Happy International Women’s DaY!

It’s International Women’s Day 2019, a day of appreciation, gratitude and respect.

These images are from my first visit to a girl’s orphanage in India, 2008, and surfing the Indian west coast while 8 weeks pregnant with my first son. This trip and those girls made an incredible impact on me, and I subsequently adjusted the course of my life following this trip. Most of the girls had suffered abuse, rape, or had been living in the streets. They wore donated clothing with pride. They took me by the hand into their tea fields where they generate their own incomes. They shared the biggest, warmest smiles. All along the way, women around the world have inspired me to grow and evolve.

It’s not an easy road, being a woman. But the future sure looks bright. Yesterday I became the first female filmmaker to go mentor high school students at my old school. There were only a couple girls in the class, but I knew my presence there for those two young girls was extremely important.

I was the only female surfer at my high school and I was bullied hard for it. I rallied to have Surfing included as a school sport, unsuccessfully, then learned that my efforts had paved the way for a successful inclusion a year after my graduation, opening the doors for young girls coming up to start Surfing through high school. And they did. Happy International Women’s Day. As you climb the ladder, invite other girls and women to climb up with you.

Angie Richard (Davis) 6/11/17 Angie Richard (Davis) 6/11/17

Nepal Trek for Domestic Violence Awareness

Registration is now open to join our First We Walk Nepal Himalaya Expedition to trek the Gosainkunda Lake region, November 2017, for Domestic Violence Awareness.

From November 15-27, you can join me, my ninja turtle kids, and like-minded trekkers from around the world on an incredible expedition in the Nepali Himalayas. Our trekkers will all be fundraising throughout the year leading up to the trek, with 100% of public donations going to Her Farm Nepal, a non-profit women's agricultural refuge in Nepal growing hope for the Himalayas.

Objectives

Raise funds to finance a new Greenhouse for Her Farm Nepal, and a women's micro-finance fund;
Host a 3-day 'thrive' retreat at Her Farm (limited spaces available) following the trek, to share skills and stories as a global community (yoga, meditation, Wim Hof Method introduction, agricultural farming, storytelling for film making, holistic therapy);
Raise global awareness for domestic and gender-based violence;
Inspire unity consciousness.

The Trek

12-days from Kathmandu through the Gosainkunda region and return to Kathmandu.

The Gosainkunda area has been delineated as a religious site. Hindu Mythology attributes Gosainkunda as the abode of the Hindu deities Shiva and Gauri. The Hindu scriptures Bhagavata Purana, Vishnu Parana and the epics Ramayana and Mahabharata refer to the Samudra manthan, which is directly related to the origin of Gosainkunda. Its waters are considered holy and of particular significance during the Gangadashahara and the Janao Purnima festivals where thousands of pilgrims from Nepal and India visit the region. Gosainkunda is believed to have been created by Lord Shiva when he thrust his holy Trident into a mountain to extract water so he could cool his stinging throat after he had swallowed poison.

The main inhabitants of Gosainkunda region are Tamang and Sherpa (of Tibetan origin), whose religion, culture, language and dress are similar to the Tibetan people. Gosainkunda trekking offers an incredible opportunity to experience Nepal's unique combination of cultures, landscapes, stunning mountains and diverse wildlife and vegetation.

For full details and to download the trekkers information PDF, visit: http://www.theaniccaway.com/nepal-2017/

There will then be limited spaces are available for trekkers to join us at Her Farm following the trek, from November 27th to host a 3-day workshop with the women, sharing skills and stories. We will practice yoga, meditation, and breath work, hold a storytelling for filmmaking workshop, learn agricultural techniques from the women, and share stories and sacred space as a global community of women (and men!)