It wasn’t until Frank Milburn, a North Carolina architect, took over construction from 1900 – 1903 that the dome was finally added.

The centralized circular drum tower with a dome and cupola are features of Greek Revival school of design. The South Carolina dome is one of two in the country in which the dome is made entirely of copper (44,000 pounds), not just the roof (Kansas is the other). The shape of South Carolina’s Cupola is unique – it fans outward to resemble the shape of a helmet. The top portion of the cupola has a wider base creating an impression of a collar sitting on top of the widening dome, or shoulders.

Renovations were made to the interior of the Statehouse, including the dome, from 1995-1998. When standing inside the Statehouse lobby and lookin up towards the dome, visitors actually see a false dome, located directly beneath the exterior cupola. There is a small dome room, located between the false dome and the exterior cupola which allows access for statehouse staff to raise and lower the flags.

Tell Them reached a significant milestone in 2011 when the network grew to more than 10,000 members. Our focus on prevention has resonated with mainstream South Carolinians committed to creating a stronger, healthier state.

Over the past few months, we have made numerous updates to the Tell Them website in order to better facilitate direct communication between our members and our elected officials.

The new tellthemsc.org has a variety of new features, including:

• Bill of Rights: Tell Them believes that every young adult in South Carolina deserves the right to uncensored reproductive health education and access to services. We have developed 9 key rights that we strive to protect.
• Get Local: Visit your regions’ page to learn more about the issues currently impacting your community and the actions you can take to have your voice heard.
• Learn the Facts:  Use this new section get the facts about the economics of teen pregnancy, access to reproductive healthcare, comprehensive sex education, and more.

We will be using this new website, expanded field support, outdoor and print advertising and social media to educate the public, and ultimately lawmakers, about serious threats to basic individual rights.

One of these very real threats in South Carolina is the H. 3408 – The “Refusal of Care” Act, also known as the “Freedom of Conscience” Act. This legislation would give health care professionals the legal right to put their moral and religious beliefs before the health and well-being of their patients. You can download some examples of how this legislation will affect patients in South Carolina. Our top priority this session is defeating the passage of this bill, and we need your help to be successful.

Click here to take action now on H. 3408 – The “Refusal of Care” Act

It’s going to be a busy year for Tell Them and one we hope you will want to share with us.

Last night, I was walking by the Statehouse, beautifully lit up for the holiday season. One thing that struck me was the palm trees swinging in the wind next to the huge evergreen. Movies and traditional holiday scenes paint a picture of this time of year with nothing but lights and snow- I think that time should come to an end. The palm trees swaying in the breeze, lit by the lights of the Statehouse, were beautiful. And very South Carolinian.

For those who need the feeling of snow, I offer Mr. Michael Bublé’s White Christmas.

Contact Emma, Tell Them Program Manager at edavidson@newmorningfoundation.org

Dr. Debbie Billings, Assistant Professor in the Arnold School of Public Health and Professor in the Women’s and Gender Studies Program at the University of South Carolina, spoke about the Tell Them campaign to increase accessbility of reproductive health education and services to all citizens in South Carolina.

Click here to listen to Debbie’s fantastic interview.

Columbia has been recognized as a “Tree City USA” by the Arbor Day Foundation for the past 32 years. This honor is awarded to cities that implement an effective tree-care strategy and program as a continuing process of enhancement and restoration. In fact, 12* cities in South Carolina have been named “Tree Cities” for more than 20 years, and 5** have received the honor for more than 30 years.

There are numerous benefits to being named a “Tree City” by the Arbor Foundation. The entire community received cleaner air and visually appealing streets, while increasing public awareness of the benefits and need for community forests. Receiving a national rating by the Arbor Foundation distinguishes and rewards the work that a community done to maintain their forests, and fosters cooperation between private and public groups that work to conserve the local environment.

The South Carolina Statehouse complex is a fantastic example of the variety and beauty of local trees and other flora. November is a perfect time to tour the grounds and view the beauty of the natural surroundings.

*Aiken, Breafort, Camden, Conway, Greenville, Hartsville, Lancaster, Lexington, Mount Pleasant, Rock Hill, Sumter, and Tega City have all been named “Tree Cities USA” for more than 20 years.

**Charleston, Columbia, Florence, Spartanburg, and Summerville have been named “Tree Cities USA” for more than 30 years.

Day One we discussed the fundamentals of Direct Action Organizing, how it employs power relations within the community, and the importance of utilizing story telling in our work.

Day Two we discussed preconditions for social change movements, strategy guidelines, recruitment, and one-on-one meeting guidelines. On this day we had the opportunity to role play one-on-one meetings with one another and plan and present strategies used in a role play for a potential community meeting with a large corporation.

Day Three began with action guidelines, recruitment, and coalition building. For this days’ exercise, our class was split into groups, some of which considered reasons for whether or not a specific organization should join a hypothetical coalition, and others who looked at how to recruit potential coalition members.

Day Four we discussed the context of our organizing and media guidelines. For a media exercise, we planned and role played events that would attract potential media coverage. It was SO fun to come up with slogans, make demands, and stay on message in the face of “reporters”! 

Day Five we learned about Accountability Meetings in which an elected official is invited to a community forum to address their position on a particular issue. And yes, we did the role play of role plays for this exercise! There is something about planning and organizing a meeting for your community to address their representative that chants POWER to me

Throughout the week, each of us took on transformational roles as Organizer, Committee Chair, Representative, Legal Aid, Specialist, Coalition Director, Coalition Member, Media, Spokesperson, and Community Organization Leader. After each activity we broke down exactly what happened and why, really taking the time to dialogue about what it truly means to do Direct Action Organizing. 

Everything that we do as organizers comes to down to one thing: utilizing power over a target or decision maker to make real improvements in people’s lives. This was the center of a talk I had on my last night in Chicago with Midwest Academy trainer David Hunt. I was speaking to David about what it was that I really loved about organizing to which he replied “That’s because you’ve got Organizer Soul girl!”.

For more information about Midwest Academy and the amazing trainings they offer you can visit their website at www.midwestacademy.com.  Happy Organizing!