 I love India, the second-most populous country in the world with 1.3 billion inhabitants. (China is number one.)
I have traveled to India every year for the past seven years, with this year the only one where COVID kept me away. My last trip leading a group tour was last February 2020, right before the massive worldwide lockdown. Our adventure was phenomenal, and our memories of the food, the people, our friends, the city, and the countryside are etched in our hearts and minds to remind us of how beautiful this part of the world really is. Our hosts for all of my trips to India, Reverends Abraham and Sarah Peddiny, live in Chennai, one of India's largest cities on the southeast coast of the country in the state of Tamil Nadu. They couldn't be more gracious, more loving, and more giving to their community and me. COVID has now attacked the Peddinys and infected everyone in their household. By the grace of God, the family found a hospital for Rev Abraham Peddiny, where he's currently located, with oxygen pumping through his body to keep him alive. His wife, daughter, and family friends are now quarantined in their home until they recover. Given that COVID is killing people all over India, I am grateful that my friends are alive and not dead on the streets somewhere in Chennai. This is only one family unit in India. There are countless others who aren't so lucky, didn't find a hospital in time, and are now waiting in the queue to cremate their loved ones. You've seen the news stories, photos, and video clips. Believe them and multiply them since some areas of the country are underreported. Full Disclosure: I am fully vaccinated with the Moderna vaccine, and most of my immediate family in Massachusetts, Michigan, Connecticut and Florida have been vaccinated. I have also had two COVID tests, and both results were negative. And to top it off, I had a COVID antibody test, which tells if you have ever had COVID. It, too, was negative. So you may ask, "If Carole is fully vaccinated, what's the big deal? Why should she care about what is happening about the rise and fall of the COVID crisis outside of the United States? More than 40% of adults in the US have had at least one of two vaccinations (Moderna and Pfizer require two vaccinations…J&J is only one vaccine). So isn't that enough?" The answer is, "The plight of the world's future could very well rest in what happens in India. We are an interconnected planet. What happens in India could impact the US, UK, and Canada should another COVID wave break out in the coming months." We are in a worldwide pandemic that probably started in China, spread quickly to Europe, and flew with speed to the US. As a world event…we don't have the luxury to pick and choose the countries we should embrace or ignore. That includes India. The country that COVID is now strangling with all its might. So what can you do? What can one person do? ONE: Help the Peddiny Family. I started a fundraising campaign last week with a goal to raise at least $5000 to help them. As you can imagine, this health challenge was not planned for in the Peddiny Family budget, and some essential medical supplies, including oxygen, have skyrocketed in price. I have almost reached my goal. 100% of your donation will be sent to the Peddinys to help reduce their medical expenses caused by COVID. Any amount will help them. Your prayers will also help mightily. Please share this link with your friends who may also want to donate. https://bit.ly/3vlN7Dy TWO: Watch The News Get updated information on the crisis in India on international websites, including CNN: www.cnn.com, BBC: www.bbc.co.uk, and The Times of India: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/us. I find that the BBC gives some of the best news stories on international issues on the web. THREE: Listen to Podcasts on the India COVID crisis. A good one I listen to is "India Explained." It is hosted by two Indian ex-pats—one living in London and the other in San Francisco. They will give you unvarnished insight into what's going on in their home country, including the political issues that impact the nation. Here's the link to the latest episode: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/india-explained/id1214764218?i=1000519304730 FOUR: Check in with your Indian friends in your community. There is a new travel ban on India, and some travelers are stuck in the country trying to get back to the US, Canada, or England. And of course, those outside of India are worried sick about their relatives and friends back in their home country. Show you care. Call them up or talk to them at work. Brainstorm what you can do to help. Again we are one world, and now assisting Indian friends and family is needed more now than ever. FIVE: Contact Congress and The White House. Call your US Senators and the White House and ask them to continue to send aid to India. Thank goodness, President Biden "gets it," and medical supplies, oxygen, and other humanitarian goods are being shipped to India. The irony is that India was a major vaccine producer, exporting some of its vaccines to parts of Africa. Not now. Less than 1% of Indians have been vaccinated. And India is under equipped even to take care of its own people.You do the math. They are overwhelmed with their current crisis and need all the help they can get. Here's a website to find the contact information for your state's US senators: https://www.senate.gov/senators/senators-contact.htm We are our brother and sister's keeper. Keeping an international eye on world situations is our best way to protect our planet. You can do good things in your own home, neighborhood, AND across the world. Don't become an isolationist. We're way too connected to simply think about our own backyard. -Carole
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 Here's this week's quiz to keep you on your toes and to start the conversation within your network on race, diversity, multiculturalism, and inclusion. Each time we’ll pose specific questions to test your knowledge and to help stretch your understanding of the importance and subtleties of how we think, act, and engage with each other culturally, ethnically and personally. So get your thinking caps out and get ready to expand your thinking one question at a time. You’ll find all of the answers below. Have a good question to pose? Send me an email at [email protected], and you might see it reposted in a future issue of “The Diversity Quiz Factor!” -Carole Copeland Thomas =================== Below are 5 Questions/Statements With 6 Different Responses. All Answers Are Below. Feel free to SHARE this quiz with your friends, colleagues and staff members. ==================== 1. In The US Workforce women make up _____% of social workers and _____% of HVAC and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers. _____a. 30% and 25% _____b. 82% and 1% _____c. 65% and 10% _____d. 12% and 89% 2. The United Nations states that 1 in _____ girls in Africa miss school during their menstruation cycle. _____a. 257 _____b. 100 _____c. 1500 _____d. 10 3. With the United States making up only 5% of the world's population, what percentage of the world's prison population does it represent? _____a. 21% _____b. 95% _____c. 37% _____d. 78% 4. Who recently became Boston's first African American in history appointed as the Boston Police Commissioner? _____a. Ray Hammond _____b. David Thomas _____c. Jacques Carter _____d. William Gross 5. Dr. Daphne Koeller is the co-founder of what online educational platform launched in 2012? _____a. Udemy _____b. Coursera _____c. Thinkific _____d. Teachable =================== ANSWERS 1. b. 82% and 1% Source: US. Bureau of Labor Statistics Women at Work 2. d. 10 . This is a major issue in developing countries, where all girls do not have access to sanitary napkins. Several humanitarian projects in the US include sending/distributing sanitary napkins to girls in rural villages. When I lead my yearly group tour to India, our travelers take extra suitcases filled with sanitary napkins for village girls in the countryside. 3. a. 21% . Source: NAACP . This is a shameful percentage, coupled with several state prison construction projects conducted across the United States. 4. d. William Gross . Commissioner Gross was installed as the first African American on Monday August 6, 2018. Listen to Carole's radio podcast and learn more about Commissioner Gross. Click Here to Listen. 5. b. Coursera . This TED talk features Dr. Koeller and her remarkable journey as an online innovator. Click Here To Listen.   Here's my new series to keep you on your toes and to start the conversation within your network on race, diversity, multiculturalism, and inclusion. Each time we’ll pose specific questions to test your knowledge and to help stretch your understanding of the importance and subtleties of how we think, act, and engage with each other culturally, ethnically and personally. So get your thinking caps out and get ready to expand your thinking one question at a time. You’ll find all of the answers below. Have a good question to pose? Send me an email at [email protected], and you might see it reposted in a future issue of “The Diversity Quiz Factor!” -Carole Copeland Thomas =================== Below are 5 Questions With 5 Different Responses. All Answers Are Below. Feel free to SHARE this quiz with your friends, colleagues and staff members. ==================== 1. What holiday do Canadians celebrate on the second Monday in October? _____a. Christmas _____b. Mother's Day _____c. Canadian Founder's Day _____d. Thanksgiving 2. How many Gods are there in the Hindu faith? _____a. 25 _____b. 750 _____c. 1555 _____d. 33 Million 3. In the case of sexual harassment, what should the victim do first at work? _____a. Go straight to the police _____b. Confront the offender if possible, and or take the complaint directly to Human Resources _____c. Tell your colleagues, form a vigilante and confront the offender _____d. Go straight to your state's EEOC office 4. What country has the largest population in the world? _____a. China _____b. India _____c. Russia _____d. Brazil 5. What one thing has the power to bring culturally different people together? _____a. A vigorous debate _____b. Silence _____c. Food _____d. A heated argument Thank you for taking this week's Diversity Quiz! Please share it with your friends and colleagues. =========== ANSWERS 1. d. Thanksgiving Download Carole's video on this subject: http://videos.weebly.com/uploads/7/6/8/2/7682161/mon_oct_9_2017_diversity_tip_9_move_beyond_your_cultural_traditions_984.mp4 2. d. 33 Million For more insight on this large number, click here and read this article: https://www.huffingtonpost.com/gadadhara-pandit-dasa/the-33-million-demigods-o_b_1737207.html 3. b. Confront the offender if possible, and or take the complaint directly to Human Resources To learn more about sexual harassment, watch Carole's webinar on the subject. Here's the link: http://www.tellcarole.com/high-stakes-sexual-harassment.html 4. a. China with 1.3 billion people India has 1.2 billion. Russia has 133 million. Brazil hs 218 million. 5. c. Food! Download Carole's video "The Great Cultural Connection" and learn more about the power of food. http://videos.weebly.com/uploads/7/6/8/2/7682161/sun_oct_15_2017_diversity_tip_15_ask_about_food_350.mp4 _________________________________________________________________________  
Focus On Empowerment can be heard every Thursday at 1pm Eastern.
Log Onto: www.blogtalkradio.com/globalcarole Listen LIVE or Download Anytime At This Blog Post. Each broadcast can be replayed immediately following the show. ======================== I just returned from my fourth trip to India. The country has the second largest population in the world. The more I travel there, the more I realize I still know little about the world, its history and its people. I clamor to return next February. And even after 30 years as a diversity professional, I can’t wait to get back there and learn more. The highlight for me was seeing the majesty of Fort Agra and the Taj Mahal. Their beauty and archeological genius surpass anything I have seen in my lifetime. Jewels embedded into marble walls. Intricate patterns and designs carved out of single slabs of marble. And symmetry that allows the viewer to see the Taj Mahal at many angles from a distance. The educational center we support in South India, the people and their sprit keep me connected to countries like India. Today’s show gives you travel tips and many reasons why YOU should pack a bag and head off for a distant land. Stop yielding to your fears or the barrage of news reports that spike your anxiety. Pack a bag and GO. The cultural lessons will be worth the investment of your time, energy and money.   Dear Colleagues:
It’s with joy and excitement I announce my TWO international group tours for 2017: India in February and Cuba in June. Hurry and Register before September 30th and get ready for an adventure-filled new year! Limited Space…Register Today Everything is detailed at my brand new travel website: www.msstravelandtours.com India: February 17- 25, 2017 During The Massachusetts School Vacation Week Cuba: June 23-30, 2017 Following the End of School For Massachusetts India: The sights, sounds and beautiful people of India will captivate your heart and soul. Experience the breathtaking scenery with an array of colors. Try foods with new textures and tastes. It's a trip you will remember for years to come. It will provide wonderful opportunities to learn from the Indian people about their rich history and culture. St. Augustine, Florida to Cuba Most people don't realize that there were many slaves who escaped Georgia and the Carolinas and fled SOUTH...ending up in St. Augustine, Florida. They were freed and later left Florida with the Spaniards for Cuba in the mid 1700s. We'll trace this bold and daring route with our June 2017 trip to CUBA. It's an experience you won't want to miss! Read about these great locations and explore the complete trip agendas at the website. www.msstravelandtours.com Bring your friends, family members and colleagues on these amazing trips. Both trips originate from BOSTON. However, you can join our trips from anywhere in the world! Call me at 508 947-5755 or email [email protected] Travel is the BEST way to become a cross-cultural ambassador and explore the world. It’s educational, inspiring and puts new adventure in your life. Both trips are OPEN TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC. A $300 deposit reserves your spot. Deadline is September 30, 2016 Monthly payment plans are available. All major credit cards accepted. Visit www.msstravelandtours.com for complete details. See you in India AND Cuba! -Carole Copeland Thomas Certified International Tour Manager 
India is the second most populous country in the world, topping 1.2 billion people and counting. The Christian community peaks at 2%. The majority of Indians are Hindu, and there is a very active right wing Hindu segment of The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Narendra Modi is the head of the BJP and was elected as Prime Minister by a large majority back in May 2014. Ironically the voting took place in May 2014 during the AME India Annual Conference when I visited the country for the first time.
Last week Prime Minister Modi in collaboration with the Catholic Church in India announced a no tolerance policy for hate crimes committed against the Christian community. There are also a minority population of Muslims, Sikhs, Buddhists and other minority religions in India. Christians often practice their religion at great risk in certain parts of the country. While on the trip we visited the church of Rev. John Wesley a brave AME pastor whose original church building was bulldozed by the right wing Hindus. So we met with the women and children in an open air concrete structure that has yet to be finished because of cost. Our women took up a collection of $610 in 15 minutes and gave it to Rev Wesley to help finish his church. He pastors Emmanuel AME Church in Puthur, Andhra Pradesh India and was very grateful for our support. Above is a photo of our group on Day One at our fabulous hotel, The Leela Palace. We had just sorted our mission items and got them ready for Presiding Elders Sarah and Abraham Peddiny. Some of the items were given out last week during our visit. The others will be carefully distributed according to the needs of the AME India Community. PLEASE come with us next February 2016 when we return to India for our next trip. Details in March. 
Dear Valued Reader:
This is just a taste of what we are experiencing here in India. Such an extraordinary people and truly an incredible country. I will provide much more commentary in the days ahead. Today we visit the women and children of Thirumani Village and the Educational Center that the Christiana R. Gray Women’s Missionary Society is supporting. The items you see in the photo are hygiene and educational supplies donated by the delegation that will be distributed today. I am honored to lead this delegation, and am learning so much during my second trip to India. Stay tuned for more highlights in the days ahead. -Carole Copeland Thomas, MBA CDMP  Our Hosts For The Trip: Presiding Elders Abraham and Sarah Peddiny and their children Beverly and Issac   PR Expert and Mental Health Advocate Terrie Williams LISTEN TO THE BROADCAST BELOW... New Business Internet Radio with CaroleCopelandThomas on BlogTalkRadio Focus On Empowerment can be heard every Thursday at 1pm Eastern. Log Onto: www.blogtalkradio.com/globalcarole Listen LIVE or Download Anytime ======================== Some shows are easier to create than others. This program is definitely one of them. Today I’ll share my thoughts and new knowledge about the world’s second largest country and it biggest democracy....INDIA. The land of Hindus, Muslims, Christians and other faiths living side by side... where coexistence is the better option for all. The land where the rights of women are still being fought and where basic essentials that we, in America completely take for granted are still a luxury for more than 53% of the Indian people. It was an extraordinary trip for me that I am still savoring....still reflecting. And it was a trip that has me searching for new answers, new meaning, new relevance as I connect the dots between the Indians I now call my brothers and sisters..OVER THERE....and South Asian Indians I know and respect here in America. This is only the beginning of my journey to India. It’s one that you won’t want to miss. And we’ll also talk with award winning PR guru Terrie Williams and her continued advocacy for mental health issues in African American communities across the nation. India Fact Sheet
Source: US Department of State Although India occupies only 2.4% of the world's land area, it supports over 15% of the world's population. Only China has a larger population. India's median age is 25, one of the youngest among large economies. About 70% live in more than 550,000 villages, and the remainder in more than 200 towns and cities. Over the thousands of years of its history, India has been invaded from the Iranian plateau, Central Asia, Arabia, Afghanistan, and the West; Indian people and culture have absorbed and modified these influences to produce a remarkable racial and cultural synthesis. Religion, caste, and language are major determinants of social and political organization in India today. However, with more job opportunities in the private sector and better chances of upward social mobility, India has begun a quiet social transformation in this area. The government has recognized 18 official languages; Hindi, the national language, is the most widely spoken, although English is a national lingua franca. Although 81% of its people are Hindu, India also is the home of more than 138 million Muslims--one of the world's largest Muslim populations. The population also includes Christians, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, and Parsis. The Hindu caste system reflects Indian occupational and socially defined hierarchies. Ancient Sanskrit sources divide society into four major categories, priests (Brahmin), warriors (Ksha-triya), traders/artisans (Vaishya) and farmers/laborers (Shudra). Although these categories are understood throughout India, they describe reality only in the most general terms. They omit, for example, the tribal people and those outside the caste system formerly known as "untouchables”,or Dalits. In reality, Indian society is divided into thousands of jatis--local, endogamous groups based on occupation--and organized hierarchically according to complex ideas of purity and pollution. Discrimination based on caste is officially illegal, but remains prevalent, especially in rural areas. Nevertheless, the government has made strong efforts to minimize the importance of caste through active affirmative action and social policies. Moreover, caste is often diluted if not subsumed in the economically prosperous and heterogeneous cities, where an increasing percentage of India's population lives. In the countryside, expanding education, land reform and economic opportunity through access to information, communication, transport, and credit are helping to lessen the harshest elements of the caste system. ======================== YOUR COMMENTS ARE WELCOME! How To Download Today's Show •Can't listen live??? No problem. •After The Broadcast...Go To www.blogtalkradio.com/globalcarole •On My Homepage Next To My Picture Click On The RSS Feed (It's orange and has RSS on it) •Select Today's Show •Download As A MPEG File For Macs or Windows Files Fro PCs •The Broadcast will play on your computer, Laptop, iPad, Android device, iPod, iPhone, or any other MP3 Listening Device |
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AuthorCarole Copeland Thomas is a 27 year speaker, trainer and consultant specializing in global diversity, empowerment, multiculturalism and leadership issues. 
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