This is where thoughts become things.

Hi, I'm Daniela. Welcome to my personal lair on the Internet. This is where I write about storytelling, activism, technology and pop culture. Sometimes I post videos. I update my lair when the mood strikes me. Follow me on Twitter for daily updates (@dcap).

Tag : inspiration

Quotes: For those standing on the edge of something you desire

At MAPPs training, session #9. I will finish by November <3 documents from one of my MAPPs foster-to-adopt training sessions

“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles… The credit belongs to the man in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who at his worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.” – Theodore “Teddy” Roosevelt, 1910, at the Sorbonne in Paris

“I failed my way to success.” – Thomas Edison

“Our doubts are traitors, and make us lose the good we oft might win, by fearing to attempt.” – William Shakespeare

“One who fears failure limits his activities. Failure is only the opportunity to more intelligently begin again.” – Henry Ford

“Wherever we look upon this earth, the opportunities take shape within the problems.” – Nelson A. Rockefeller

“Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world.” – Harriet Tubman

“Everything I hold dear in my life came from taking a giant leap of faith into the unknown.” – Me, Daniela Capistrano

On My Radar: Young Girls Kicking Ass

When I was a little girl I secretly wanted these things:
1. to be in a band
2. to do competitive figure skating
3. to direct an episode of Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman

I spent most of my time daydreaming about those scenarios while jumping up and down on a tiny trampoline in my bedroom and listening to my mixtapes. “One day… I’m gonna… It’s going to happen… I see myself…”

I didn’t turn out to be a rock star, figure skating orator with Superman cred, but I’m quite pleased with the life I’ve carved out for myself. And it pleases me even more to know there are little girls out there living their dreams RIGHT NOW, eff waiting until you’re older. Git it, little ladies.

Starr Andrews: Figure Skater (9)

P-Star: Artist/Actress/Activist (15)

TEDxTeen 2010 – P-Star from We Are Family Foundation on Vimeo.

Elise Tan Roberts: Youngest MENSA Member/Baby Genius with IQ of 156 (3)

Own your power, ladies. A new book on female economic power, Influence, points out, American women are responsible for 83 percent of all consumer purchases; they hold 89 percent of U.S. bank accounts, 51 percent of all personal wealth, and are worth more than $5 trillion in consumer spending power—larger than the entire Japanese economy.

On a global level, women are the biggest emerging market in the history of the planet—more than twice the size of India and China combined. It’s a seismic change, and by all indications it will continue: of the 15 job categories expected to grow the most in the next decade, all but two are filled primarily by women. – Newsweek

Gents, cherish and respect the women in your life, especially the little ones. We’ll all benefit in the long run.

On My Radar: Amazing Millennials & The LAMP

When 10-year-old Jonathan E. McCoy wrote and delivered this speech “A New Petition” at Empowerment Temple in Baltimore, he had no idea the controversy it would spawn.

Though there have been numerous contrary posts, Jonathan remains unscathed by the venom and maintains that the N-word should be deleted from our vocabulary “as a people, nation and the world.”

Jonathan started a petition in February 2009 at http://www.petitionspot.com. You may pledge your support by doing an alpha search at petitionspot.com of the letter “D” for ‘deleting the “n” word’. – via @jazzzyone

I’ve noticed a disturbing trend since 2005: Big Media’s onslaught of published articles and videos on the web bemoaning the sad state of Gen Y. Our generation and the younger set are being portrayed by the media as coddled, gadget-dependent spoiled brats who are not prepared for life beyond their usual routine of texting, videogames and lethargic marathons in front of the TV. This is bullshit.

True, there are some kids out there who need their parents to cut the apron strings, but there are even MORE young people out there TRANSFORMING THE WORLD.

Millennials are empowered in unprecedented ways. They are using technology and inspiration from previous leaders and activists to create amazing change in their lives.

Their efforts are tangibly affecting those around them and manifesting across the globe. It’s so inspiring that I can barely contain myself!

Obviously, young people can only be self-motivated to a certain degree. They need resources and support — ideally from their parents, but in the cases where that just isn’t a reality, we need to pull together as a nation (and planet) to make resources available.

I am volunteering with The LAMP (Learning About Multimedia Project) this summer, an organization (and for the first time, a summer camp!) that addresses the lack of basic media literacy education in New York City schools and communities.

The Lamp offers offers free workshops and public events designed to help young people, parents and teachers make sense of the media barrage they encounter in their daily lives.

Here are some resources to track inspiring millennial stories.
Feel free to post other links in the comments:

YPulse Research – Youth marketing to teens, tweens & Generation Y (Gen Y). They also provide daily news & commentary. @Ypulse is on Twitter.

myBLOC – A social networking website for young activists of color.

DonorsChoose.org – A non-profit created by a former NYC public school teacher, Charles Best, to connect teachers needs with people who could help fund them. Check out some of the projects that the classrooms are taking on. Inspiring!

Ghetto Film School – GFS is an award-winning youth media organization (Mayor’s Award for Arts and Culture, Rush Philanthropic Arts for Life Award, and The Union Square Award). Their students and their work have been featured on IFC TV, E!, BBC’s Talking Movies, ABC News Now, CNN News, The NY Times, The Huffington Post and several film magazines.