Latest Stories
Most recently published stories in Viva.
The CEO: Reviewing Mercedes Moné's AEW Debut
At long last, after so much anticipation, she has arrived! AEW's "Big Business" special episode of Dynamite kicked off with the long awaited and long overdue debut of Mercedes Moné, the former Sasha Banks. This has been teased for at least the moment after she was shown at All Out last year, but to those who have really followed and supported Mercedes, this has been teased ever since WWE's bullshit ran her out yet again.
Clyde E. DawkinsPublished 14 days ago in VivaThe Best Summer Activities for Families: Fun Ideas for Everyone
Summer is a season filled with warmth, vibrancy, and endless possibilities, making it the perfect time for families to create lasting memories together. With the sun shining brightly and the days stretching longer, the quest for fun, engaging, and enriching activities that cater to everyone in the family becomes paramount. Whether you're looking to soak in the beauty of nature, embark on thrilling adventures, or simply enjoy some quality time together, this blog post is your ultimate guide to making the most out of your summer. Here are some handpicked summer activities that promise fun for everyone in the family:
YathirajaSampathKumar K RPublished 14 days ago in VivaI Feel Like A Woman?
In light of internal ponderings and International Women’s Day, I feel the urge to write about being, well, a woman and a grown-up.
Amethyst ChampagnePublished 15 days ago in VivaRuth - The Dragon Beside Me
I really hate that phrase..."not all heroes wear capes." It just feels overused. However, I feel it's an apt phrase to use for the Dragon beside me, the only Dragon I want or need in my life.
Paul StewartPublished 17 days ago in VivaThe Dragon Beside Me
I’ve always been around color. Colorful outfits that my mother would buy me, to represent our culture. Colorful fruit I ate as a child grown and picked with the tired hands of my people.
- Top Story - March 2024
Women Know Hockey, Stop Pretending They Don't
Gather 'round, readers! Today is International Women's Day, and I have a story to tell. In 2014, I watched and followed the hockey games from that year's Winter Olympics. I watched the US men's team reach the semifinals of the tournament, which are the medal rounds. We faced Canada. We lost to Canada, because of course we do. So we had to play for Bronze. We faced off against Finland. Finland beat us like we stole something. A 6-0 loss in the Bronze Medal Game, while Canada defeated Sweden to get the Gold.
Clyde E. DawkinsPublished 19 days ago in Viva - Top Story - March 2024
Horror and Hope
I am late entering this challenge, because I thought long and hard which woman has inspired me the most. I chose this person because I genuinely believe she deserves recognition for her outstanding skills and character in the face of adversity: Stanislawa Leszczyńska. She was a Polish midwife who was incarcerated in Auschwitz in 1943. She attended many births during that time. 3,000 babies were born under her care.
Sam The Doula (Blooming Miracle)Published 19 days ago in Viva It Is Literally Impossible To Be A Woman...
I'll wait until everyone finishes groaning... There is a massive double-standard when it comes to female celebrities, especially in music. They're called bad parents for being on the road too much, only for fans to complain when they take time off touring to focus on having or caring for children. They're told to speak up about important topics, only to get shouted down when they do.
Natasja RosePublished 19 days ago in VivaVOICES of Survivors
Over the past few months, I have been invited to join a wonderful group. This group is small in my area right now and we only meet once every two months but this is a National group that has been established since 2002 and it just keeps growing. This group's name as you've probably already gathered by the title of this is VOICES. We are a group comprised of men and women who are domestic violence survivors. Our group leader is Ms. Penny Hensley and she works very closely with our local law enforcement, our ADA's, our victim witness coordinators, WRAP(which is another wonderful service), and other agencies I'm sure I'm forgetting. The goal is to create a Family Safety Center so women, men, and children who are victims can go there for shelter and initiate any legal proceedings they may need/want to start during a domestic violence situation. Also, so they can have any questions they may have answered. Ultimately, we want you to feel safe, secure, and like you just received a hug at a time when your world is shaken. The first VOICES group started in San Diego, California in 2002 where the first members served as an advisory committee for the San Diego Family Justice Center. (https://familysafetycenter.org/voices/) You see, from the very beginning, we have been a group of people who want to make our VOICES heard. At one point or perhaps multiple points in each of our lives, our voices were silenced and this group, VOICES is about taking that back. This is about making people aware of not only abuse and its presence but also breaking down the barriers. There are so many stigmas around what a woman should take from a man because she needs to "obey her husband" as stated in the Bible, stigmas concerning whether or not a man can be a victim of domestic violence, stigmas even concerning how a victim should act after the fact(should she/he be quiet and not say anything or is telling people okay?), stigmas on therapy and how this can impact a person's mental health, etc. I could seriously go on and on. It is deeply troubling how we as a society victim shame and blame and then we wonder why these women keep going back to the violence or making excuses for their abusers or why a man is statistically far less likely to report D.V. than a woman. "Half of male victims (49%) fail to tell anyone they are a victim of domestic abuse and are two and a half times less likely to tell anyone than female victims (19%)." This quote from (https://mankind.org.uk/statistics/statistics-on-male-victims-of-domestic-abuse/). It is sad that we as a society(and yes I'm throwing myself under the bus here too) have taught women to be subservient to the point they could die or be raped multiple times and men that they have to be so macho that they need to suppress their feelings to the point it doesn't matter if they get beaten on? I'm sorry society and mankind as a whole but this is not ok! And honestly, this is why I'm still mad. I'm mad at myself, mad at society as a whole, mad at every abuser that ever was or will be and I'm mad at who hurt that abuser to make that woman/man into an abuser because typically every abuser starts as a victim first. So, let's turn things around gradually and step by step because we have to do better and be better and this is what VOICES is all about.
Lindsey AltomPublished 20 days ago in VivaDear Men And Women
Dear Men and Women. If I am nervous when we first meet, I want you to know it isn't your fault. Yes, I am married to a man, though even my husband had to be gentle with me when we first met.
Carol TownendPublished 20 days ago in VivaInternational Women’s Day - Women's Solidarity Across the World
International Women’s Day - a day when we celebrate women’s achievements and call for action. It is a day to reflect on how far we have come and how far we haven’t.
Reija SillanpaaPublished 20 days ago in VivaFree The Hostages, Then Free Palestine From Hamas
It's been five months since the horrific massacre of the Nova Music Festival. Since that declaration of war, a lot has happened, but with International Women's Day approaching, it's important to remember those young women (and children, and elderly, and men) still being held hostage in Gaza.
Natasja RosePublished 20 days ago in Viva