Happ-Y-Ness Factor News — 7
So what’s on my mind this month….
Let’s celebrate our equality & support its true meaning…to support each other’s dreams and visions.
Today, August 26th, is Women’s Equality Day. As I was reflecting on what I wanted to share this month I realized the importance of this day and what it means to me. I have been fortunate to live at a time when I can make decisions in my life with some form of freedom. I am not saying my life has been easy. Some of the decisions I have made have been extremely uncomfortable and sometimes have taken me in a direction I did not expect. However, I still have the ability to make my own personal good or poor decisions. I have experienced economic challenges based on my own decisions as well as decisions others have made which impacted me. Overall though with each life experience I have taken these moments to learn, move forward, and move up the life ladder.
A little bit of history…At the behest of Rep. Bella Abzug (D-NY), in 1971 and passed in 1973, the U.S. Congress designated August 26 as “Women’s Equality Day.” The date was selected to commemorate the 1920 certification of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution, granting women the right to vote. This was the culmination of a massive, peaceful civil rights movement by women that had its formal beginnings in 1848 at the world’s first women’s rights convention, in Seneca Falls, New York. The observance of Women’s Equality Day not only commemorates the passage of the 19th Amendment, but also calls attention to women’s continuing efforts toward full equality. Workplaces, libraries, organizations, and public facilities now participate with Women’s Equality Day programs, displays, video showings, or other activities.
Let’s reflect on how much progress (or not) we have made in the United States and around the world on supporting human rights in all of its forms.
As with any movement, people need to feel the need to express their frustration and their willingness to push for a change. Women’s rights have been focused on by the United Nations to organizations around the world. The World Bank reported in 2022 that nearly 2.4 billion women globally don’t have same economic rights as men. 178 countries maintain legal barriers that prevent their full economic participation, according to the World Bank’s Women, Business and the Law 2022 report. In 86 countries, women face some form of job restriction and 95 countries do not guarantee equal pay for equal work.
Globally, women still have only three quarters of the legal rights afforded to men — an aggregate score of 76.5 out of a possible 100, which denotes complete legal parity. However, despite the disproportionate effect on women’s lives and livelihood from the global pandemic, 23 countries reformed their laws in 2021 to take much-needed steps towards advancing women’s economic inclusion, according to the report.
“While progress has been made, the gap between men’s and women’s expected lifetime earnings globally is US$172 trillion — nearly two times the world’s annual GDP,” said Mari Pangestu, World Bank Managing Director of Development Policy and Partnerships. “As we move forward to achieve green, resilient and inclusive development, governments need to accelerate the pace of legal reforms so that women can realize their full potential and benefit fully and equally.”
Women, Business and the Law 2022 measures laws and regulations across 190 countries in eight areas impacting women’s economic participation — mobility, workplace, pay, marriage, parenthood, entrepreneurship, assets, and pensions. The data offer objective and measurable benchmarks for global progress toward gender equality. Just 12 countries, all part of the OECD, have legal gender parity.
As a result of economic disparities and frustrations with how the traditional financial world treated individuals, a movement started which is now known as decentralized finance. Many have shared that when Bitcoin was created this allowed individuals to share with others directly a form of value that could be translated into a currency. I have written about Bitcoin’s history in my book, The Bitcoin Cinderella & The 7 Dwarves, as well as explained an approachable overview of blockchain terminology within the first story, The Bitcoin Cinderella.
The movement to create more economic equality can be found within applications being developed on the technology known as the blockchain from the creation of DAOs to the development of Ethereum to the development of other tokens and use applications. As with every technological development which can have a positive use, there are individuals who do not have the same positive spirit and who find a way to use the technology to spam or trick others. Hence the need for education so individuals can discern and understand the use and applications.
According to Denelle Dixon (CEO and Executive Director of the Stellar Development Foundation, a non-profit organization that supports the development and growth of Stellar, an open-source blockchain network that connects the world’s financial infrastructure)….women are disproportionately excluded from the existing financial system. Women are under- or unbanked at higher rates than men globally. Due to a whole host of factors like cultural or local norms, lack of financial education and formal sector employment, women are often less likely to use or have access to financial services. That forces many women — and unbanked adults, in general — to rely on inefficient or volatile financial options, like keeping their savings at home or traveling long distances just to make everyday payments.
As part of my concern about education for women, youth and those new to exploring the developments on the blockchain, I launched (and am now the CEO) the Blockchain Legal Institute (www.BLI.tools). BLI is a centralized library for the decentralized resources within the blockchain community.
Since the launch of the Blockchain Legal Institute, we have partnered with the Government Blockchain Association, the Global Blockchain Business Council, the Anti-Human Trafficking Intelligence Initiative, Project Pi, AI & Partners, Atlanta Blockchain Council, and other partnerships soon to be announced.
We have also been able to offer various membership perks as a result of being part of the Blockchain Legal Institute community from access to business cards for the eco-friendly traveler to access to learning how to convert a household expense into an income producing asset (message me to arrange a time to see if you qualify for these tax credits and benefits — jcoopersolutions@gmail.com).
My vision with BLI is to provide a variety of learning & business options to educate, empower, and support personal lifestyle decisions.
At the Bitcoin 2023 conference in Miami I was often approached as I was giving away my book, Bitcoin Cinderella & The 7 Dwarves, for additional information about Bitcoin, blockchain and other resources. This is how the Blockchain Legal Institute was birthed. I realized a need existed and I could provide a solution.
The origin story of the Blockchain Legal Institute can be viewed on my CrytpoMom2 YouTube Channel along with other educational videos about the blockchain. (Be sure to subscribe to stay in the loop with new interviews).
Since August is also Back-To-School month and since I am a teacher… I decided to share with everyone a special Back-To-School discount. For just the price of a cup of coffee you can now gain access to a year of learning about blockchain to support your own economic empowerment. Take a sip & enjoy! — www.BLI.Tools
Since August is National Wellness Month, how are you doing? I decided to purchase some hand weights so as I walk around the house I can do simple arm lifts. What tips do you have?
I found some easy to do tips at the Health Start Foundation website. I really liked this picture:
https://www.healthstartfoundation.org/hsblog/7-wellness-tips-for-national-wellness-month. We can all do stretches to help us stay flexible and more relaxed.
Part of our health relates to how and what we eat. I found these easy and delicious recipes at the American Institute of Cancer Research
One recipe shows us how to make….Creamy pasta meets nutrition-packed kale in this recipe for the ultimate side dish. Kale’s popularity is rising, and with good reason — it’s super rich in vitamins A, C and K. Plus, research has shown that dark, leafy greens, like kale, pack a wide range of cancer-fighting carotenoids such as lutein and zeaxanthin. Pair with whole-wheat pasta shells and flavor with garlic and red pepper for a delicious addition to the table… So many other great recipes. Be sure to click the link above to explore and enjoy! Message me your favorite recipe.
So now that I have shared the power of the mind to create, let’s chat about our spirit for the month. How are you treating yourself? Do you find you are mult-tasking? Or do you find that you know how to stay focused on a single task? So I was recently shared information about the Promedero technique
The Pomodoro Technique is a time management method based on 25-minute stretches of focused work broken by five-minute breaks. Longer breaks, typically 15 to 30 minutes, are taken after four consecutive work intervals. Each work interval is called a pomodoro, the Italian word for tomato (plural: pomodori).
The 90–20 rule is quite simple: Spend 90 minutes focused on a specific task, and then take a 20-minute break. Studies show that our brain uses up most of its glucose — the sugar responsible for optimal brain function — in 60 to 90-minute intervals,
This might be a way for you to reduce your stress, manage your time and find balance with the many areas we find within our life from personal time to family time to project time.
As we get close to the weekend in the United States known as Labor Day, let’s think about what it means to work, have a paycheck, and be able to economically afford both the basics (food, healthcare, clothing, home, etc.) as well as those other areas we spend on (travel, cars, etc.). Let’s remember that many around the world do not have the same economic freedoms or human rights. I know in July I spoke about appreciating the liberties we possess. I would ask that you explore and learn more about the DAO communities and those within the blockchain world. The freedom to speak about how to help others and then put this into action is part of the civil rights community. Think about how each of us can help one other person within our local area as well as within the global community. Together we can all make a difference.
Keep your messages coming. I am always excited to hear your thoughts, questions, and comments.
As I always mention at the end of my shows, remember to be kind to yourself and to others. We are interconnected, and our actions ripple across this shared world.
Wishing you love, support, and joyful travels…
Until our next update, Jacqui (Also known as CryptoMom2)
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