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We coordinated many of these events in the Spring of 2017.

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In response to the 8th death of a student in Cedar Park in a single year (after decades of history of teen suicides plaguing the Leander School District), Emily Carter (a former AmeriCorps person from Oklahoma) and I created the task force and held community town hall meetings for students, parents and teachers from March - June 2017.  It all started with the comment left on the NextDoor site by the parent of that child.  Sameer joined in the movement to help facilitate the conversations. We got a lot of press and we (and, most importantly, the teens) were heard by the Leander ISD Superintendent and Board; some changes were made in the district.  BTW, did you know that Texas leads in the number of teen suicides - many of which are attributed to some form of bullying among their peers?

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Village Task Force. 125 likes. We are coming together as a village to address the concerns of teen suicide, many of which are related to bullying in the schools, among other issues.

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Traveled by Amtrak to Washington DC's Capitol Hill to push for the Lymphedema Treatment Act, a Bill to an act of Congress to include a billing code to help pay for compression garments as part of the lymphedema treatment. (2014) I have been a part of that grassroots effort since 2006 and to this day. Currently, we nearly have the sponsors we need to have the Bill passed. It's so close now that those who have been an active role in this push can allllmost taste that victory.

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(Still aspires to be at the United Nations one day!)

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(Still aspires to be at the United Nations one day!)

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Presbyterians will join our Ecumenical Women partners to advocate for justice for women at the 62nd Session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women.

The 62nd Session of the Commission on the Status of Women will tentatively meet on March 12-23, 2018. The NGO Committee on the Status of Women will organize a NGO Forum that usually includes a consultation day prior to the Commission and parallel events held during the meeting of the Commission. The Commission will meet at the UN headquarters in New York City. Related events will take place at venues near the UN headquarters.

Download an application packet to be part of the Presbyterian delegation and for more information about the Commission.
Application deadline: November 3, 2017.
Application
Ryan Smith, Director and Representative to the United Nations for the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), sent U.S. Ambassador Nikki Haley a letter regarding the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women. The Presbyterian Ministry at the United Nations reminds Ambassador Haley of the importance of sexual and reproductive health rights as well as the human rights of LGBTQI+ persons.
Read complete letter

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United Nations Commission on the Status of Women | Presbyterian Ministry at the United Nations | Presbyterian Mission Agency

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Presbyterians will join our Ecumenical Women partners to advocate for justice for women at the 62nd Session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women. The 62nd Session of the Commission on the Status of Women will tentatively meet on March 12-23, 2018.

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Published Book - "Domestic Violence Choices"

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Published Book - "Domestic Violence Choices"

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(working on a 2nd Edition)

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Kathryn Krastin is a mother, grandmother, and a long time advocate for the underdogs of society. Having been a survivor of domestic violence herself, she has passion dedicated specifically towards aiding other survivors so that they too can survive, become an advocate themselves, and with the hop...

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Honored with the 2013 YWCA Woman of the Year Award -- Economic Empowerment

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Honored with the 2013 YWCA Woman of the Year Award -- Economic Empowerment

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2013 YWCA Woman of the Year Award for Economic Empowerment

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On June 28, 2013, I was awarded an award from the YWCA for Woman of the Year for Economic Empowerment work that I do. I would love to keep sharing the message that I have expanded upon in the video created by Horizons Film & Video studio. They did a fabulous job.

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Published Poem - "Dear House" in UNBOUND, An Interactive Journal of Christian Social Justice

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Published Poem - "Dear House" in UNBOUND, An Interactive Journal of Christian Social Justice

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(2012)

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Eighteen years ago, this week, VAWA was signed into law. In April 2012, the Senate approved a version of VAWA that extends services and protections to battered undocumented immigrants and to gay, lesbian, and transgender victims. In May 2012, the House of Representatives passed the alternative Republican version, explicitly avoiding any extension of protection to LGBT, Native Americans, and undocumented immigrant women. Reconciliation of the two versions remains to be seen. Historically, Congress has renewed VAWA without controversy, but this debate came at a time when women's rights, particularly to their bodies, are being systematically challenged in the political arena.
Take action and learn more with the National Task Force to End Sexual and Domestic Violence Against Women, and on September 25, participate in an Orange Day.

Late At Night... dear House

By Kathryn Krastin

The TV murmurs with redundant sounds,
but nothing else be it abounds.
The world around me seems to sleep
yet I know there is another world which
works while our sleep is deep.

Know this to be true as I have worked it myself
just like Santa's best elf.
The phone would ring with a new crisis
for this advocate to have no biases
and help the victim in tears
to ward off their fears.

Each call would be different
each call would be afferent.
A lifeline beats fast at one end of the phone
and dependent upon the advocate alone
for guidance and suggestions of hope to help them be safe and as strong as one.

Resources facing funding issues
and more victims than the shelters can uphold.
Where are the tissues
for those lost among the fold?

More funding is needed
as folks in the House pleaded
in 2012; the House ante up their votes
with a reworded Bill 4970 in hopes that no one would notice
while they honed in upon not protecting certain folks and all that it denotes.

Why leave out groups like the Native Americans
and immigrants who would like to be someday Americans?
Who is to say that one victim isn't worthy to be protected
or that another deserves more detected?

When is it really going to be about the human being as a victim
so that they never need feel alone
and so that they can learn to trust once again
and believe that we are truly one
Nation interested in the dictum
of our judicial system?

Late at night,
I'm sitting in my chair
whilst the hum of the TV is the only noise I hear
and hoping that the House takes heart
and reconsider leaving out that part
which makes us Nations among Nations
and no longer rings as one.

It's about the everyone,
dear House, all for all, and all for one.

Sign Kathryn's petition, asking President Obama to approve the Senate's version of VAWA

Kathryn Krastin, a member of Hope Presbyterian Church in Austin, TX, has served as a children's advocate with CASA and as a GAL, a radio host on Beyond Words Live (allowing survivors to tell their story in their own words), a volunteer at a DV shelter in Round Rock, a Victim's Advocate with the Cedar Park Police Department, a family law paralegal, and an Advisory Board Member of Survive2Thrive Foundation. She has answered crisis calls at National Domestic Violence Hotline and is compiling a Domestic Violence Voices Anthologies book with survivors' creative works to be published in October 2012. She is looking forward to becoming more actively involved in leadership roles with the Presbyterians Against Domestic Violence Network. In the past, she has had Deacon and Mission Delegate roles in the Presbyterian (U.S.A.) family.

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A poem in response to the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) re-authorization debate in Congress. Eighteen years ago, this week, VAWA was signed into law. In April 2012, the Senate approved a version of VAWA that extends services and protections...

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Lymphedema in the News, Four Points, Texas. 2.5K likes. Pressing news is trying to get HR 4662 Bill passed to benefit lymphedema patients from the soaring costs of treatments. Have you contacted...

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Beyond Words Live! (blog talk radio show)

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Beyond Words Live! (blog talk radio show)

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Platorm for survivors to share their voices in their own words

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Beyond Words Live! Online Radio by Beyond Words Live

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Survivors have a story to tell. What happend in their lives, how they were able to change the outcome of their lives, and what resources may or may not have he

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Domestic Violence Voices. 10K likes. Survivors are wonderful spokespeople that provide inspiration to others. Others in the communities also provide inspiration through songs, etc. This page,...

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OTHER EXPERIENCES:   (Often working 2-3 jobs simultaneously)

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OTHER EXPERIENCES:   (Often working 2-3 jobs simultaneously)

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National Domestic Violence Hotline - answered over 50,000 calls on the hotline fielding many crisis scenarios and aiding in some creative and critical crisis intervention and safety planning on the overnight shifts. (2006-2012)

Southwestern Bell - 5-State OSP Manager, which included the GPS & Tech-Of-The Future rollouts, Technician Productivity statistics, and 5-State Director Productivity statistics (1997-2002)

Various Law Offices - Legal Secretary to Paralegal Roles (Mostly Family Law) (for approximately 15 years from late-1980s to mid-2000s in San Antonio TX, Austin TX, and Charleston SC); Paralegal Internship with the City of Austin where I helped draft many ordinances, but also was pivotal in finding a critical piece in a real estate mediation that saved the City of Austin nearly $500,000 in 1991/2.

Various Retail and Seasonal Work -- including Cactus Communications, Oak Dell Pharmacy, MCI, Harte Hanks, Evins Personnel, Addecco Personnel, Foley's, IRS, University Coop, etc (late-1970s to mid-1980s)

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* AISD Substitute Teacher (including filling in for a 12-week Art Teacher's Sabbatical at Pease Elementary and Barrington Elementary schools) subbing in elementary grade levels (mid-1980s)
* AISD SNAP-TOO! (Students Need Artists & Performers, Too) through teaching Calligraphy to Austin area AISD elementary schools (1980s)
* ROUND ROCK COMMUNITY SCHOOL teaching Calligraphy to adults (1980s)
* WESTWOOD COMMUNITY SCHOOL teaching Calligraphy to adults (1980s)
* ELIZABET NEY MUSEUM teaching Calligraphy to school-aged students (1980s)
* PFLUGGERVILLE HOBBY SHOP teaching Calligraphy to Adults (1980s)

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* Domestic Violence/ Sexual Assault Advocate
* Victim Advocate
* Child Abuse/Neglect Advocate
* Patient Advocacy
* Anti-Bullying Responsiveness in the Community
* Texas Crime Victims' Rights Week

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Best ways to contact me are via email address (bluebonnetfields@gmail.com) OR phone number (512-662-5453)! Look forward to hearing from you soon, if we are fitting into the "Grand Scheme of Things..." and similar paths!

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Technology in the Classroom (in progress)

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Phonetics/Pronunciation

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* Teacher Training, Coaching & Manuals
* TechHire
* Coordinating Best+ training for testors (Jan'18)
* Meeting of the Minds - Phonetics/Pronunciation
* Meeting of the Minds - Technology in the Classroom
* Conversation In Action Days (March'18)
* Literacy In Action Days (April'18)
* 4H AmeriCorps Legacy (Technology in ESL) Project Mentor (Sp 2018)
* Utilization of tech tools - Smore, Schoology, TechEd, Remind, Doodle & More
* Google Classroom & Hyperdoc Explorations

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Spanish @ ACC (2018-current)
TEFL (May 2018)
Immigration Law @ UT (Su/Fall 2018)

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USCIS Citizship (2016-current)
TABE testing
BEST+ & Best Literacy testing
TALAE
COABE
ACC Teacher Inservices
Literacy Texas Symposiums
Technology Symposium
TexTESOL State Conference
TexTESOL District iii
PD Portal TAMU

and many more!

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Citizenship Drives @ Allen Elemeentary (2016-2017)
Texas History Day Jugge (2003?-current)
Guardian Ad Litem of Charleston County, SC (1995-1997)
CASA of Travis County (1991-1995)
UT Documentation Exchange (1980s)
ProBar of Harlingen (1980s)

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TESOL(iii)
TCEA
AmeriCorps Alums
Texas State History Association
and more

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Opportunities that gave me direct experience with teaching through AmeriCorps roles and beyond.

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Curriculum writer at The Learning Center in East Austin, Texas (F - Su 2016-2017) through AmeriCorps - focuses on Job Readiness, Soft Skills, Transportation Lesson planning for an ESL curriculum, etc.

Independent facilitator/instructor of an ABE group at the Round Rock Public Library (2018)

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Citizenship Co-teacher at Hope Presbyterian Church in Austin, Texas (Su and F 2016)

Citizenship Instructor at Covenant Presbyterian Church in Austin, Texas (relieving a teacher on a Sabbatical)through Manos De Cristo (F 2016)

ESL Civics (lower level Citizenship students) Instructor at First Baptist Church in Round Rock using an adaptive curriculum plan (F 2017 - current)

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Level 5 Co-teacher at First Baptist Church in Round Rock, Texas (Sp and F 2016) using our own created lesson plans
ESL Tutor at El Buen Samaritano (S. Austin) (Sp and Su 2017) using Pathways Curriculum and literacy toolkits
ESL Level 2 Project Success Instructor (2 classes) at El Buen Samaritano (F through Su 2017-2018) using Pearson's Project Success Curriculum

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High School Diploma - Winston Churchill High School (San Antonio)

Paralegal Certification -- University of Texas (Austin)

Criminal Justice Degree -- Kaplan University (Davenport, IA)

+ numerous webinars, conferences and trainings

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Something a little different for you.  This year, I'm a 2nd year AmeriCorps member and working towards an objective of utilizing my paralegal certification in a law office (perhaps considering a DOJ Accredited Representative role), while still teaching ESL, Citizenship, and more.  It's been a part of my 5-year plan instated in January 2016, which is indeed a work in progress with determinate steps along the journey.