Voices of Determination tells the stories of ten children who overcame extraordinarily difficult circumstances to get an education and end the cycle of generational poverty. It debunks the myth that children are victims of circumstance. In this moving work, Kevin P. Chavous argues that children can and will succeed if the educational system provides them with the opportunity to learn. Many of these narratives depict public schools at their worst. Chavous argues that poor communities routinely hire inexperienced teachers, lack resources, and pass kids along until they drop out. Once out of school, these youngsters quickly find out that they are unprepared for the job market. This, he claims, leads many young people to drift into anti-social behavior and turn to gangs, drugs, and unproductive lifestyles. In addition the narratives in this volume also address such social issues as immigration, bad neighborhoods, poor health care, addiction, and child abuse. Chavous highlights how hope for a better future enabled the children whose stories make up this volume to achieve a better life. There are potential challenges at every stage of a child's development and the adults around them need to be nearby and ready to act effectively. Chavous concludes that the need to strengthen families and to rebuild surrounding communities should be the top priorities for society as a whole.

Voices of Determination tells the stories of ten children who overcame extraordinarily difficult circumstances to get an education and end the cycle of generational poverty. It debunks the myth that children are victims of circumstance. In this moving work, Kevin P. Chavous argues that children can and will succeed if the educational system provides them with the opportunity to learn. Many of these narratives depict public schools at their worst. Chavous argues that poor communities routinely hire inexperienced teachers, lack resources, and pass kids along until they drop out. Once out of school, these youngsters quickly find out that they are unprepared for the job market. This, he claims, leads many young people to drift into anti-social behavior and turn to gangs, drugs, and unproductive lifestyles. In addition the narratives in this volume also address such social issues as immigration, bad neighborhoods, poor health care, addiction, and child abuse. Chavous highlights how hope for a better future enabled the children whose stories make up this volume to achieve a better life. There are potential challenges at every stage of a child's development and the adults around them need to be nearby and ready to act effectively. Chavous concludes that the need to strengthen families and to rebuild surrounding communities should be the top priorities for society as a whole.

How women around the world are leading powerful change Women's progress is global progress. Where there is an increase in women's university enrollment rates, women's earnings, and maternal health, and a reduction in violence against women, we see more prosperous communities, better educated, healthier families, and the preservation of equal human rights. Yet globally, women remain the most consistently under-utilized resource. Vital Voices calls for and makes possible transformative leadership around the world. In Vital Voices, CEO Alyse Nelson shares the stories of remarkable, world-changing women, as well as the story of how Vital Voices was founded, crossing lines that typically divide. For 15 years, Vital Voices has brought together women who want to enable others to become change agents in their governments, advocates for social justice, and supporters of democracy. They equip women with management and business development skills to expand their enterprises and create jobs in their communities. Their voices, stories, and hard-earned lessons—shared here for the first time—are deeply authentic and truly vital. Features interviews and first-person accounts of global leaders, such as Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, president of Liberia, and Aung San Suu Kyi, Nobel Prize-winning Burmese pro-democracy leader, as well as business leaders Draws on the work of the Vital Voices, the organization founded by Hillary Clinton in 1997 as a government initiative that transformed into a leading non-profit, which enables a network of 10,000 emerging women leaders in politics, human rights, and economic development in 127 countries. These women have gone on to mentor and train more than 500,000 Focuses on the key elements of the Vital Voices five-step model of transformational leadership, including how to find a voice, lead with purpose, cross lines that divide, and more Through the firsthand accounts of trail-blazing leaders, Vital Voices introduces unforgettable, inspiring women who are shaping our world.

The first of its kind, this is book consists of twenty-one essays describing the many different uses of the digital computer in the field of music. Musicologists will find that various historical periods-from medieval to contemporary-are represented, and examples of computer analysis of ethnic music are considered. Edmund A. Bowles contributes an entertaining historical survey of music research and the computer. Lejaren Hill here discusses computer composition, both in this country and in Europe, and gives a bibliography of composers and their works. A. James Gabura's essay describes experiments in analyzing and identifying the keyboard styles of Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven. There is also a section of particular interest to music librarians.

A 2016 Caldecott Honor Book A 2016 Robert F. Sibert Honor Book A 2016 John Steptoe New Talent Illustrator Award Winner Stirring poems and stunning collage illustrations combine to celebrate the life of Fannie Lou Hamer, a champion of equal voting rights. “I am sick and tired of being sick and tired.” Despite fierce prejudice and abuse, even being beaten to within an inch of her life, Fannie Lou Hamer was a champion of civil rights from the 1950s until her death in 1977. Integral to the Freedom Summer of 1964, Ms. Hamer gave a speech at the Democratic National Convention that, despite President Johnson’s interference, aired on national TV news and spurred the nation to support the Freedom Democrats. Featuring vibrant mixed-media art full of intricate detail, Voice of Freedom celebrates Fannie Lou Hamer’s life and legacy with a message of hope, determination, and strength.

Self-Determination as Voice addresses the relationship between Indigenous peoples' participation in international governance and the law of self-determination. Many states and international organizations have put in place institutional mechanisms for the express purpose of including Indigenous representatives in international policy-making and decision-making processes, as well as in the negotiation and drafting of international legal instruments. Indigenous peoples' rights have a higher profile in the UN system than ever before. This book argues that the establishment and use of mechanisms and policies to enable a certain level of Indigenous peoples' participation in international governance has become a widespread practice, and perhaps even one that is accepted as law. In theory, the law of self-determination supports this move, and it is arguably emerging as a rule of customary international law. However, ultimately the achievement of the ideal of full and effective participation, in a manner that would fulfil Indigenous peoples' right to self-determination, remains deferred.

POWER OF THE STORM - A GATHERING OF INDIGENOUS VOICES, VISIONS, AND DETERMINATION: DEDICATED TO JOHN TRUDELL, GATHERED AND EDITED BY MARIJO MOORE is an anthology of sixty-five contributors (from various Indigenous Nations) who share their creations in order to educate those who are interested in the history and modern day activism of the Indigenous People of North America. Some of the contributors have been writing and producing art for several years, whereas about 25% - the youngest of whom is nine years old - are making a publishing debut. By being included in this groundbreaking anthology, all contributors are offered encouragement to keep expressing themselves to keep their cultures alive, as well as write from their own perspective instead of being "written about." To remind the world that Indigenous voices, visions, and determination do indeed matter. A quote from one of the contributors:"For many people, especially those of us touched, inspired, and influenced over the course of our lives through the bravery, music, and words of John Trudell (Lakota, 1946-2015) the surrender of our voices nor our Indigenous world view, which we sometimes still have to fight with every cell of our beings to keep alive, is not an option. No more than surrendering our Mother Earth. Power of the Storm affirms this. MariJo Moore, with her courage of spiritual and physical commitment, is presenting that determination, that appreciation to the world and to Creation." MariJo Moore (Cherokee) is the author of over 20 books, including several anthologies of Indigenous authors. She often gives those who have never been published the opportunity to share their voices, as in anthologies like this one, which is a unique addition to Indigenous literature.