Essential Stories Project

21/04/2024

🔥 Unleashing the Power of Women in Afghanistan: Rabia’s Call to Action 🔥

"I refuse to be silenced. As a 23 year old woman in Afghanistan, I crave self-empowerment. I yearn to shatter the chains of injustice for my mother, sisters, and every woman in my homeland. This course? It's my ticket to transformation – a chance not just to learn, but to ignite my self-worth, resilience and aspirations.

In Afghanistan, our choices are stolen, our dreams crushed. We're denied the very essence of humanity – the right to choose our clothing, pursue education, and work. It's a relentless agony. But mark my words: I refuse to accept this fate. I'm committed to unleashing change, to turning dreams of freedom into reality.

This course? It's my lifeline. I hunger to absorb every ounce of wisdom, every tool of empowerment. And you know what? I won't keep it to myself. No. Everything I glean, every lesson learned, will be a torch I carry to illuminate the path for others.

Join me in rewriting the narrative for my sisters. Let's stand shoulder to shoulder, amplifying the voices of Afghan women, empowering them to rise.

Together, we can turn dreams of freedom into reality that echoes across generations. Are you with me?"

https://voicesunveiled.org/donate/

$30 Buys a student internet package
$100 Sponsors a student for 1 month
$300 Sponsors a student for 1 trimester
$500 Helps with Student Sponsorship and Medical Emergency Needs

13/04/2024

"I want to know more about the rights that we girls should have, so I can help my family understand that we have rights, just like men. We do not know our own rights. I want to understand them and pass it on to others. I want to experience a new version of myself by knowing such things.”
-Ariana, age 17, Kabul, Afghanistan

🌟 Join Us in Empowering Afghan Women! 🌟

Ariana yearns for a brighter future not just for herself, but for her entire community. She's eager to learn about her rights as a woman and hopes to educate her family and peers about gender equality.

Ariana's words resonate deeply with countless young women across Afghanistan who are eager to break free from societal and political constraints and embrace their inherent rights and freedoms. But they need our support to access the education and resources they have been legally denied and so deserve.

With just a $300 donation, you can sponsor a student like Ariana for a 3 month trimester of our online course in self-empowerment and feminism. Your contribution will provide her with the tools and knowledge she needs to advocate for herself and others, transforming lives and communities in the process. No donation is too small.

Together, we can empower a new generation of Afghan women to stand tall, speak up, and shape their own futures. Donate today and be a catalyst for change!

Click the link below to make a difference:
https://voicesunveiled.org/donate/

Thank you for your generosity and support.

21/03/2024

"We were born in a country with gender apartheid.
When I participated in your trimester 2 course, it gave me motivation. I continue to be faced with challenges and struggles. Mental health is more important than anything. I really can’t express through the words how much I am struggling with my mental health. I really need to re-join your course this trimester. "
-T.A., age 17, Kabul, Afghanistan

The crisis in Afghanistan continues to worsen. As poverty, violence and lack of healthcare increases, women and girls need more mental health support, empowerment and education than ever. That is exactly what we bring to them through this project.

Our students have named this project: Voices Unveiled.
We are about to enter into our 4th Trimester. I am in the process of reviewing over 120 Afghan student applications for our next course, out of which approx 50 students will be selected.

Please consider sponsoring a student for this new trimester and help us keep going! We rely on your generous donations to continue to build safe community for women and girls in Afghanistan to continue to believe in their futures and value in the world.

$300 sponsors 1 student for the full semester.
$30 sponsors a wifi package for 1 student for a semester.
No donation is too big or small!

Click here to make a tax-deductible donation:

https://gofund.me/9d707b10

Thank you for your support.

11/03/2024

Have you thought about sponsoring or hosting a refugee family in need?

I am looking for co-sponsors and hosts for a qualified Afghan family in Pakistan. Their situation is extremely urgent. Below is info on what is needed to be a co-sponsor through Welcome Corps. Please DM me if you are interested in learning more or would be willing to help.

Thank you so much!!

A new service opportunity for everyday Americans to welcome refugees seeking freedom and safety and make a difference in their communities.

05/02/2024

We did it! We just wrapped the final week of classes for semester 3 of the Self-Empowerment course for Afghan women! This project has now just hit the one year mark on Feb. 2 and my small volunteer team and I are still going full steam, THANKS TO YOU AND YOUR SUPPORT, with plans to grow and expand the course this year 2024.

I have so far reached and worked with approximately 110 students this first year. My aim is to more than double that number this year. I want to share with you some of the comments from the students on their reflections of this past semester:

"I am feeling proud, delighted, and appreciative. It was the most amazing, best, fantastic class that I've had in my life. I always call this class my favorite. Every minute of this class was precious to me, I always heard every single word with my whole heart. It was a big pleasure to meet these amazing women. Congratulations to all. Yayyy we did it!!!!!"
-A.G., Age 20

"I will miss you ma'am. You are like my sister and I pray for you to have a happy and healthy life. It was a wonderful experience for me to meet you and I really learned different things from you. Also, you are very kind. I would love to meet you in person and hug you."
-R.A., Age 22

"I wholeheartedly want to thank you for all your dedication, kindness, and commitment over the past three months. You are not just an extraordinary teacher but an exceptional guide who has truly captivated my heart and mind. Your unique teaching style and the warm connection you establish with each student are truly amazing. I am grateful to you for your support in empowering women and feminism, even in moments when I felt the need for friendly guidance. You have been a true light in my life's journey. My heart is filled with gratitude for you. I hope to wake up every day with the motivation and energy to implement the valuable lessons I have learned from you. The empowerment of women and feminism class under your guidance has not only been an educational opportunity but a transformative experience for me. With the awareness and motivation you have instilled in us, you have conveyed valuable lessons about gender equality and women's rights. Tonight, as the last session of the class approaches, my heart is full of appreciation and thankfulness. With the warmth and good memories I have had with you, these moments will surely be unforgettable. Thank you very much for being an excellent coach, guide, and source of inspiration. I hope your path is filled with success and good days ahead."
-S.K., Age 40

"You're the best teacher ever for me."
-S.H., Age 22

"You were always there for us in every bad situation. I am speechless. We really love you, you’re the kindest person I have ever seen.❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ One of my biggest problems is that I can’t express my feelings. I just cry. I want to say that I was previously taking everything very seriously and was making myself feel down. Now I have changed a lot and I am trying to become as kind as you. I am trying to be nice with everyone like you. I have gained self-love again. I really love you. ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️"
-Q.K., Age 18

"Ma’am I can’t say enough about your character and your kindness. I will never ever forget the days that I was not in a good situation and you were with me during these bad times, especially when my father so sick. I feel your presence not physically, but mentally. I learned a lot from you my dear lovely & honey teacher. I love you to the moon and back. Today I don’t want to say that I am sad, but that I am so lucky that we have a teacher like you and got to have lots of experiences with you. We especially learned from you kindness."
-M.S., Age 20

"Being in this class and starting it in 2023 was one of the best and most pleasant experiences of my life. For the first time, I was able to feel that I should enjoy life like others. For the first time, I was introduced to someone with whom I truly felt comfortable discussing my problems. And it was you Ms."
-H.O., Age 21

"Dear teacher, I thank you from the bottom of my heart for making me face my fears and find my true self. You and my classmates are like friends to me who motivate me, I am so happy to have known you all. "
-S.A., Age 22

"I'm really happy to be in this class. I can't express my feelings about this class. And I'm very happy to have teacher like you. ♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️"
-B.F., Age 16

"Dear teacher you can see what these three months did to us. We have a lot of love to give and share, a lot of feelings that we want to face inside of ourselves and can fall in love and be in peace."
-G.S., Age 27

"A long time ago, I heard that if something is interesting to you, you don't notice the time passing. Now I know what that feels like. It was best class that I've attended."
-S.H., Age 22

"You are a special person in my life dear teacher."
-R., Age 22

Please consider sponsoring an Afghan student for my 4th semester. $300 covers one student for 3 classes per week for 3 months
$30 covers the cost of a student's internet package for a full semester.

No donation is too small. The situation under the Taliban continues to get WORSE and more VIOLENT for women and girls. They are more isolated, frightened and demoralized than ever. Thank you for helping to offer them a light toward their futures and give them a reason to feel hope and solidarity.

To make a tax deductible donation go to:
https://gofund.me/9d707b10

THANK YOU for being part of this vital project.

22/01/2024

Today my friend and colleague Sparrow X. Carter, poet, journalist and author of eleven books, was a guest speaker to lead a creative writing class with my students. They loved it. In addition to writing, we had a lively discussion about culture, languages, the conflict between Isael and Palestine, and much more. Class ran one hour over our usual time!

Even in the midst of so much tragedy and violence in Afghanistan, Sparrow had the students laughing and delighted with his whimsical poetic sharings. Every guest that visits our class to teach or share on a subject is mutually inspired by the students. After the class, Sparrow wrote me:

"That was really amazing! I feel like I was showered with Islamic kindness. These women are fantastic, and not at all like I pictured them -not 'victims'."

And the students were revived by the humor and intellectual discourse in class today and safter said:

"I learned a lot of things from Mr. Sparrow such as kindness, happiness, humanity, hard work, and being carefree from worry. I see these things in him and I learned from him."

"It is like I am flying in the sky to be in tonight's session and have Mr. Sparrow as our guest speaker."

Please consider sponsoring an Afghan student for my next online semester of Self-Empowerment and support this work in helping these bright young Afghan women living under the Taliban feel their humanity again.

To make a tax-deductible donation of any amount go to: https://gofund.me/9d707b10

16/01/2024

"The only sound that calms my heart is the sound of the rain. I like the sound of the rain very much, and when I hear the sound of the rain, I take an umbrella and start walking until my mind calms down, and then I like to sing out loud again in the rain. and dance."
S.A., age 21

"In a tranquil garden, beneath the shade of tall trees,
A waterfall whispers, playing the melody of life.
With a book in hand, hidden in the gentle breeze,
Beside me, a cup of cherry coffee, a loyal companion.

Birds in the sky, singing delightful tunes,
Surrounded by colorful flowers embracing the land.
This garden is where my heart immerses in peace,
A place where tranquility and beauty never cease to expand."
-S.H., age 40

"For as long as I can remember, the outdoors has always been a place where I can go to find myself again. It is a place where I can be whatever I want, a place where there are no rules. It’s just me and the trees. When I was child, all I ever wanted to do was climb a tree to the very tip top to maybe, just maybe, touch a cloud. Now I know that's far out of reach, but back then I thought I could do it, and thought that there was nothing in my way except for a couple of limbs. How easy is that? It’s basically like climbing a ladder. Outdoors to me is a magical place where I can be, where I can just relax and forget about the world around me for just that one moment."
-Q.K., age 18

"Nature has always been the only thing that I can feel my connection with for sure. Water, sea, wind, clouds, animals, plants, earth, stones, trees, all of it.
I remember how I felt this natural presence more than anything in times when I was suffering.
I used to talk to the leaves of the plants inside my house, my cat who was always my companion, the sky whose vastness healed my longing heart, the water that helped me feel alive. Yes, wind is one of the children of nature that made my connection with the freedom of life stronger. I love the wind more than anything, it reminds me of my femininity, something my people try to destroy."
-G.S., age 27

"There is a deep connection between Mother Nature and us, we are responsible to one another. Nature is the source of energy, inspiration, joy and love for humans."
-N.F., age 24

"I feel desperate and disappointed, and I need some fresh air to breathe through, clean water, some trees to walk under."
Q.K., age 18

My friend, colleague, and fellow poet Erin Agee, also an environmental lawyer, activist, and supporter of this project taught a writing workshop this past week to my Afghan class, exploring our relationship with nature. Above are some of the writings of the students.

In Afghanistan, women are banned from public parks and now cannot leave their home without being fully covered head to toe, or a male chaperone, or fear of being arrested, kidnapped and tortured by the Taliban for absolutely no crime other than being female.

Above are the imaginings of young women who long to be outdoors, who long to fee the wind in their hair, the rain on their shoulders.

Please help sponsor an Afghan student for this course. Every donation amount helps me keep going. Thank you for supporting this work.

Make a tax-deductible donation here: https://gofund.me/29f50576

11/01/2024

"Thank you Ms. Cara, for being with me. For making me sure that there are people who are supporting me, who are caring about me, and realizing that I exist. I know there aren't many people who are eager to hear from us, but you do."

This text came from an 18-year-old Afghan student today after a 6.2 earthquake and multiple Taliban bombings targeted public spaces in Hazara communities, an ethnic minority that is targeted with genocide.

Many of my students have reported seeing the Taliban kidnap girls off the streets this week, taking them to God knows where. Their families often don't know where they are taken. This image has been circulating social media in Kabul. Families are forbidding their daughters from leaving the house, terrified they will be kidnapped and tortured by the Taliban.

I teach a Self-Empowerment class which meets multiple times a week and provides consistent community, emotional support, education for women ages 15-40 years old across Afghanistan. This is so needed right now at the darkest time of their young lives.

Please consider sponsoring a student in my course. Every tax deductible donation helps keep this project going and helps these brilliant young women and girls stay courageous and determined toward a brighter future when it feels like the world has forgotten them.

Thank you for your support and care for Afghan women.
https://www.gofundme.com/f/empower-and-support-young-women-in-afghanistan?utm_medium=copy_link_all&utm_source=customer&utm_campaign=p_cp%2Bshare-sheet

05/01/2024

Afghanistan. Where 10 year old girls are abducted off the street by the Taliban with the excuse of not properly covering their entire bodies and faces, then taken to prison and held ransom to their families, or worse. The morale of the women and teenage girls continue to plummet as leaving home, even for an errand becomes more and more life threatening.

Here is what one student wrote in a writing workshop today with visiting guest speaker Shari Nacson who visited my class when asked, What is Your Favorite Part of the Day?

"Being in class and being with teacher Cara is my favorite part of the day. Because the only place where I can take time for myself and value myself is my class, and the only person who listens to my words with passion is my dear teacher Ms. Cara. I love you my dear teacher."

Please consider sponsoring a student through a semester of my Self Empowerment and Feminism course for Afghan women:

https://gofund.me/29f50576

Thank you for believing in the lives, education and future of these women!

Since the Taliban takeover in 2021, women in Afghanistan have been … Cara Cruickshank needs your support for Help me educate and empower women in Afghanistan

28/12/2023

Dear Friends,

Happy holidays to you all! This week, we had Egemen Kesikli (the Turkish musician who played and sang his beautiful music at our last fundraising event in Boulder, Colorado in September) as a guest speaker for the Afghan Self-Empowerment class. The students absolutely loved having him!! He shared his journey from growing up in a poor family in Turkey to emigrating via scholarship to the U.S. as a political science major, while secretly getting a master's degree in music unbeknownst to his conservative parents in Turkey! Egemen didn't confess to them his study of music until he completed his master's and began his PhD! Since that time, both his father and mother have each gotten inspired and pursued and earned music degrees in Turkey in their 60s! Egemen shared about his journey of beginning with the music of many Arabic cultures in Turkey, to then being oriented to euro-centric music in academia, and his ongoing exploration of musical and cultural fusion, as well as identity as a global citizen. He then sang 3 songs in different styles and languages for the students, who were totally enraptured to receive a live, mini concert. His singing revived a love for music that, in their isolation and deprivation of social life, the women and girls of Afghanistan had forsaken or forgotten. One student vowed to save enough money from a new job she is starting this month, to buy a guitar. Egemen has promised to return and teach a singing workshop, which the students are eagerly anticipating!

Here are some of the students' comments after he sang:

"Your voice is so calm"

"Just a masterpiece ✨️"

"Just Wowww, Thank you so much. You made my day!!!!!"

"I cannot express, how this song made my day:)"

"OMG
It is really fantastic and wonderful"

"Soooo calm"

"Wowww wonderful"

"I had headache but your voice just made my day
I am speechless
I can’t express how good your voice is"

"What a soft and gentle voice, I enjoyed it very much, thank you."

"I love singing as well ❤️"

"Wow wow You have a voice that captivates the soul and touches hearts. Keep shining and sharing your incredible talent with the world. "

"WOOOOOOOOOOOOWWWW
Loved it"

"I wish I could be a singer too"

"It would fun and good"

"Our class focuses on emotions. It was good that we had the opportunity to hear a voice whose emotions were very clear."

"Yayyyyyy!!!!"

This month, we have also had other guest speakers for the Self-Empowerment class, including:
-My sister Calandra Cruickshank, who shared about her journey from single motherhood to becoming the CEO of her startup tech company.
-My nephew Rowan Ian Cruickshank (our first male guest ever in the class), who presented on his recent journey of becoming a commercial airline pilot and gave of overview on the history of women in aviation.
-Writer and Teacher Mary Tuchscherer in California, who led a Creative writing workshop called: Breaking the Silence.
-Artist Sergey Jivetin in the Hudson Valley (born in Uzbekistan) who led a workshop called Seeds of Hope, on the indigenous and matriarchal relationship with regional seeds and plants from an artistic perspective. He also shared a video on a project that the Hudson Valley Farm Hub has partnered on with the Mohawk community on the preservation of indigenous plants.

The students are so invigorated and motivated by the chance to meet professionals in different fields and hear about their unique perspectives, challenges, successes and experiences in life, work and art.

Please consider sponsoring a student in Afghanistan with this Self-Empowerment course this holiday season and help me spread the word to encourage others to also. $300 covers one student for the full semester, and no donation is too small.

You can make a tax-deductible donation here: https://gofund.me/9d707b10

Very warm wishes for a happy holiday to you and yours,

Cara

17/07/2023

Please help support this important and urgent cause!

Since the Taliban takeover in 2021, women in Afghanistan have been … Cara Cruickshank needs your support for Help me educate and empower women in Afghanistan

05/07/2023

Today in my Self-Empowerment and Feminism class for women in Afghanistan, one of my students (a former psychology major before the Taliban banned women from school 2 years ago), told me that for years she dreamed of finding a way to study empowerment and feminism and getting to be part of a class such as this. She said that she once shared this goal with the head of the Afghan Youth Leadership Academy last year, who told her, "Wait a year and see if an opportunity might come." She said that when she heard about the opportunity to join my class she was so excited and that now that she is part of it, she feels so happy and grateful. Each class allows her to forget her stress and troubles and to feel more relaxed and expressive and leaves her feeling better. She told me this class is just what she had imagined, and she thanked me for making one of her dreams come true. She thanked me for volunteering my time and for caring about Afghan women. I told her that I am honored.

Another student reported today that she encountered Taliban police on the street this morning and saw her entire life flash before her eyes. A mother of a four-year old daughter and graduate of faculty of medicine, her knees went weak as she saw them come toward her with weapons. She felt her soul separate from her body. She felt helpless and alone, knowing there was no one who could protect her. To her relief, they passed her as they followed after someone else and she was able to return home safely this time. Life in Afghanistan looks like this for any random woman on the street who has dared to leave her home for any reason.

Yet another student today reported that last night she did a meditation and had an exceptional experience of feeling free and whole and connected to everyone and everything. She said she let go of any sense of past or future and was able to arrive fully in the present moment, in a feeling of bliss and deep wellbeing. She said that this experience has lasted through today. If a woman in Afghanistan in the midst of such a human rights crisis can find her own path to inner freedom, how can that inspire and move the rest of us? The strength of the human spirit is phenomenal. That this student can know her own connectivity with the world and find her own wellbeing in spite of such intense adversity, this is what true freedom is all about. So often, these incredible women I have the honor to call students are the teachers.

THANK YOU FOR HELPING ME TO SUPPORT, EDUCATE AND EMPOWER WOMEN IN AFGHANISTAN. TO MAKE A DONATION, CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW.

Since the Taliban takeover in 2021, women in Afghanistan have been … Cara Cruickshank needs your support for Help me educate and empower women in Afghanistan

12/06/2023

Thank you for supporting this project! I just held our first class of the semester today! What an incredibly bright, eager and accomplished group of women who are in this new class. A number of the students were unable to attend today due to internet issues (this is unfortunately on ongoing challenge in Afghanistan, along with frequent power outages), so I am still looking forward to meeting the rest of the class. Among this new group of students are women ages 18-29 (and even one 40 year old!) of many different provinces throughout the country and with many different interests, careers and backgrounds of study including:

Preschool and Primary Education
Political Science
Women's Rights Activism
Persian Literature
Transportation Engineering
Human Resources
Administration and Public Policy
Environmental Engineering
Midwifery
Psychology
Law and Justice
English Literature
Mathematics
Medical Faculty
Business

As you can see this is an incredibly rich group of ambitious and intellectual women with tons to offer and contribute to the world. Since the U.S. pulled out its troops on August 15, 2021 these women have been banned from continuing their studies and their careers and are forced to stay at home. They struggle with incredible frustration and despair at having their hard work interrupted indefinitely under such violent and unstable political and social turmoil, and they have expressed deep gratitude for the opportunity to take this course and have the engagement of a supportive community.

I have also invited my incredible students from last semester's course to audit this semester and join in on our group discussions and homework assignments. This allows for the original group to continue learning and deepening this work, as well as to build a broader network and community of ambitious and empowered women in Afghanistan. These women have so much to offer and though I am in the role of teacher, they have already taught me so much and changed my life for the better.

I could not be more thrilled and proud to gather together such an exciting and deserving group of women!!!

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for supporting these women and this work. To make a donation to this project to help me empower women in Afghanistan to speak up and be seen, please go to:

Since the Taliban takeover in 2021, women in Afghanistan have been … Cara Cruickshank needs your support for Help me educate and empower women in Afghanistan

08/06/2023

Thank you for supporting this project, together we can empower women in Afghanistan!

My name is Cara Cruickshank. This GoFundMe is an opportunity to hel… Cara Cruickshank needs your support for Help me educate and empower women in Afghanistan

20/05/2023

Immersive cultural salons that catalyze important conversations, new ideas, and community.

12/02/2023

I created an emergency gofundme to help Jannah complete her med school semester in the Philippines. Please help support a woman of color and her dream and determination to become a surgeon. And please share! 🙏❤️

We are half way there!!! Thank you so much for supporting Jannah in completing her hard earned semester of medical school. Please consider sharing this campaign to help her get tot the finish line.

She was given the deadline of 5pm yesterday (Philippines time), but the exam is 7am Monday morning and we are hoping if she can walk in with the tuition owed, they will allow her to take the exams. That means she will need to pick up a moneygram at 6am Monday, Feb. 13 which with the time difference means her maximum deadline is Sunday, Feb. 12: 3pm MST / 5pm EST. Thank you!!

I am raising funds to help a hardworking and determined female med… Cara Cruickshank needs your support for URGENT: Help Jannah complete her Med School exams

13/01/2023

How do you measure happiness? That’s the question Cara Cruickshank wants to explore with the latest installment of her long-running immersive art project dubbed Cafe de la Culture, a themed international salon series where conversation and cuisine go hand-in-hand with interactive visual and perfor...

23/06/2022

13/06/2022

💕

10/06/2022

SAVE THE DATE!
FRIDAY, JUNE 24 at 6PM
At Village Exchange Center INTRODUCING OUR FEATURED GUEST Theo Wilson:

24/08/2021

Join a growing chorus of global leaders and advocates in raising up the voices of Afghan women’s rights activists who are under imminent threat.