For Withelma “T” Ortiz Walker Pettigrew, it's been a long road from the streets of Oakland, California, to being honored by TIME Magazine as one of "30 People Under 30 Changing the World," and among the "100 most influential people in the world!"

By the time Withelma, the daughter of drug-addicted parents, was 18 years old she had lived in 14 different foster homes. (Children in foster care are regular children who, through no fault of their own, had to be removed from their families due to abusive or neglectful situations.) As a teenager she had met a man who promised her a better life. Instead, her world became as nightmare as she was enslaved in the dark world of human trafficking. 

Withelma’s nickname, “T”, stands (very appropriately) for “tenacity," a trait that has enabled her keep going and ultimately overcome adversity. Eventually she was able to seek help and build a new life. As a determined survivor of horrifying abuse and neglect, she has courageously shared her story to help others, turning personal tragedy into something positive. 

Now in her mid-twenties, Withelma is a college student in Washington, D.C., studying communications and political science. As a nationally recognized advocate who works tirelessly to help children, she fights to end domestic child trafficking and reform the child welfare, juvenile justice and mental health systems, which are designed to protect children in the U.S. She has testified before members of congress and appeared at forums at the White House and the U.S. Department of Justice. In fact, her efforts resulted in the first-ever U.S. government funding proposal to combat human trafficking! 

In addition, Withelma is a leader with Human Rights Project for Girls, an organization focused on gender-based violence and its impact on vulnerable young women and girls in the U.S, and also serves as a member of The National Foster Care Youth and Alumni Policy Council. She has earned too many honors and accolades to list here, but Glamour magazine honored her tireless advocacy for children by naming her as one of its 2011 Women of the Year.

"If it wasn't for a few key people in my life believing that I wasn't a lost cause, advocating for me, and meeting me where I was at I wouldn't be here today," she says.

Having someone to turn to for help--no matter what--is incredibly important for all of us. Who is that special person in your life? 

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Do smart, committed and empowered girls grow into Mighty Relevant Moms? You bet! With Mother’s Day still fresh in our minds and our hearts, let’s look at a few of today’s highly influential and accomplished leaders—in fields ranging from politics to entertainment to finance— and see what they have to say about careers, motherhood….and life!

Lieutenant Colonel Sarah Deal Burrow is the first female aviator in Marine Corps history. She earned her wings in 1995 and served on active duty until 2004 when she transferred to the reserves. Named to Working Mother Magazine’s list of “Most Powerful Women In The Military,” Sarah now flies the its largest helicopter, the CH-53E Super Stallion---wow! She and her husband have three young sons. Says Sarah, “Some days, a word from home or a video is what gets us all through the hard stuff.”

Who holds the no. 1 spot on the Forbes list of the world’s 20 most powerful moms? Former U.S. Secretary of State and presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton! In her soon-to-be released memoir, Hillary, mother of Chelsea, writes, "From the moment I first held Chelsea in my arms in the hospital in Little Rock, I knew my mission in life was to give her every opportunity to thrive. Now that she's expecting a child of her own, I'm preparing for a new role that I've looked forward to for years: grandmother." Say Awwww! 

Kerry Washington is more than a gifted and successful actress (as if that isn't an amazing accomplishment in and of itself!). In addition to appearing on Working Mother Magazine’s list of the 50 most powerful moms of 2015, Kerry served as ambassador for an organization that empowers domestic violence and financial abuse survivors, and is also among a group of advisors to V-Day, the global movement to end violence against women and girls. Kerry says, “The thing that has changed the most about me since I became a mom is that my heart keeps getting bigger and bigger.”

Raised in a small town in Virginia, Sylvia Mathews Burwell graduated from Harvard cum laude and became a Rhodes scholar at Oxford. Her latest gig is Secretary of Health and Human Services, which means she’s in charge of a range of important U.S. agencies, including the Food and Drug Administration, the National Institutes of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Sylvia is one busy mom! “The first time I held my daughter and son, I knew I wanted to do everything I could to give them a healthy start in life,” she says. “In a world of unknowns, we can all make sure that our families don’t have to needlessly suffer from easily preventable diseases. That’s security that every child deserves.”   

A true “rags-to-riches” story, Zhang Xin was a poor factory worker in Beijiing, China who became the seventh-richest self-made woman in the world. She saved for five years to have enough money to go to London, where she eventually earned a master's degree at Cambridge. After a career on Wall Street in New York City, she returned to her native country, where she met her future husband and business partner. Together they formed SOHO, now the largest real estate developer in China. "I think women of our generation went through Cultural Revolution, went through hardship, coming from nowhere, and suddenly see China's amazing opportunity," said Zhang, who has two teenage sons. "So women just seized the opportunity."

Ranked by Forbes as one of the world’s most powerful women, Sri Mulyani Indrawati is COO and managing director of World Bank Group, an international financial institution that offers help, advice and resources to more than 100 developing countries. Its goal? To end extreme poverty within a generation! Sri spends a lot of time advocating for gender equality across the globe. “When women succeed, they bring diversity into policy making and inclusiveness into policy,” she says. “They are powerful drivers of growth and formidable fighters of poverty. In other words, they are a force no country, no society, no company, and no family can afford not to unleash fully.”

We couldn’t agree more!

Of these amazing moms, who do you admire most? Why?

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“Women should be someone and not something.”
                      
                                                    --Mary Cassatt

“I am independent! I can live alone and I love to work.” When artist Mary Cassatt uttered those words, how shocking they must have sounded! Why? Because during her lifetime (1844-1926), the idea that woman’s focus in life would center on work, not family, was quite radical!

Many people who have studied and written about Mary Cassatt think she was greatly influenced by her intelligent and active mother, Katherine, who believed in educating women to be knowledgeable and socially active. A lifelong family friend wrote: “Anyone who had the privilege of knowing Mary Cassatt’s mother would know at once that it was from her and her along that Mary inherited her ability…she was powerfully intelligent, executive and masterful, and yet with that sense of duty and tender sympathy that she had transmitted to her daughter.” 

As we anticipate the celebration of Mother's Day, it’s fitting to applaud this strong, supportive mother and her talented and independent daughter! 

This painting shows Mrs. Cassatt reading the French newspaper, Le Figaro.

Mary Cassatt became a highly successful artist at a time when women were rarely viewed as “serious” artists. Raised in Pennsylvania, she had the opportunity to attend school in Europe. When she was 20, she begged her family to let her go to Paris alone to study modern art. As this was highly unusual for a young, upper class woman in that era it took some convincing, but ultimately her parents agreed. Once there, Mary had to find ways to study on her own since the leading art school in Paris, École des Beaux-Arts, didn’t accept women at that time.

Mary’s artistic talent was undeniable, but it took many years of toil for her work to be recognized. Eventually she earned the respect of leading Impressionist artists of the day, and was asked to exhibit with them in 1879. As of 2005, her paintings have sold for as much as $2.87 million!

Although Mary never married and had children of her own (she had decided early in life that marriage would be incompatible with her career) mothers and children were favorite subjects for her work, especially during the 1880’s and 1890’s. The bond between mother and child is one of the strongest forces on earth, and Cassatt’s lovely paintings capture the tenderness, intimacy and timelessness of a mother’s love.

You can delve into Mary's life and see more examples of her art at http://marycassatt.org.

In what ways are you like your mother? How does she influence you?

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Have you ever heard of the famous artist AARON? The painting at the top, titled “Mother and Daughter,” is an example of AARON’s work. AARON's paintings have been exhibited in many museums around the world, including London's Tate Modern Gallery, Amsterdam's Stedelijk Museum, the Brooklyn Museum, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art and the Washington Capitol Children's Museum.

This artist is truly one-of-a-kind, but for a very unusual reason: "he" isn’t human! Actually, AARON is the world’s first cybernetic artist, an artificially intelligent system that paints original art. AARON exists because of the efforts of one man: Professor Harold Cohen, a painter who became interested in computer science. Cohen spent 40 years of his life “teaching” AARON to paint by modeling the decisions made by an experienced artist. For example, in the same way a person can learn how the human body is structured, or how a plant grows, so can a computer. 

You can see AARON at work in the photo under the painting. in addition to creating its own artwork, AARON mixes its own paints and even washes its own brushes!

Here's the interesting question: even though AARON can draw and paint really well, can a computer actually be creative? Some people involved in the artificial intelligence community say yes, because when people view AARON’s work they feel emotions. But Cohen doesn’t agree. “Having a brain and having a life are two different things,” he says. In other words, our experiences as humans fuel our creativity.

Others are intrigued by this very same question.  In 2001, Simon Colton a Professor of Computational Creativity in London, created graphics software called the Painting Fool, which he claims possesses creative abilities. His hope was that “one day it would taken seriously as a creative artist in its own right.” For that to happen, Colton believes the program needs to exhibit behaviors “that can genuinely be called skillful, appreciative and imaginative." He is working toward that goal. In fact, The Painting Fool has recently been producing sculptures, animations and even poetry!

What do you think? Can artificial intelligence be creative…or is creativity something only flesh-and-blood humans are capable of? Do you agree with Cohen's belief that creativity can't exist without life experiences? 

Computer or human artist? Test your eye at: http://www.studio360.org/story/175733-robopainter/
Can you tell the difference?

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Reshma Saujani, an American lawyer, politician and activist, believes that failing at something is actually the best way to succeed! Why? Because, she says, “If you haven’t failed yet, you haven’t tried anything! I never 'get' things the first time, or second—more like third or fourth!” 

The most important thing, says Reshma, is not being  afraid of a challenge. And if you don't succeed the first time, try again! Reshma he believes that fear of failure holds girls and women back from achieving their full potential—especially in traditionally male-dominated fields like science and technology. She’s even written a book to help empower women, titled “Women Who Don’t Wait in Line: Break the Mold, Lead the Way.”

April 23rd is International Girls in Information and Communications Technologies Day. Let’s take a moment to explore the gender gap in those areas known as STEM: science, technology, engineering and math. Do you know that only one out of seven engineers in the United States is a woman? It’s true! And get this — when choosing a college major, just 0.3% of high school girls select computer science. 

There are many theories as to why this is the case, but one thing’s for certain: Reshma wants it to change.  

Growing up, Reshma’s father read books to her about people doing good things. “I always knew I wanted to serve,” she says. In addition to holding public office in New York City, she founded “Girls Who Code,” a national non-profit organization dedicated to exposing girls to computer science. The organization’s programs “work to inspire, educate, and equip girls with the computing skills to pursue 21st century opportunities.”  Its goal is to teach 1 million girls to code by 2020, through summer programs, high school clubs, and online courses. 

There are now over 160 Girls Who Code clubs across the country and 19 summer programs in five cities nationwide. One girl at a time, the organization is changing the perception of what a scientist looks like, and showing young women that technology can be the very thing that enables them to change the world! 

http://girlswhocode.com

Continuing with our technology theme, next week's post will try to answer this interesting question: Can computers make art? 

What do you think? Say tuned!  

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Justin Canha is an exceptionally gifted young artist whose striking creations attracted the attention of artists and galleries when he was just 14 years old. He also happens to be autistic. In recognition of National Autism Month, let’s appreciate and applaud Justin’s unique talent and incredible accomplishments!

People with autism spectrum disorder may not think or behave the same way as their peers. They may find communicating and relating to others difficult. According to the organization Autism Speaks, many autistic people have exceptional abilities in visual skills, music and academics.

That's certainly the case for Justin! By age four, he was using magic markers to express on paper what he couldn’t say in words, and it soon became clear that his love for art was more than just a passing childhood hobby. He moved on to charcoal, pastels, and watercolors, and used them to create uniquely bold, colorful, energetic works. Justin's vibrant paintings and drawings reflect “his sweetness, love of animals, and empathy,” says his mother, Maria Teresa. “If you say ‘draw this,’ he doesn’t have to look at a photograph. He can just draw it.” Plants and animals—birds, tigers, goats, dogs and wolves—are favorite subjects. Justin is also a gifted cartoonist and creates humorous, action-packed computer animations.

Justin’s work has been exhibited at Montclair State University in New Jersey, the Rhode Island School of Design, and Pace University in New York City. Also, he has illustrated several books and his paintings have been featured in Oprah magazine. Justin himself has appeared in three documentaries films. 

Now in his mid-twenties, Justin works as a freelance illustrator and story boarder/animator, a part-time cake decorator, and an assistant elementary school art teacher. His goal is to live independently and have his own apartment. He is well on his way to achieving this dream!

No matter what path Justin follows, the world is richer for his beautiful art. “We’re thrilled and thankful for this tremendous gift that Justin has,” says Maria Teresa. Those fortunate enough to know Justin and is work all share her feeling.

Does Justin’s art “speak” to you? What do you like best about it?

You can see what Justin's been up to lately at  http://www.facebook.com/justincanhasart.

Leave a comment below, tweet us @MightyFingers, send us a message on Facebook, or email us at info@mightyfingersfacingchange.com    

Those words were spoken by environmental activist, author, and artist Olivia Bouler when she was just 11 years old. Olivia's commitment to environmental action began when she saw birds suffering from the 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill. She knew right away she wanted to help, and sent a letter to The National Audubon Society (an organization that conserves and restores natural ecosystems, focusing on birds and other wildlife). She wrote: “I was wondering if I could sell some bird paintings and give the profits to your organization."

The Audubon Society loved Olivia’s idea! She started painting right away, and also established a “Save The Gulf” Facebook initiative. Donations began pouring in. Starting with one simple idea and a handful of paintings, Olivia was eventually able to raise more than $200,000! After that, Olivia wrote and illustrated a book called “Olivia’s Birds: Saving the Gulf," in which she shared her extensive knowledge about birds. A portion of the proceeds benefit Audubon's efforts to clean up the Gulf Coast. 

Olivia’s accomplishment was recognized throughout the media by The Today Show, CNN, People Magazine, The Disney Channel, BBC radio, Scholastic, American Girl Magazine, and many more. She has been honored with the Youth Leadership Award, the Gloria Barron Prize for Young Heroes, and the ASPCA Humane Award. Her talent in art has also earned recognitions such as the Audubon Artist Inspiring Conservation Award and being named as an AOL Artist. Youth Service America included Olivia in its list of the 25 most powerful and influential young people in the world! 

Now 16, Olivia is still a passionate champion of the earth. And, it probably won’t surprise you that she aspires to be an ornithologist (bird scientist) when she grows up!

Says Olivia: “Everyone, at any age, can do something, whether it is picking up trash along the side of the road, filling a bird feeder, or bringing reusable bags to the grocery store. For me, I used my artwork. Find your cause and use your talents. The quality of our world is counting on you.”

As we celebrate Earth Day this month, think about what you can do for the environment. Every little bit helps!


You can learn more about Olivia at http://www.oliviabouler.net.

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Look closely at this beautiful painting. Pretend you're in this field-- strolling through the tall green grass, the sun warm on your back, listening to the soft gurgle of the stream as it meanders along its way. Can you hear the birds call to each other as you walk? Think about how you're feeling: calm…peaceful….without a care in the world. Now ask yourself: Do I feel better now than before I  looked at this painting? Did you answer "yes?" Congratulations! You’ve just experienced the healing power of art.

It’s no secret that simply looking at a painting, drawing, sculpture or photograph can elicit powerful emotions. But did you know that appreciating a work of art—and especially creating one yourself—can have a positive impact on your physical health? It’s true!

Don’t worry, we’re not going to get too science-y here! Simply stated, art is good for both your brain and your body. In fact, studies have shown that being involved with art reduces stress (and that’s a good thing, because stress can cause anxiety, sleeplessness and other not-so-fun things). Also, scientists at the University of California studied 200 young adults and found that activities that inspire awe, such as visiting an art museum, may actually boost the immune system. Making your own art has been shown to increase brain activity, helping with processes like introspection, self-monitoring and memory. And, research has shown that decorating hospitals with certain types of artwork can speed up patients’ healing process! 

Generally speaking, any creative activity is good for the mind, body and spirit. So, the next time you’re feeling anxious or stressed, draw a picture, listen to your favorite music, write a poem, sing, dance—whatever moves you. You’ll feel a lot better! Here's something fun to try: The National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., offers computer-based art-making tools for people of all ages to enjoy. Give one a whirl at: 

http://www.nga.gov/content/ngaweb/education/kids.html

If you’ve participated in Mighty Fingers and painted with Kelly, how did that experience make you feel? What’s your very favorite way to express your creativity? Share it with us!

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As we experience and appreciate the turning leaves, let’s also take a few moments to appreciate a woman who lived for nature.  

Rachel Carson’s mother fostered a life-long love for the natural world, which had a major influence on Rachel's writings and her decision to study marine biology (Lear, Rachel Carson’s Biography).  

During her career life, Rachel wrote informative pamphlets on conservation and natural resources that she transformed into lyric pose in her spare time.  She mastered her ability to combine scientific insight with poetry in her prize-winning novel, “The Sea Around Us.”  Not long after her work entered the public eye, Rachel left the government service in order to devote herself to writing.

After World War II, the use of chemical pesticides rose, which prompted Rachel to shift the focus of her writing to warning the public about the dangers of these pesticides.  Her views stirred controversy in the chemical industry and was seen as a threat by some individuals in the government.  However, Rachel’s love for nature and deep concern for humanity’s place in the ecosystem did not waver.  In 1963, she bravely testified before Congress and called for policies that would protect both human health and the environment.  

Though she passed away 50 years ago as of this year, her influence hasn’t faded.  To this day, people still read her works and remember the beauty and integrity of the living world she fought to preserve.  So next time you look at the turning leaves or a still, clear lake, take it in all of its glory and remember Rachel Carson’s call to keep it beautiful.  

Do you believe it's important to take Rachel Carson's messages to heart?  Know any other Mighty Relevant Women you would like us to talk about? Leave a comment below, tweet us @MightyFingers, send us a message on Facebook, or email us at info@mightyfingersfacingchange.com!  

Lear, Linda.  “Rachel Carson’s Biography.”  The Life and Legacy of Rachel Carson.  1998.  Web. 27 Oct. 2014.