I will do my best to share the journey with you here through posts & photos though I am aware my access to internet will be limited in some areas.

This trip is a Dream Come True; to see with my own eyes and meet with my own heart the cultures from which several of the stories I love to share originate. SIGANA Festival includes Kenyan tellers: John Mukeni Namai, Hellen Alumbe, Wangari Grace, Githanda Githae, Newton Kweya, Kikwata Storytellers, Jamlick Kogi, Leonidah Nanjala & Marianne Christensen (Denmark) Giorgiana Elena Popan (Romania) and ME from the USA. A good group, filled with GREAT Stories! http://www.zamaleoact.org

I am also Thrilled to partner with Artfully AWARE and to be trusted to take their Story Book project to Kenya. I will be meeting with several volunteer groups already on the ground in Kenya including CEPACET &  UWEZA. I plan to travel out to Kisii to meet with Empower Women Through Farming (CEPACET) and to volunteer at a school for orphans. In Nairobi I will work with CEPACET at two community centers/schools and UWEZA at their school in Kibera. It’s going to be a Busy and Fulfilling Trip! http://artfullyaware.org

May you all find YOUR Dreams!

And if you would like to Support this volunteer work, please do click on the Donate button! Donate Here

HUG!

((((((YOU))))) << That is ME hugging YOU!

Please watch for yourself and if you feel to do so, please share YOUR feedback on the TEDxWarsaw video link.

Let us all Share our Stories. And truly Understand, There are NO Strangers.
HUG from my lil heart to yours!
Kristin

I will also bring my own project Literacy Outreach (which is evolving to Building Bridges Between) and will offer workshops on Every Day Superheroes and Connecting Culture, Classrooms & Community Through Story.

To say I am Grateful is a vast understatement! To perform in the Festival itself and expand my own literacy project was Incredible to me, to partner with Artfully AWARE which has just been invited into the Clinton Global Initiative is mind blowing! And it happened because of a chance meeting on the NYC subway in 2009, saving a business card and sending an email.

A perfect example of taking a risk, stepping outside the comfort zone and ASKING! You never know what may happen. What would YOU like to ask for?

If you’d like to know more about Hilary’s work, visit her website: Artfully Aware

If you would like to help support the trip to Kenya (festival has no funds for my travel or housing and there is no fee being paid to me) Please do consider purchasing a FREE HUGS T-shirt.

Shirts are now available in Pink or Turquoise in Women’s sizes or in Blue or Red in Mens’ sizes.
You can order them here: Store

Thanks to John Mukeni Namai, Hellen Alumbe and Grace Wangari for all their assistance in making the Festival happen. I am looking forward to Building Bridges Between through Story. And I am looking forward to hearing how YOU’VE taken a risk, please do share YOUR story here in the comments.

HUG from my heart to yours!
Kristin

First, it must be said, that the people of Poland are some of the kindest I have yet to meet. I caught a nasty flu last week & generous people I’d just met took most excellent care of me for an entire week; me doing nothing in return, but sleeping and coughing and a bit of complaining on their couches (and in one instance, in their daughter’s room, which they so kindly gave up to me so I could rest properly, thank you Michal Malinowski!)

A Summary of Success:

It’s not about the money.

1. The Tour began in Gdansk, Poland at Starter Inkubator, an amazing facility which provides space for Start-up businesses to meet, inspire, discuss and participate in workshops. I presented Wild Women Who Dared in honor of International Women’s Day. I shared stories of Wangari Matahaai who created the Green Belt Environmental Movement in Kenya & inspired the planting of 30 million + trees worldwide. Hannah Brencher, Founder of The World Needs More Love Letters: Her story began with 1 Love Letter to a Stranger on the subway and now she inspires people in 47 countries to share letters with others. And Irena Sendlerowa, a Catholic Social Worker in WWII Warsaw who helped rescue 2500 children from the Warsaw Ghetto. I also shared a bit of my own story, of taking a Leap in 2005 to sell my home & most possessions to create/facilitate a volunteer literacy project and how it’s grown beyond my wildest dreams.

After the presentation I received hugs & countless thank yous for helping others to see that Daring can Open Doors. Over the next week I also received multiple messages from “serious” business Start-ups in Gdansk, Poland who said my presentation, “Wild Women Who Dared” at Starter Inkubator inspired them to Dare to take a Risk, 1 step toward Their Dream & realize it could be Reality. Here’s a clip: Wild Women Who Dared

2. TEDx Warsaw was mind blowing and Heart expanding. So many of us shared the power of Story, of Serendipity, of Seeing the Story of the Other as being similar to our own. I shared No Strangers about the williness to step outside of our comfort zone, reach out to another and connect whether through a Hug, Listening to someone’s Story, and building a bridge across. To realize in this Beautiful World there are truly NO STRANGERS; we are All Interconnected. Afterwards to see the Tears & receive Hugs & Heartfelt comments made me realize yes, indeed, We are in this Together! And Together we can make this world a better place. A Kinder place.

3. I shared Superhero 101; Release YOUR Inner Superhero at several high schools and a college in Poland. The best reaction was from a group of high school students in Minsk Mazowiecki. After hearing about my experience connecting to homeless through FREE HUGS, these students went out on their own & offered Hugs. After, they shared how deeply it impacted them.
Ania Zarzycka shares: That was just amazing! at first we were a bit frightened we were thinking that nobody will wanna hug us… that was not true! there was plenty of people who wanted a hug! the most thrilling of this was the fact that they were so different: there were young and old, various subcultures… and we couldn’t stop smiling. After the whole day of hugging we were so happy that I just can’t find words to describe it! I’m just sure that we will repeat it again and again and again… <3 FREE HUGS in Minsk Mazowiecki Poland

And then I caught a nasty flu. And learned again how wonderful people are. Michal Malinowski’s family and friend Piotr who made sure I was warm and had herbal concoctions to heal me. Ula, a new friend who offered to care for me over Easter weekend and brought me to her sister’s home in Warsaw to share healthy food even though I was sick.
Feeling Blessed Beyond Compare. Love this Life!

I believe we All have an Inner Superhero; that part of us willing to make a choice, take a chance & Leap across that comfort zone!

Picture it: You provide the date, the place & guests;
as many of your dearest as you wish.
I’ll provide the “SUPER”
1. True Tales of Every Day Superheroes to Inspire.
2. Open Mic for anyone to share Their True Tale of Superness.
3. Call to Action; what’s 1 thing we can Do to make our communities more Super?

Let’s Do IT! Together we can create a FUNdraiser for my volunteer trip and performances in Nairobi, Kenya in June!

Sliding scale of $5 to $20 per person. Superhero 101 CD will be available for purchase and for signing too! YAY

You invite & We’ll all be Super. I’ve got costumes too!

Also available on-line via Skype Video, just share my lil face with your party people. Who wants to be Super? Spread the Word.

PS You can also donate via paypal directly here on my website:

♥ & HUG
Kristin

The first Annual Valentine’s Free Hugs was a Wonderful experience in NYC. In 2010 we were featured on CBS News! In 2011, nearly 20 Huggers joined in NYC sharing the Love and we went Worldwide via the wonders of facebook. 2012 the Hugs and Love spread once again. Let’s share even more LOVE in 2013.

I will be Hugging in Union Square Thursday February 14th 230pm to 530pm (or until our arms fall off)

Where will YOU share HUGS on February 14th? Please comment and tell us.

Sign up here: facebook invite

HUG from my lil heart to yours!
Kristin

These are SUPER!

Gather to celebrate & share creative ideas or community building projects that have been bubbling up in your head.

MY DEAR SUPERHERO FRIENDS, YOU ARE INVITED! info below!

Keep it SIMPLE. NO Pressure. Just Invite some friends & share.

These are happening simultaneously all over the world! YAY! SUPER!

It’s Easy!
1. If you Wish, Dress like a Superhero, Real or Imagined.

2. Invite friends to your home, apartment or public space of your choosing to Release your Inner Superhero.

3. Share Stories of Superhero Feats you’ve already accomplished OR Something Super Someone Else did for YOU; we are NOT talking leaping over buildings, those moments you leaped over your comfort zone and took a risk. Or that one time you helped someone. (no matter how small you think that moment may be)

4. Call to Action, What can you Do to make your community just a little more SUPER?

5. I’ll share a few SUPER Stories on Skype, yay! I can feel part of YOUR party, too. I will be PRESENT at DC!

6. OPTIONAL: Create a SIMPLE Photobooth and photograph your Superhero Selves and Share on Flickr and/or Facebook: I will create a link. If you’re Extra SUPER, make a video and post on youtube, please share on my channel: storytellerkp!

7. FREE Superhero 101 CD to each HOST. CD will be available for purchase either hard copy or digitally via CD-Baby. whoo hooo! (this event doubles as CD-Release celebration, but that is just a wee part of the entire event)

NOTE; there is GREAT flexibility in this Party Idea. The most Important thing; HAVE FUN and Celebrate Your Inner Superhero!!

This will take place Worldwide, at various times on January 19th 2013. And please Invite your friends…
Here’s the facebook link: Superhero Worldwide Celebrations
BE SUPER!
Hug
Kristin

There are PARTIES IN:
NYC, thank you Nelson Chen & Carlo Romero, Juan Ito & Joy Notomo for helping organize
LINK for NYC

https://www.facebook.com/events/315571688553236/?ref=2

DC, thank you Sarah Hausman & Jennifer Cooper
NB, Kristin Oomen
TN, thank you Gina Lambert
TX, host to be announced
UTAH! Salt Lake City: Angela Sunny Oliver
VA, David Claunch, Amanda Baker Everett, Kim Weitkamp thank you!
AFGHANISTAN! Thanks to Major Robert Van Duzer III
STOCKHOLM, Ari and Anton, thank you!
BERLIN, Philipp Hansen, Danke!
ITAY, Paolococco Bubbledoctor
UK, Gian Paolo Ilari

IF YOU Want to me involved, let me know! WE CAN Make this world more SUPER!

Hot off the Press! Thank you to Dave Howell for the article, click here to read/see:
Release Your Inner Superhero Debut

 

*************************
In light of current events and in honor of All Affected by what happened this is what I, Kristin, a Storyteller, have to offer:
Dear Friends,

In light of the horrific event on Friday and the healing we all need:
As you all Know, We are Desperate to Connect, to feel loved, listened to and understood. Please, Continue to do the Good Work you do in connecting through whatever Your gift is. And please Listen to whomever needs to share their story with you. Hold compassion in your heart.

I’ll do the same and share more Free H
ugs and stories of hope and healing. The hugs may seem insignificant to some, however, the truth is strangers have shared the most intimate details of their lives while embraced. So desperate to connect they tell a woman they’ve only just met.

Let’s all continue to take the time to be there for Everyone; our neighbors, co-workers, friends, family, each other. We All need and Deserve to be loved and heard. My heart goes out to All affected by Friday’s event. We are a deeply wounded, broken people in need of a massive overhaul. Let’s build the bridges between. Take the time to listen when someone’s in pain. Share Hope and Healing. One by One We Can Do something to change the current state of affairs. Hug. Share HUGS, tell the people you love, that you love them. Share Hope. That’s all we’ve got left, and it is a start.
I love you.
Kristin