Maria Shriver became the first lady of California when her husband Arnold
Schwarzenegger became the governor of California on November 17, 2003. Before
being first lady, she had a long and accomplished career in the field of journalism.
Shriver was a Peabody and Emmy award-winning journalist for NBC News. She was a
contributing anchor for "Dateline NBC" and contributing correspondent for MSNBC. She
has authored two children's books called, What's Heaven? and Ten Things I Wish I'd
Known Before I Went Out Into the Real World.
“California women are trailblazers in everything they do. They’ve made history by doing
things their way. They didn’t wait to be asked. They didn’t wait to be invited. And they
didn’t wait to be told. They just did! I love people who just do.” ~ Maria Shriver
Maria Shriver is a trailblazer herself. An award-winning journalist and producer, best-
selling author and mother of four, Shriver has transformed the office of First Lady by
approaching it not simply as a role, but as a job with real purpose and a platform to
make a difference.
From day one, she made the position of, first lady, her own by combining her journalist’s
eye for the needs of real people, with a deeply-ingrained passion for service and
activism, and a creative entrepreneurial spirit and vision that embraces bold ideas.
Shriver has used her voice to advocate on behalf of women, the working poor, the
intellectually disabled and families struggling with Alzheimer’s. She has created
groundbreaking programs and initiatives that educate, enlist, empower, connect, and
honor people who are what she calls “Architects of Change” in their own lives and in the
lives of others.
Shriver has organized these initiatives under a banner called WE. The WE programs
have been successful in motivating people to get involved and unite across gender,
economic, and party lines. Shriver’s message to all Californians is to look within and find
out what “WE can do together when WE come together.”
WE Serve
From the moment Shriver became First Lady, she called upon all Californians to join her
in service to their communities and state. As Honorary Chair of CaliforniaVolunteers,
Shriver conceived of and launched the largest statewide volunteer matching network at
CaliforniaVolunteers.org. Its goal is to make service convenient and accessible to
anyone seeking a volunteer opportunity. Through this innovative web-based tool,
Californians can explore a database of more than 45,000 rewarding service
opportunities and find one matched to their own specific location, skills, and interests. In
addition, Shriver was instrumental in inspiring Governor Schwarzenegger to establish the
nation’s first state cabinet-level Department of Service and Volunteering. She also has
pioneered and promoted a statewide disaster preparedness program called WE Prepare
that encourages and educates Californians to “Be Ready” for an emergency or natural
disaster. In addition, Shriver established WE Build and WE Garden, a children’s
playground and community garden-building initiative. To date, she and
CaliforniaVolunteers have built 31 playgrounds with gardens in lower-income
communities around the state.
WE Empower
Under Shriver’s leadership, The California Governor and First Lady’s Conference on
Women has grown into the nation’s premier forum for women, with more than 14,000
attendees every year since 2004. The conference encourages women to become
Architects of Change in their own lives, in their communities, and in the country – and
teaches them how. Hundreds of world opinion leaders and newsmakers have spoken at
the conference, including Oprah Winfrey, Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, Secretaries of
State Condoleezza Rice and Madeleine Albright, Barbara Walters, Governor Arnold
Schwarzenegger, former Prime Minister Tony Blair, Bono, and His Holiness the Dalai
Lama.
The success of The Women’s Conference has enabled it to form partnerships with
established and respected organizations to develop five far-reaching women’s
empowerment programs. WE Educate provides ten $2,500 Minerva Scholarships to
college-aged young women and encourages other organizations to do the same. WE
Invest invests in women entrepreneurs by helping them with microloans and business
training, mentoring, and a support network to start or expand their own businesses. WE
Connect connects poor working families to government services and tax-saving
programs they may be eligible for but unaware of – such as the Earned Income Tax
Credit, the Child Tax Credit, the Food Stamp Program and others. For more information,
visit www.WEConnect.net. WE Act helps women who are victims of physical, sexual and
emotional abuse and encourages others to support domestic violence shelters and
programs that help women in life-threatening situations. And WE Honor honors
remarkable women who have stepped forward and changed the world with their courage,
wisdom, and strength with the prestigious Minerva Awards. The awards were created by
Shriver and named after the Roman goddess, Minerva, who graces the California state
seal. The Minerva Award winners also receive grants from the conference to further their
work. To extend the reach of the conference, Shriver also launched a vibrant online
community for women at www.CaliforniaWomen.org. The goal of the website is to provide
a gathering place for women everywhere to be inspired and empowered to be who they
are – Architects of Change.
***Source --- Maria Shriver, first lady of California web site. October 23, 2009
American Triumph Journal is a free online magazine.
Schwarzenegger became the governor of California on November 17, 2003. Before
being first lady, she had a long and accomplished career in the field of journalism.
Shriver was a Peabody and Emmy award-winning journalist for NBC News. She was a
contributing anchor for "Dateline NBC" and contributing correspondent for MSNBC. She
has authored two children's books called, What's Heaven? and Ten Things I Wish I'd
Known Before I Went Out Into the Real World.
“California women are trailblazers in everything they do. They’ve made history by doing
things their way. They didn’t wait to be asked. They didn’t wait to be invited. And they
didn’t wait to be told. They just did! I love people who just do.” ~ Maria Shriver
Maria Shriver is a trailblazer herself. An award-winning journalist and producer, best-
selling author and mother of four, Shriver has transformed the office of First Lady by
approaching it not simply as a role, but as a job with real purpose and a platform to
make a difference.
From day one, she made the position of, first lady, her own by combining her journalist’s
eye for the needs of real people, with a deeply-ingrained passion for service and
activism, and a creative entrepreneurial spirit and vision that embraces bold ideas.
Shriver has used her voice to advocate on behalf of women, the working poor, the
intellectually disabled and families struggling with Alzheimer’s. She has created
groundbreaking programs and initiatives that educate, enlist, empower, connect, and
honor people who are what she calls “Architects of Change” in their own lives and in the
lives of others.
Shriver has organized these initiatives under a banner called WE. The WE programs
have been successful in motivating people to get involved and unite across gender,
economic, and party lines. Shriver’s message to all Californians is to look within and find
out what “WE can do together when WE come together.”
WE Serve
From the moment Shriver became First Lady, she called upon all Californians to join her
in service to their communities and state. As Honorary Chair of CaliforniaVolunteers,
Shriver conceived of and launched the largest statewide volunteer matching network at
CaliforniaVolunteers.org. Its goal is to make service convenient and accessible to
anyone seeking a volunteer opportunity. Through this innovative web-based tool,
Californians can explore a database of more than 45,000 rewarding service
opportunities and find one matched to their own specific location, skills, and interests. In
addition, Shriver was instrumental in inspiring Governor Schwarzenegger to establish the
nation’s first state cabinet-level Department of Service and Volunteering. She also has
pioneered and promoted a statewide disaster preparedness program called WE Prepare
that encourages and educates Californians to “Be Ready” for an emergency or natural
disaster. In addition, Shriver established WE Build and WE Garden, a children’s
playground and community garden-building initiative. To date, she and
CaliforniaVolunteers have built 31 playgrounds with gardens in lower-income
communities around the state.
WE Empower
Under Shriver’s leadership, The California Governor and First Lady’s Conference on
Women has grown into the nation’s premier forum for women, with more than 14,000
attendees every year since 2004. The conference encourages women to become
Architects of Change in their own lives, in their communities, and in the country – and
teaches them how. Hundreds of world opinion leaders and newsmakers have spoken at
the conference, including Oprah Winfrey, Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, Secretaries of
State Condoleezza Rice and Madeleine Albright, Barbara Walters, Governor Arnold
Schwarzenegger, former Prime Minister Tony Blair, Bono, and His Holiness the Dalai
Lama.
The success of The Women’s Conference has enabled it to form partnerships with
established and respected organizations to develop five far-reaching women’s
empowerment programs. WE Educate provides ten $2,500 Minerva Scholarships to
college-aged young women and encourages other organizations to do the same. WE
Invest invests in women entrepreneurs by helping them with microloans and business
training, mentoring, and a support network to start or expand their own businesses. WE
Connect connects poor working families to government services and tax-saving
programs they may be eligible for but unaware of – such as the Earned Income Tax
Credit, the Child Tax Credit, the Food Stamp Program and others. For more information,
visit www.WEConnect.net. WE Act helps women who are victims of physical, sexual and
emotional abuse and encourages others to support domestic violence shelters and
programs that help women in life-threatening situations. And WE Honor honors
remarkable women who have stepped forward and changed the world with their courage,
wisdom, and strength with the prestigious Minerva Awards. The awards were created by
Shriver and named after the Roman goddess, Minerva, who graces the California state
seal. The Minerva Award winners also receive grants from the conference to further their
work. To extend the reach of the conference, Shriver also launched a vibrant online
community for women at www.CaliforniaWomen.org. The goal of the website is to provide
a gathering place for women everywhere to be inspired and empowered to be who they
are – Architects of Change.
***Source --- Maria Shriver, first lady of California web site. October 23, 2009
American Triumph Journal is a free online magazine.
Maria Shriver
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