Practivist of the Week - Julie Titus

JULIE TITUS

Julie Titus in Guatemala

Practivism Questionnaire

How old are you, if you don’t mind?

 28

What is the main focus of your practivism at this time and how does that manifest?

My practivism stems from the absolute truth that serving others is how we truly serve ourselves. The more healing and practical/sustainable solutions we offer each other, the more we connect with our own fears, disconnectedness, shallowness, and judgements. When we force ourselves to face the pain and suffering of others, we break through new barriers in our psyches and evolve into more courageous and outspoken people than we've ever imagined. So in short my humanitarianism is a completely self serving endeavor (j/k).

What route did you take to get here?

There are dozens of experiences and dreams that have lead me to this current stage of hunger to serve and travel. From watching the History Channel as a child, to being humiliated at a party I catered, to looking into the face of my daughter and striving to give her both the childhood I never had as well an understanding of the world that I was never exposed to, the result has been a fairly new birth for me; the birth of Global Mother.

Global Mother is my multi-faceted and multi-intentional business directed at serving other non-profits, serving the people they serve in the most humble and enthusiastic capacity, and serving the locally disadvantaged by giving them the gift of travel.

So far I've joined a team of amazing single moms who have managed to individually and collectively raise the money and awareness to travel Guatemala this past summer. While there, we served the women and children of Guatemala city who live in the trash dump community surrounding the 40-acre municipal trash dump.  Domestic violence, poor education, exposure to toxic chemicals, and extreme poverty are just a few of the issues affecting the everyday lives of these people.

What I believe is most important to remember, is that for each and every one of these lives, there is a face, a name, a dream and a story.

Mirna, is a single mother of 7 and grandmother of 2 who attends the literacy program of Safe Passage and generates income by making earth-conscious jewelry. She has an amazing presence and beautiful smile, although you can see the years of hard work and pain in her hands.

Ariste, is a bright, rambunctious seven year-old boy who loves to play, fight, give hugs and be held. He needs sponsors to afford the nutritional and educational program that Safe Passage provides. more importantly he needs to feel cared about and motivated to continue his education passed the 6th grade education that Guatemala can provide.

The trip we took changed the lives of the women and children we spent time with. They changed us too. They made us more grateful, more loving, more brave women. We pass this to our children and now we feel equipped to raise a generation of Americans who give a damn about what goes on in the world outside their borders of Disney, McDonalds, and American Idol.

Guatemala is just one trip taken so far, but the vision remains so much greater! We plan to serve Uganda, Bali, Thailand, Korea, Mexico, and .... south central Los Angeles!  My deepest passion is PEOPLE; healing, touching, serving, giving hope and life. In turn, I receive those benefits too. So call me today. I look forward to partnering with you and nurturing the world... one village at a time.

If you are interested in joining us, sponsoring us, leading a trip, or just learning more about whats on the map, please feel free to contact me anytime.