It Takes Courage

A democratic movement is on the rise in Venezuela, thanks to María Corina Machado Parisca. Maria Corina Machado, the winner of the first-ever Global Courage Award for Truth, is leading that movement. She is currently in hiding in Venezuela. Despite great personal risk, she continues to speak out. Her courage has inspired a nation. We admire Machado’s bravery in speaking truth to power. Listen to her conversation with NPR: https://lnkd.in/eAV_twJN?

From all of us at It Takes Courage, Happy #InternationalWomensDay!?? We are proud to celebrate the many ways women have changed the world through courage. We honor the women we recognized at the Global Courage Awards — Isauris Izquierdo Correa, María Corina Machado Parisca, and Ana Corina Sosa, who accepted the Truth Award on behalf of her mother. They’ve shown extraordinary courage in pursuing a better future and standing up for truth. Their bravery has inspired the world. We are grateful to commemorate them, and the many more women whose courage inspires us!

Here’s to one year of #ItTakesCourage!?? We’re grateful to celebrate the one-year anniversary of our global movement for courage. This year has been an incredible success, from hosting the first-ever Global Courage Awards to celebrating everyday courage on our social media pages throughout the year. Thank you to everyone who has joined our global movement to celebrate and inspire courage. We cannot wait to see what the next year has in store!

As we reflect on the past year, we are so grateful for the ways #ItTakesCourage has grown across the world. As Mike Manatos said, our goal is to become the “global champions of courage” We believe that celebrating everyday acts of courage will inspire others to act bravely. Together, our courage can change the world. We are thrilled to celebrate the one-year anniversary of It Takes Courage this week, and we cannot wait to continue to grow this year. To learn more, visit: https://lnkd.in/dfk2ab7e

You are more courageous than you realize. Whether you’re standing up to injustice or stepping outside your comfort zone, you are showing bravery in the way you live your life, each and every day. We believe everyday acts of courage have the power to change the world. That’s why we’re committed to celebrating bravery in all its forms, by sharing your stories. What is your story of everyday courage? Comment below, or submit a story at: https://lnkd.in/ewpvraQS?

“Even more impressive was the civic movement behind this victory, a testament of courage, determination, and an unprecedented level of civic organization.” When she spoke at the #OXICourageAwards, Ana Corina Sosa shared how Venezuelan activists mobilized a movement in the July elections against Nicolas Maduro. Community organizations worked together to use tally sheets to prove that the democratic candidate, Edmundo González, won the election. It was a historic win for truth, and, as Ana Corina Sosa said, “a blueprint for democratic elections across the world.” Ana Corina Sosa’s mother, María Corina Machado Parisca, was the first-ever winner of the Global Courage Award for Truth. She accepted the award on her mother’s behalf at the #GlobalCourageAwards in Panama City, since Maria Corina Machado has been wrongfully barred from leaving Venezuela. We are proud to support the democratic movement in Venezuela. Watch Ana Corina Sosa’s speech: https://lnkd.in/ef8Nt45c

#ItTakesCourage to fight for freedom and human rights. Dr. Sima Simar has spent her life and career doing just this. Dr. Simar opened clinics and hospitals across Afghanistan for women and children. She spent her career providing healthcare to vulnerable people in the country — even traveling on foot or on horseback to reach remote areas. Her courage in advocating for women’s rights, despite death threats. ? We are grateful for Dr. Simar’s courage in standing up for women’s rights. Follow our page for more stories of courage!

#ItTakesCourage to love. As we celebrate Valentine’s Day, we are reminded of Maro’s incredible courage to love in sickness and in health, as told by istorima. Maro and Damianos fell in love as teenagers, and they never stopped fighting for their love. Not when Maro’s parents initially disapproved of their relationship, and not when Damianos was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. We admire their courage in choosing love, no matter the obstacles. We celebrate their devotion to each other on this day of romance. From all of us at It Takes Courage, Happy Valentine’s Day!??

We are proud to partner with The OXI Day Foundation to celebrate courageous heroes all over the world. The OXI Day Foundation honors extraordinary individuals whose monumental acts of courage are changing the world, through the #OXICourageAwards. These are the modern day Davids vs. Goliaths who, in the spirit of the Greeks, are saying ‘OXI,’ or ‘No,’ to injustice. We celebrate and inspire everyday acts of courage, big and small, seen and unseen all over the world. We do this through the #GlobalCourageAwards, and by sharing stories of bravery on our website and social media pages. Our goal, in partnership with the OXI Day Foundation, is to inspire a global movement for courage. Learn more at: https://lnkd.in/dfk2ab7e

We are thrilled to see the McCain Institute launch the Freedom for Political Prisoners Initiative (FPPI), to advocate for political prisoners around the world. The?McCain Institute announced the FPPI by hosting a conversation between?Jason Rezaian and?Vladimir Kara-Murza, the 2018 OXI Courage Laureate who will serve on the FPPI advisory council. It Takes Courage &?The OXI Day Foundation were?honored to attend this event to celebrate Kara-Murza and the launch of this initiative. #ItTakesCourage to stand up to oppression, especially in the face of great personal risk. We are proud to stand with political prisoners, and we applaud this initiative by the?McCain Institute. Watch their conversation:?https://lnkd.in/eNRe-_MB