Greetings, my name is Margaret Saizan and you are at my personal blog! Basically it's a portal site to list the projects and initiatives I'm involved in across the web and beyond. You can find out more about me by clicking the "About "link at the left side bar of this blog, OR by following the links to my other blogs, and projects in the posts below...
March 07, 2007
Beyond Katrina Offers Help and Healing via Online Gathering
Free Teleconference to Focus on “The Work”
BATON ROUGE, La. (March 7, 2007) “Beyond Katrina: The Voice of Hurricane Disaster
& Recovery” is sponsoring two free teleconferences for survivors of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita to learn how to use The Work of Byron Katie, a simple yet powerful process of inquiry
that is helping people all over the world find a greater sense of well-being in context of life challenges, such as hurricane recovery. In this teleclass facilitated by Maggie Carter participants will have many opportunities to fully experience the effectiveness of The Work and learn
how to apply it to everyday situations in their own lives. The free teleconferences are scheduled for March 15 and March 22 from 7 to 8 p.m. CDT.
“The Work" is one of the most powerful methods ever devised to end human suffering,” explained Margaret Saizan, founder of the “Beyond Katrina” blog at www.hurricane-katrina.org. “As a south Louisiana resident myself, who rode out the storm only to face the devastation of stalled recovery efforts and endless bureaucratic red tape, this method has helped me reshape my mood and focus on a more positive approach to solving the problems regardless of who is to blame.”
Though the storms hit Louisiana and the Gulf Coast more than 18 months ago, survivors and the bureaucracy of the local and federal governments have slowed down, if not stalled, in efforts to move on.
“We think suffering thoughts all day long and live our lives as though these thoughts are actually true, added Carter. “But there is a way out of the resulting sadness, anger, frustration and fear. It’s The Work. I have found no other tool that is as simple and has such insightful results.”
The online community that engages daily with each other via “Beyond Katrina” continues to examine the impacts of the storms and seek to develop transformational change through this crisis. Saizan is creating a “Beyond Katrina Survivors Newsletter" to further reach out to those adversely affected by the storms and to promote personal healing and recovery issues. She has witnessed a great need for a positive reference and connection among these survivors through the active, online forum at her blog everyday. What began as casual observers interested in finding out any information on the storm has become a forum for sociologists, geologists, architects, authors, and photographers hoping to enact cultural change and policy reform, and with this teleclass and the newsletter, improve their personal futures for the best.
The free teleconference will be held March 15 from 7-8 p.m. CDT and March 22 from 7-8 p.m. CDT. Attendees simply need to call 218-486-1300 PIN 745633 at the time of their choice and be prepared to be transformed. They do not need to register in advance.
About Margaret Saizan
Margaret Saizan (www.margaretsaizan.org) is a new media publisher, personal/ organizational coach, and community activist. The Baton Rouge La. native became a blogger during the largest natural disaster in history – Hurricane Katrina. A graduate of Newfield Network, one of the best regarded international coach training schools, Margaret focuses on empowering leadership and facilitating action during transition, crisis, and disaster as the pathway to new vision. www.hurricane-katrina.org and Big Vision Media aspire to ignite wise action, new vision and positive change through transformational media.
About Maggie Carter:
Maggie Carter (www.maggiecarter.com) is a personal/organizational coach and two-time graduate of Byron Katie’s School for The Work. In her professional life she has worked as an educator, a director of staff development, a director of human resources, a consultant to organizations, a master facilitator and trainer and personal life coach. She continues to work with individuals, groups and organizations to facilitate positive change and explore new possibilities. Dr. Carter holds a Bachelor of Arts in education, a Master’s in reading and linguistics and a Doctorate in staff development, adult learning and leadership. She is also a graduate of the Institute of Life Coach Training.
About The Work
The Work is a way to identify and question the thoughts that cause suffering in ourselves, our homes, our communities and ultimately the world. Anyone with a pen, paper and an open mind can do it. The Work consists of four questions and a turnaround, which is a way to experience the opposite of what you believe. The Work applies to people of all walks of life and is currently being used by coaches, therapists, social workers, healing practitioners, and others who work in the mental health field as well as people who work in business, education and church communities. For more visit www.thework.com.
To view and download this press release in various formats go here.
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Labyrinth Network Meets
First Row - Kathleen DaQuanno
Second Row - Linda Brown, Rev. Nina Russell, Margaret Saizan, Betty
LeBlanc
Third Row - Maida Owens, Martha Whelan, Mertie Wofford, Anne Hurst, Michele
Fry, Winnie Darphin-Bacque
The Louisiana Labyrinth Network, a network of people who create,
facilitate, and educate people in the use of labyrinths, met in Baton Rouge on
February 4. Attending the meeting were Michele Fry, Margaret Saizan, Kathleen
DaQuanno, Maida Owens and Rev. Nina Russell from Baton Rouge, Martha Whelan and
Linda Brown of Lake Charles, Betty LeBlanc of New Iberia, Anne Hurst and Mertie
Wofford of Kentwood, Wnnie Darphin-Bacque of Lafayette. Labyrinths are
currently being used world-wide as a way to quiet the mind, find balance, and
encourage meditation, insight and celebration. They are open to all people as a
inter-faith, cross-cultural tool of well-being. Labyrinths can be found in
medical centers, parks, churches, schools, prisons, memorial parks and retreat
centers as well as in people's backyards. To find out more about
labyrinths visit www.veriditas.net, www.labyrinthsociety.org or call
225-767-3217.
January 16, 2007
Recent Media Mentions
Just thought I'd share my good news. I was recently quoted in Donald Lee's "Keeping It Real" column in the Baton Rouge Advocate:
Also, my blog Beyond Katrina was also one of ten blogs featured in the Snap Preview Anywhere newsletter this week and was also included in their SPA 100 blogs list. Pretty cool considering the company now has over 30,000 sites subscribed to their new service. By the way, What is Snap Preview Anywhere? Snap Preview Anywhere enables anyone visiting a site to get a glimpse of what other sites are being linked to, without having to leave the site. By rolling over any link, the user gets a visual preview of the site without having to go there, thus eliminating wasted "trips" to linked sites. Try it here by rolling your mouse over any link!
Roving Ethnographer Joins Narrative and Visual Voice of Beyond Katrina
Contributor Retraces Hurricanes Katrina & Rita
Maida Owens, a cultural anthropologist and Louisiana native, is the latest contributor to “Beyond Katrina: The Voice of Hurricane Disaster & Recovery,” a blog focused on changing the future with the knowledge gleaned from the past. Her photo essays, “Adventures of a Roving Ethnographer,” look at the how Hurricanes Katrina and Rita changed not only the physical landscape of south Louisiana but its emotional pulse as well.
“Seeing how they are rebuilding and how historical landmarks, sculptures and plantations withstood the pounding are paramount to understanding the long term impact of these storms on both our physical and cultural landscape,” explained Owens.
“We just had the second holiday season since the onslaught of the devastation, yet the obstacles and the setbacks persist,” explained blogger Margaret Saizan, “Beyond Katrina” creator. “Because Maida’s stories and personal photos share the resilience of south Louisianans, her perspective and insight are needed now more than ever to keep this journey back on the national radar.”
Though the storms hit Louisiana more than 16 months ago, the online community that engages daily with each other via “Beyond Katrina” is growing, not just in number, but in influence. What began as casual observers interested in finding out any information on the storm has become a forum for sociologists, geologists, architects, authors, and photographers hoping to enact cultural change and policy reform. The blog was recently awarded the Society for New Communications Research Professional Award.The award honors innovative professionals who are pioneering the use of social media, individuals like those Time magazine named its 2006 “Person of the Year.”
“We’ve had incredible feedback on the photo essay series we began in early October with nature photographer Matthew White. We hope to continue adding valuable content to tell the whole story of these storms,” added Saizan.
About Maida Owens:
A cultural anthropologist and a native Louisianan who cares deeply about her home state, Maida Owens has been director of the Louisiana Folklife Program, www.louisianafolklife.org , since 1988. She has curated exhibits and websites, authored and edited
books and articles, produced videos, and created educational materials on Louisiana’s many
traditional cultures. She works with organizations and researchers to identify
traditional artists and determine the most appropriate way to present folk
musicians, storytellers, craftsmen, and traditional cooks to the public. She
has worked with hundreds of folk artists from Louisiana's diverse cultures. Her work takes
her throughout the state and in the process, she has photographed Louisiana’s people and
landscapes. Maida Owens’ fine prints are available by contacting her at maidaowens at cox dot net.
About Margaret Saizan
Margaret Saizan (www.margaretsaizan.org) is a new media publisher, personal/ organizational coach, and community activist. The Baton Rouge native became a blogger during the largest natural disaster in U.S.history – Hurricane Katrina.A graduate of Newfield Network, one of the best regarded international coach training schools, Margaret focuses on empowering leadership and facilitating action during transition, crisis, and disaster as the pathway to new vision. www.hurricane-katrina.org and Big Vision Media aspire to ignite wise action, new vision and positive change through transformational media.
To download a word doc. or PDF version of this press Release at PRWeb.com, go here.
Other Releases:
- Photographer Tells Visual Story of Hurricane Rita 2006-12-20
- Bloggers Team Up with Online Nonprofit to Deliver Christmas to Katrina Families 2006-12-08
- Japanese Musician and Jazz Lover Gives Back to New Orleans 2006-12-05
- Beyond Katrina Wins National Award 2006-11-09
- Louisiana Photographer Joins Blogger's Online Community 2006-10-13
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# # #
December 08, 2006
Bloggers Team Up with Online Nonprofit to Deliver Christmas to Katrina Families
BATON ROUGE, La. (December 8, 2006) -- The social media movement has sparked an adoption frenzy this holiday season and is changing the face of philanthropy. Thanks to www.postsanta.com, www.hurricane-katrina.org, and www.katrinasangels.org, three online, virtual entities, Christmas will arrive for families who are still struggling with the realities after Hurricane Katrina from those who want to make a real difference. The three Web sites not only highlight the ongoing difficulties for those in the New Orleans area trying to rebuild their lives, but they are also a vital link between those in need and those who want to donate food, money, even Christmas trees. They are all engaged in innovative, transformational, change the world media, with a shared vision to catalyze their online endeavors to help the Gulf Coast recover.
Hundreds of Katrina families have written "Dear Santa" letters online. "Post Santa" is now seeking out prospective "Santas" for these families. Katrina's Angels, which has also been prescreening deserving families, will help donors fulfill wish lists and handle the New Orleans-area distribution. And the effort all came together on "Beyond Katrina."
"It started out as research for a story I'm writing, a ghost story, set in a post-Katrina world. I was so moved by every word I read, every picture I saw. Then Christmas was suddenly upon us -- over commercialized, self-centered. I couldn't sit back any longer. The true meaning of Christmas had to be revived, and this was how to do it," explains screenwriter Lola Teigland, creator of the Post Santa Web site. "I joined forces with Margaret Saizan, who united families with donors last year. She has an amazing website and she's an amazing person, so we set out to make some magic."
www.hurricane-katrina.org is aptly named "Beyond Katrina: The Voice of Hurricane and Disaster Recovery. This blog, which began as Margaret Saizan's personal account of the storm in her home state of Louisiana, has transformed into a gathering place and historical resource for those looking beyond the storm and seeking to learn from the catastrophe. From activists seeking to change public policy to victims looking for assistance and resources, "Beyond Katrina" is a one-stop shop for those connected to and affected by the unprecedented storm of 2005.
"When Lola contacted me, I knew we had to team up with a nonprofit that already has 'boots to the ground', so Katrina's Angels was a perfect fit," added Saizan, Beyond Katrina creator. "I have readers from 174 countries and more than 2,300 U.S. cities. If we can help direct only a fraction of them to www.postsanta.com, then Lola will be able to reach her dream of making a difference and the volunteer "angels" will deliver those dreams to the families who are suffering. Amazingly, all of this can be done without physical, brick-and-mortar spaces."
"We have the families ready and waiting, we just need those who want to help to reach out and connect with us," said Lynne Onufer, Katrina's Angels program director. "From the past, we know they're out there. We just want them to reach through www.postsanta.com so we can bring Christmas to the Big Easy."
"It's great to see how through new technologies, people now have the capacity to form meaningful online communities to explore common interests, advance important goals, and catalyze a shared vision," said Saizan.
Saizan's blog was recently awarded the Society for New Communications Research Professional Award. The award honors innovative organizations and professionals who are pioneering the use of social media (i.e., blogs, wikis, podcasts, collaborative tools and other forms of participatory communications) in the areas of marketing, public relations and advertising, politics, entertainment, academics, and community and cultural development.
About Margaret Saizan
Margaret Saizan (www.margaretsaizan.org) is a new media publisher, personal/ organizational coach, and community activist. The Baton Rouge, La. native became a blogger during the largest natural disaster in U.S. history - Hurricane Katrina. A graduate of Newfield Network, one of the best regarded international coach training schools, Margaret focuses on empowering leadership and facilitating action during transition, crisis, and disaster as the pathway to new vision. http://www.hurricane-katrina.org and Big Vision Media aspire to ignite wise action, new vision and positive change through transformational media.
About Katrina's Angels
The management and volunteers of Katrina's Angels are committed to a mission of providing resource coordination and needs fulfillment with sensitivity, professionalism and impeccable customer service to the evacuees of major natural disasters in the United States. To learn more about the 501 c3 non-profit organization, visit www.katrinasangels.org.
Download this press release as an Adobe PDF document.
# # # Other Releases By Beyond Katrina:
- Japanese Musician and Jazz Lover Gives Back to New Orleans 2006-12-05
- Beyond Katrina Wins National Award 2006-11-09
- Louisiana Photographer Joins Blogger's Online Community, Beyond Katrina, The Voice of Hurricane Disaster Recovery 2006-10-13
- Louisiana Woman Documents Katrina Experience Online 2006-08-25
May 28, 2006
Coaching Leadership in Times of Transition & Crisis
As a graduate of Newfield Network, a global progressive force for positive and sustainable change, and one of the oldest, best regarded international coach training schools, my training is rooted in a deeply-grounded body of knowledge, integrating many related disciplines of Newfield's Ontological School of Coaching. Currently my coaching is focused on empowering leadership and facilitating action during transition, crisis, indeed disaster as the pathway to new vision. If you feel you or your organization would benefit from coaching, and want to find out more, please email me at info@margaretsaizan.org.
Beyond Hurricane Katrina: The Voice of Disaster Recovery
The mission of this award winning blog, Beyond Katrina (www.hurricane-katrina.org), is to inspire recovery, transformation & new vision through the deeper wisdom of crisis. With posts addressing the 2005 storm's aftermath, with links to news updates, images, relief agencies, important announcements, and other resources.
Labyrinths in Community Healing, Recovery & Renewal
Labyrinths are potent tools for large scale community healing and transformation. As archetypal symbols they often appear in history during times of transition. Currently I am working with several initiatives that are making a global impact in advancing the use of this intriguing blueprint for navigating change:
Veriditas: The Voice of the Labyrinth Movement - I work with this organization in a leadership capacity as webmaster for their Facilitator's Portal, as a member of Council, the visioning body of the organization, and as the coordinator for the special interest group, "Labyrinths in Business and Organizational life".
Baton Rouge Labyrinth Project - I am the co-director of this volunteer agency to teach the Baton Rouge community about labyrinths and work with public agencies and organizations to create community labyrinths in the area. To find out details about a labyrinth coming soon to Baton Rouge's City Park, click here.
A Labyrinth Journey: This was my very first blog & it is now in archives but it's worth a look. It is focused on a unique collaboration with New Orleans artist and sacred symbolist, Theresa Herrera. By the way, Herrera's home in NOLA was flooded and a good bit of her work was destroyed in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. At some point I may update the blog with her personal story as a Katrina survivor.
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