Advocates’ Forum

This Forum will be a place for outreach, a space to extend the gifts of the goddesses to communities in need around the world.  This list is suggestive only; it is not meant to be authoritative or exhaustive. If you have a cause that you feel associates well with one of the Lodge’s Honored Goddesses, please comment below and we’ll try to add your suggestion to the list.  Please read the “How to Advocate” article at the bottom of the page for details on how to use this Forum within the mission of the Lodge.

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Sekhmet – August, 2015

Syeda Ghulam Fatima of the Bonded Labour Liberation Front. Described as a modern-day Harriett Tubman, Syeda Ghulam Fatima has spent her life fighting against the use of bonded labor in the brick kilns of Pakistan. View the video from the HBO series “VICE” that inspired Brandon of HONY to seek out Fatima to feature on his popular photography website.

Scylla – July, 2015

Mother Earth Water Walkers. The 1st Annual Women’s Water Walk took place April 2003. Several women from different clans came together to raise awareness that our clean and clear water is being polluted by chemicals, vehicle emissions, motor boats, sewage disposal, agricultural pollution, leaking landfill sites, and residential usage is taking a toll on our water quality. Water is precious and sacred…it is one of the basic elements needed for all life to exist.

Athena – June, 2015

The Council on Hemispheric Affairs. Founded in 1975, the Council on Hemispheric Affairs (COHA), a nonprofit, tax-exempt independent research and information organization, was established to promote the common interests of the hemisphere, raise the visibility of regional affairs and increase the importance of the inter-American relationship, as well as encourage the formulation of rational and constructive U.S. policies towards Latin America.

Qadesh – May, 2015

20 Ways You Can Help Fight Human Trafficking

RAINN.org – Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network

International Aids Vaccine Initiative – The International AIDS Vaccine Initiative (IAVI) is a global not-for-profit organization whose mission is to ensure the development of safe, effective, accessible, preventive HIV vaccines for use throughout the world.

Blodeuwedd – April, 2015

West Coast Seeds- Seed Donations – Each year West Coast Seeds supports groups and organizations locally and worldwide by supplying seeds through our generous seed donations program. Our intention is to encourage sustainable organic growing practices by providing seed and materials in support of growing and educational programs to those working hard to make this happen.

Plant with Purpose – For 30 years, Plant With Purpose has equipped thousands of farming families to lift themselves out of poverty and grow generational change.

Arbor Day Foundation – We inspire people to plant, nurture, and celebrate trees. Founded in 1972, the centennial of the first Arbor Day observance in the 19th century, the Foundation has grown to become the largest nonprofit membership organization dedicated to planting trees, with over one million members, supporters, and valued partners.

Persephone – March, 2015

Free the Children – an international charity and educational partner, working both domestically and internationally to empower and enable youth to be agents of change.

Freedom Charity – The overall aim of Freedom Charity is to raise awareness and prevent child abuse, keeping children safe.

One Billion Rising – One Billion Rising is the biggest mass action to end violence against women in human history.  On February 14, 2014, One Billion Rising for Justice focused on the issue of justice for all survivors of gender violence, and highlighted the impunity that lives at the intersection of poverty, racism, war, the plunder of the environment, capitalism, imperialism, and patriarchy.

Norns – February, 2015

Face to Face – Empowering youth to overcome barriers and strive toward healthy and self-sufficient lives.

Simple Hands Kindness Project – An organization dedicated to honoring the everyday hero with a little touch of kindness.

Love’s Many Cloths – Loving crafters joined to spread their talents and giving hearts to others in need!

Brigid – January, 2015

Artists’ General Benevolent Institution, which financially supports professional artists in need living in England, Wales or Northern Ireland who cannot work or earn due to accident, illness or older age.

Sweet Relief Musicians Fund – Sweet Relief Musicians Fund provides financial assistance to all types of career musicians who are struggling to make ends meet while facing illness, disability, or age-related problems.

Craft Emergency Relief Fund – CERF+ is a national artists’ service organization whose mission is to safeguard and sustain the careers of artists working in craft disciplines and provide emergency resources that benefit all artists.

La Santa Muerte – December, 2015

GoFundMe’s Funerals, Memorials, and Tributes Page

Lotsa Helping Hands Care Community – Lotsa Helping Hands powers online caring Communities that help restore health and balance to caregivers’ lives. Our service brings together caregivers and volunteers through online Communities that organize daily life during times of medical crisis or caregiver exhaustion in neighborhoods and communities worldwide.

Hospice Volunteers Association – Our vision is a diverse, well-trained and globally unbounded volunteer community with a shared commitment to provide the most compassionate service possible to those who are dying and their bereaved.

 


 

How to Advocate

TsonokwaWhen we immerse ourselves in goddess lore and ritual to honor the deity the Lodge selects each month, our practice tends to be solely internal in nature. Even when we create a practice as a group, such as we do during the New Moon and Full Moon Rituals, the focus is on our selves in relation to the goddess and her gifts.

As stated above, this Forum will be a place for outreach, a space to extend the gifts of the goddesses to communities in need around the world.  The title of the deck that inspired this Lodge must be remembered when entering this forum, though, for this is indeed a place where the Dark Goddesses are most needed.  This is where activists shine their light on the world’s dark places, and where the goddesses’ gifts are most needed.

How can you take part? There are many ways:

  • Follow the group listed on social media. Awareness is often an important part of a cause’s mission, so by following and sharing their news and events you will help raise awareness of the cause.
  • Attend or ‘energize’ an event. Attend an event to gain the full experience of the Honored Goddess in the world. If you can’t attend, you can support them energetically by creating a meditative space wherever you are at the time of the event, and sending good thoughts and energy to the attendees and organizers. Attune the energy you send to the traits and gifts of the Honored Goddess associated with the organization or event on this page. You could even create a personal ritual for sending an ‘energy-booster’ before or after an event.
  • Money. Of course almost every organization out there needs money to continue operating on a daily basis. If you can contribute cash, that’s wonderful. If you can volunteer, contributing your time, that’s a great way to integrate the Honored Goddess into your life. Just remember to make the goddess part of the experience, either before, during, and/or after your participation. A simple way is to add a memento from your volunteering time to your altar for the month – if you were given a nametag, don’t throw it away when the event is over. Add it to your altar as a reminder of the others that were helped by the goddess that month. If you contributed money to a cause, create a ‘Values Receipt’ for your altar. What is a Values Receipt? Take the amount you contributed and represent it in some way on your altar. If you gave $20, stack up 20 coins. If you are an artist you could create a representation of what your $20 will do, or what gift of the goddess it will bestow.

If you have a cause near and dear to your heart, tell us about it in the Comments below. We’ll try our best to fit the causes of Lodge Members into the Honored Goddess Advocates Forum list at some point in our 6 1/2 year journey!

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