MINNESOTA, USA: Interview with Jennifer Prestholdt/The Human Rights Warrior

MINNESOTA, USA: Interview with Jennifer Prestholdt/The Human Rights Warrior

Where in the world do you live? And, are you from there?

I live with my husband and three kids in Minneapolis, MN, USA.  The headwaters of the Mississippi River are in Minnesota, but I’m from the delta – Baton Rouge, LA.  Growing up in south Louisiana was great, but it did not adequately prepare me for being the hockey mom that I am today. (My two sons play and I am still trying to learn the rules!) I have also lived in Connecticut, Massachusetts, Norway and Switzerland.

What language(s) do you speak?

My native language is English, but I also speak Norwegian.  I also studied French and Russian.

When did you first become a mother?

October 9, 1999.  Nine days past the due date, I might add.

Are you a stay-at-home mom or do you work?

Since my oldest son was born, I have worked everything from 10 to 100% time at a fabulous non-profit called The Advocates for Human Rights. Currently, I am working 90% time as the Deputy Director.  It’s a good balance for me.  I took extended parenting leaves with each of my kids and, I have to say, being a stay-at-home mom is the hardest work I have ever done. As my husband says, we “go to work to rest.”

Why do you blog/write?

I started blogging as a New Years Resolution in January 2011. I realized that I had many stories from my experiences in fifteen years of human rights work, but most of them had never been shared. Some of these stories are about the worst aspects of (more…)

Jennifer Prestholdt (USA)

Jennifer Prestholdt is a lawyer and the Deputy Director of The Advocates for Human Rights, a volunteer-based human rights organization that works locally, nationally and internationally. Her work in human rights takes her around the world, but she spends most of her time in Minneapolis, MN, where she lives with her children (two sons and one daughter), her husband, an elderly cat and a dwarf hamster.

As Jennifer’s kids are now all in school (1st, 4th and 6th grades), she is finally finding more time to do the things that she used to love to do, especially running, writing and knitting. Jennifer loves to travel and has had the dubious distinction of having been accidentally locked in a bathroom on five continents so far. Australia and Antarctica await!

In January 2011, Jennifer made a New Year’s Resolution to start writing about her experiences in order to share with her children the lessons learned from 15 years of work in human rights. The result is her personal blog, The Human Rights Warrior. The name comes from her son Simon, who was extremely disappointed to learn that his mother is a lawyer, not a warrior.

You can find her on her blog The Human Rights Warrior or on Twitter @Jprestholdt.

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ARIZONA, USA: Seeing the Big Picture

“It wasn’t just for him, but it was for me, too!”

Have you ever been doing something while thinking that it was to help another person, only to realize it was for you, too? This has been the story of my life recently.

I have been living in New York for the past month and a half, getting my youngest son started on his career and getting my oldest son settled into his new apartment with his two roommates. He’s starting college at NYCDA (New York Conservatory for the Dramatic Arts), and it’s his first time out on his own in NY — what a place to learn about life.

I couldn’t just throw him out to the wolves — I refused to! Thankfully, my youngest son and I were blessed to stay at their apartment and slept on one of his roommates’ sleeper couches in the living room. It was interesting to say the least, but it made me an even better woman, a stronger more faith based woman. It was a journey I’ll appreciate for a lifetime.

I had my ideas of what was going to happen to us while we were visiting New York, but like always, there was another plan of action already in effect, and I didn’t even know it. (more…)

Dr. Jeanelle Marshawn Lanham (USA)

Dr. Jeanelle Marshawn Lanham is an Indiana native now living in Arizona, USA. She’s the Founder of the 501(c)(3) nonprofit Teen Center – Hodge Podge the Teen Cafè™ (http://www.HdgPdg.com), CEO of Iron WoMan Inc™ (http://www.IronWoManInc.com), a writer, is known to teens all over the world as the S.W.A.G Doc™ (http://www.TheSWAGDoc.com), a wife and most importantly a mom to two awesome boys. She joined the Army when she was a senior in high school because she did exceptionally well on the testing and was involved in the Gulf War. She served 8 years and is now a disabled Vet but that doesn’t get her down, nor stop her. Dr. Jeanelle Marshawn Lanham loves to write and help teenagers feel better about themselves. She knows ASL and signs with her deaf friends when she can. She’s always busy writing and building her Brand and found it great when she was given the opportunity to write for World’s Mom Blog. She has many goals on her bucket list and once her business has grown to her satisfaction, her goal is to own her own bull(s) (yes, real bulls!) and have them participate in the PBR (Professional Bull Riding). Traveling is a love of hers and one day she will visit Italy! You can find Dr. Jeanelle Marshawn Lanham on FaceBook at http://www.FaceBook.com/theSWAGDoc or Twitter @JeanelleLanham – Her heart is true to Rehabilitating Teens, Coaching Moms & Encouraging others.

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