Our official logo!!!!

Working alongside The Rotary Club in Delores Hidalgo we have selected 4 schools in rural areas that need our help desperately. The donate now button is operational so please give what you can, a toonie, five dollars or one hundred. This is a project that is completely doable and one that will make a difference to these kindergarten kids.  Not only will we provide them with the much needed items they are asking for, but it shows the kids that we care and that we believe in their future.  Click on the donate button to read more about what our schools need and where our money will be spent. We can do this, one dollar at a time!!

Our trip to Mexico was beyond a success, I’ve been meaning to post, but have been waiting for the phone call I received last night. Hope For Mexico is official and approved. We have shifted gears slightly from building schools from the ground up…to helping existing schools in desperate need. This is going to be an incredible year.

I will contact all those who wanted to be involved in building our charity in the coming weeks to set up some initial meetings. I will also post all the needs of the chosen schools. So cool…trust me, this is going to be amazing.

Cesar and Lucas were there every step of the way and none of this would ever be possible without their help, guidance and support. Here’s what Cesar posted in the comments today.

I am so excited to announce the next phase of Hope For Mexico. We are going forward and will be building our first school in Mexico hopefully by the end of this year.

As most of you know, Hope For Mexico was born in May of 2011, when my dear friends in Mexico were swarmed by violence due to the on going drug war in that country. I asked what I could do to help and he said plan a rally like other cities around the world and let people know how much you care. So we did, our peace rally was held in Dundas Square in downtown Toronto, it was a great success and allowed me to meet members of the Mexican community in my hometown. Those people have been a great resource to me and they have welcomed me and my family with open arms and have supported our cause ever since. The rally was on the heels of Javier Sicilia’s son’s murder at the hands of the drug lords, he was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Sicilia is a famous poet and journalist in Mexico and from the day of his son’s death he vowed to change the country’s now tainted reputation. He lead Mexicans across the country on a caravan for peace. In June 2011 he created a peace treaty to be signed in the most dangerous city in the world – Ciudad de Juarez and as a journalist myself with an unwavering love for Mexico, I needed to be there and walk the final miles in Juarez to watch the peace treaty signing. So off I went and I was moved to the core of my being that day. I was forever changed and from that day I knew what we had to do.  http://ktphotographyblog.wordpress.com/2011/06/11/the-power-of-a-group-united/

Freedom is granted through education and education is the key to change. Mexicans deserve the right to an education like any one else and if we can provide that to even just one person than we will have had a tiny part in changing the world. What if – that one student goes on to do something huge in the world, or simply gets married holds a decent job, raises a good family and encourages his own children to get an education. We all can make a difference.

It’s taken us years to get to this point, my family has not felt safe returning to Mexico as the violence has increased over the  years and the timing just wasn’t right. We didn’t know how to proceed with our plans to build schools but this past year, 2012, the perfect storm brewed. My friends in Mexico have been working behind the scenes and managed to get architectural plans for the school, we have a designated village and possible land opportunities to construct the school. The violence has tamed and it’s safe for us to return.

I had the fortunate opportunity to meet with Free the Children, one of the biggest charities in the world helping children through education. And now, the biggest coup yet – I have been shooting and writing books with my brother over the past 8 months and we featured Donna Trellis, the woman who created REACH for the Rainbow, a charity in Ontario that has seen great success for over 30 years.  REACH for the Rainbow Her and I hit it off and as they say ‘the rest is history’. After hearing my story over a very long lunch she has offered her help and her presence on our board of Directors. She was moved by our journey and determination to make a difference and said she couldn’t resist and wants to be a part of it. So, we have our first “official board member”.

We are travelling to Mexico in early February to visit the site of the school and get our plans approved. I am working on preparing our official papers for government approval, we will be changing our charity designation, a suggestion by Donna, as we need to be a registered charity that can offer tax receipts. That’s a more daunting process and a very expensive one, but it will make a difference in donation possibilities.

So here we go…..we are officially lifting off! We will be building our schools so anyone who wants to put a team together or come on their own, we will have all the logistics in place for those who want to get their hands dirty and help build it from the ground up. Stay tuned as this is going to be a very good year.

As I now am working on an art exhibit and plans to grow The Hope for Mexico Foundation, I constantly run in to nay sayers. I don’t begrudge these people and I don’t feel sorry for them either, I’m just thankful that I don’t see the world in that way.  I believe one small gesture can change the path of someone’s life.  I am confident that my and my family’s small efforts to better Mexico, will make a difference, even if for just one person.

I read this today on a blog I follow and it lifted my spirits and solidified my beliefs.

 The Starfish Thrower

For those of you who don’t know it:

A boy is walking along the beach when he stumbles across thousands of starfish that have been washed up. He starts to pick them up and throw them back in.  A man approaches him and says, “Son, don’t bother. There are too many. You won’t make a difference.” The boy picks up another, throws it back in, and says, “I made a difference to that one.”

The time has come for change in Mexico. As I’ve said a million times before, I don’t care what your political beliefs are; this is about peace, hope and change for the betterment of the Mexican people.

Once again, my two best friends in Mexico were staring down the barrel of a gun last week, both on separate occasions both just steps from their front door. Cesar was leaving his home and dropped his cell phone, he got up to find a masked man right in front of him with a gun pointed at his head. He said in that moment you freeze and your mind is everywhere and nowhere all at the same time. By the grace of God, his neighbour came out with a friend and the gunman calming put down his weapon and slowly walked away.  A few days later, Cesar’s partner was driving home from work to find a gunman standing in the middle of the road with a gun pointing towards his car. This time my friend chose to accelerate and show the gunman no fear. It worked and he jumped out of the way in the nick of time. Sounds like a movie doesn’t it?  Well it’s not, this is the life my dear friends live in Guanajuato City, a beautiful colonial city in the middle of Mexico, hundreds of miles away from any border town. This is not the first time they have come face to face with such cowards but I’m praying it was their last. They moved the very next day.

This is what infuriates me – how many times can they escape death. I hate the fact that I have to make sure his friends and relatives have my contact information so that if anything happens they can call us right away. What kind of life is that?  The Mexican people deserve more respect than that.  I want to move on and get change in motion. I want my friends to live a safe and happy life that they so deserve. I want to go back to the place I call my second home. I want my daughter to know that change can happen and good things come from perseverance. I want my dear friends to be able to walk out of the house without fear in daylight or darkness. It’s not working in it’s present state and if there’s one thing I know for sure, you gotta start somewhere. So if that’s at the bottom and grabbing those who are doing petty crimes or those who lurk around innocent people’s homes with their fingers on a trigger – than so be it. Just do something to stop the violence. It’s now or never, dig deep and find it in you to support peace and freedom for all in Mexico.

Whatever your political views on Mexico are, or who you think would be the best President for a country in crisis, I am relieved to hear that one candidate has at least addressed the drug war and violence and is taking a realistic stance. You may not agree with this stance, but it’s an action plan that I believe has worked in the past and a plan I believe needs to be put in place to get Mexico on it’s feet again. This action plan is reminiscent of Vincente Fox’s strategy when he was President. No one is condoning drug trafficking and drug lords, and murders and violence, but it’s time to focus on the crimes that do the most damage to the greatest amount of Mexicans. You have to start somewhere. There will always be crime and there will always be drugs in this world, but by changing focus I believe one small step at a time it will make a difference over time. Enjoy the read.

http://www.mercurynews.com/breaking-news/ci_20711474/mexico-pres-front-runner-promises-cut-violence

My neighbour and I ventured out on a cold and wet evening last fall to listen to novelist Carlos Fuentes at the ROM in Toronto. We were very curious to hear his stance on the on going drug war. We were nervous too because my neighbour and I feel the same way – that Mexico is in trouble. That the drug war is real and it’s going to get worse before we ever see a change for the better. But being as close to Mexico as I am, I find that a lot of people including Mexicans living every day in the eye of the storm are in denial and don’t think it’s as bad as we think. We were pleasantly surprised on the stance Fuentes took on the drug war. How he believes it’s worse than anyone can ever imagine. That the 50 thousand plus deaths are real and unacceptable and the world needs to open their ears and eyes and see for real what is happening in a country so close to our own. I remember my neighbour leaning over to me at one point during Fuentes’ speech and he whispered “It’s like listening to you, he says the same things you do….”. I will never forget how much that inspired me to keep our Hope for Mexico charity alive. I also remember thinking, I have to try and contact Mr. Fuentes, maybe he can guide me or help me somehow. Well, it’s too late. He’s gone now. But maybe that’s just the kick in the ass I needed. Whatever your beliefs….maybe, just maybe Carlos Fuentes will the the angel Mexico so desperately needs right now. RIP.

latimesblogs.latimes.com

Isn’t that what charity is all about? I love it when something you wish for comes true. I wanted to meet with Free the Children a world renowned charity organization founded on a dream of two young boys. Now, Free the Children is helping communities all over the world and they found time today to help me.
freethechildren.com

Here’s my idea, I would like to hang my “Day in Juarez” photo exhibit in a gallery or place where we can invite people to come for a fundraising event kick off. I would love it if that place would be within the Mexican community.

As you know, Hope for Mexico believes education is the key to freedom in Mexico and we will raise money to build or rebuild schools in Mexico. We will ask those who joined in our Peace Rally last May to come back and be a part of the fundraising kick off event. I would love to hold the event in September, that gives us ample time to promote and really get people behind us to come and help us kick it off. Any suggestions?? Please join our facebook group Hope for Mexico and give us your opinion.

If you haven’t already, check out my Juarez photo essay on my photography blog.
http://ktphotographyblog.wordpress.com/category/mexico/

I am asking all my friends to help spread the word. Hope for Mexico needs a place to hold it’s kick off event.

I’ve got a lot of work to do to get this charity registered and properly set up. Please, spread the word and help this new charity get the wings it needs to fly!! Gracias.

Some people have asked, “What’s my thing with Mexico?”, and I think that I’ve explained that over the years and people who know me and my family understand and get it.
But I also get people who look at me sideways when I tell them I’ve founded a charity in hopes to offer the youth of Mexico the opportunity of an education which will give them better opportunities and ultimately a better life.
I saw this quote today and it basically sums things up……

“To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived, this is to have succeeded.” ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

I am currently waiting to hear if my Juarez photo exhibit has been accepted at a place we will hold our first fund raising campaign for Hope for Mexico. Keep your fingers crossed for me.