Rise Up!  Young Woman, Rise Up!
by Jerrika D. Hinton and Denise Stovall

"Listening to young women who participated in the National Gathering provides insight," say these authors.  This article is a series of stories about young women, the opportunities they see in the organization of United Methodist Women; the questions they have; what they bring to Christ's work; the pressures under which they live; and the impact United Methodist Women has had on their lives.

This university student interviews her mother about her hopes and dreams for United Methodist Women as they journey together into the new millennium

Working for Justice
by Kelly C. Martini

Stories of Harriet Tubman and Frances Willard and a young United Methodist woman who helped illegally move high-risk refugees into the United States are part of the organization's history.  Yet, the stories continue and set the stage for today's young women who seek justice.  This article is a series of stories of yesterday and today's plight for justice and their interconnectedness.   

Many people think that the 18-29 age group is apathetic about voting rights.  But a 2000 essay contest, sponsored by the Center for Voting and Democracy, received more than 9,000 entries on the topic, "Why We Don't Vote."  These are the answers of young people participating in the contest.  Now, they are organizing for election reform, finance reform, and other voting rights.

Youth Challenge Sweatshops 
by Ruth Herrera

"I got involved in the National Mobilization Against Sweatshops -- a youth-led grassroots organization committed to challenging U.S. sweatshops -- four years ago because my mother worked in a sweatshop," says author Ruth Herrera, a high school student.  This is the story of how a U.S. sweatshop affected Ms. Herrera's childhood and her work to change the injustice.

Fighting Private Prisons
by Pari Zutshi

Author Pari Zutshi, 20, became angry when she learned that companies were profiting from incarceration of people and that women comprise the fastest growing sector of the prison population.  "When we convert a system that's purpose is to rehabilitate those who have committed crimes into a profit-making venture, we move from helping individuals and allowing them to better themselves to seeing them as commodities," she says.

Hispanic United Methodist Youth Organize
by Dorella M. Walters

The Young Hispanic United Methodist Youth Movement was born when Hispanic youth and young adults realized they had difficulty finding their cultures, faces, and identities in the denomination's focus on young people.  This is the story of the movement and their vision.

Called to Make Peace
by  Yvette Moore

This is the story of Parvina Nadjibulla, raised by an Islam father and Russian Orthodox mother in Afghanistan.  She moved to Tajikistan, and was caught in the middle of another war.  Yet this experience led her to college in Alabama then to New York.  She works at the Church Center for the United Nations as part of God's call to peace making.  

Youth and AIDS in Africa
by Ana Kelsey-Powell

This is the story of one high school senior who attended a conference on HIV/AIDS organized by Zimbabwean United Methodist Youth  last year and the learnings that remain with her.

College Women Work for Justice
by Marian Jarlenski

Jennifer Lydon, a senior at Otterbein College in Ohio, found the Women's Action Association-- a group that promotes awareness of women's issues on campus.  Danielle Carlisle, 20, realized her need to combat poverty through a trip to Haiti.  Beth Pilawski, another college student, is working for society's mental and physical health on campus.  These are the stories of their commitments to justice.

Young Women Speaking Back to Media
by Amy Richards

"Women's rights activists have consistently worked to provide analysis of images of women and the invisibility of women in the media," says Amy Richards.   This article looks at the images the media portrays of women and how one young woman refuses to be invisible and is pushing for change.

Creating Mentoring Relationships
by Jean Saul

"How did you become interested in United Methodist Women?" asks the author.  This is the question that sets most members of the organization into action.  They think about the women who asked them the question.  They keep urging them to attend.  They become mentors.  This article looks at mentoring examples, the relationship, and the roles of the valuable mentor.

Mission Opportunities for Young Adults
by Sarah Luke

Young adult women are in mission in a variety of programs offered through the United Methodist Board of Global Ministries.  This article looks at the variety off opportunities for young adults that can range in time commitments from 10 weeks to three years.

Thank God for the Journey
by Stephanie Suggs

"Why am I pursuing commissioning as a deaconess?  The short answer is, 'I was led by God.'  The long answer is my life journey," says author Stephanie Suggs.  This is the story of one woman's commitment to a movement of women with a deep collective consciousness, a clear Biblical vision, and great potential."

Open My Eyes
by Carrie Brunken

This author tells her story of work with street children on the outskirts of Sao Paulo, Brazil, as a Global Justice Volunteer of the United Methodist General Board of Global Ministries.