GOOD

She Plays, We Win

Pictures of young athletes will inspire you to get in the game

 Anya Alvarez
02.01.17

Photographer Christin Rose had a goal in mind: to create something that mattered and something that she believed in. She started reflecting on her time as an athlete during her adolescent years and found that she had fond memories of her time playing sports.

So, she decided to make young female athletes feel like they mattered.

“If I could capture what it means to be innocent and brave—then I could encourage young women to hold onto that,” Rose says.

It all started with taking photos of young skater girls in Venice Skate Park, Rose explains near her home base in Los Angeles. As she continued capturing their youth and vibrancy in the moment, she felt inspired and began a photo series of these athletes. A few short months later in November 2015, #ShePlaysWeWin (SPWW) was born.

“It became very apparent that way we view young girls and the way they view themselves and the way they use social media is a very important topic. It suddenly dawned on me that I have to do this for me, all my women friends that I played sports with, and for these young girls. That’s when I came up with SPWW.”

Rose understands the importance of young girls staying involved in sports and the effect it can have on their self-esteem. In fact, studies have found that girls who play sports have higher self-esteem, perform better in school, and have lower rates of depression.

The lifelong effects of someone coming into their own through sports Rose says, “are unbelievable. But I wanted SPWW to give voice to the girls—not adults talking about kids.”

Rose’s Instagram account, @ShePlaysWeWin—which now boasts close to 40,000 followers—was established, and she began posting photos of young girls ranging from skaters, boxers, golfers, basketball players, softball players, and hockey players. The vibrancy of the photos captures the essence of their youth, grit, determination, and most of all, the love for the sport they play.

“I hoped to also start a larger conversation with coaches and teachers,” Rose said.

Soon, she began receiving feedback from them saying, “Hey, I really see myself in that photo. I remember when I was that age and remember feeling that way” while playing a sport.

SPWW quickly turned from a conversation into a movement, and Under Armour noticed the importance of Rose’s work. After finding her page on Instagram, they reached out to Rose and asked her to partner with them on a line specifically for young female athletes. The slogan, “She Plays We Win,” was emblazoned on the shirts, and all the photos taken were of young girls who play sports—not of professional models.

It sometimes takes a little time for the girls to get at ease in front of the camera, but during the shoots, Rose will show them the photos as they go along.

“As soon as they see what I’m seeing, they get more comfortable and they begin to open up,” she adds.

Every once in a while Rose will also receive a call from a parent saying, “You don’t even know what this did for my daughter this year and what she’s going through.”

Knowing that the photos give the girls a spark of confidence—for some who may never have seen themselves as strong and beautiful at the same time—reminds Rose why she started this movement.

“It’s making a star out of all these girls, which is exactly what they are. And it’s also giving them a platform to tell their story at a young age,” Rose explains.

To further Rose’s mission to keep girls in sports, she partnered with Movement Foundation, which provides nationwide financial grants to girls between the ages of 8 and 16, and is designed to support sports and other physical activity programs. The $1,000 grant can cover training, travel to compete in a sporting event, sports instruction, or anything that helps with the advancement of a young girl competing in her respective sport.

Rose is now in the process of taking photos of last year’s grant recipients, highlighting what the money is being used for and continuing to make the recipients feel special.

What started off as a passion project has turned into something much bigger than what Rose initially imagined. But while SPWW has impacted the young girls in a positive way, Rose has also gained something from spending time with them, “They teach me all the time. And I think we just need to remember to listen to young people and we need to remember how very, very smart that they are. And I’m so glad that I have (an) opportunity to do that.”

Sports

We're finally starting to take climate change seriously, survey finds

Photo by Li-An Lim on Unsplash

The future generations will have to live on this Earth for years to come, and, not surprisingly, they're very concerned about the fate of our planet. We've seen a rise in youth activists, such as Greta Thunberg, who are raising awareness for climate change. A recent survey indicates that those efforts are working, as more and more Americans (especially young Americans) feel concerned about climate change.

A new CBS News poll found that 70% of Americans between 18 and 29 feel climate change is a crisis or a serious problem, while 58% of Americans over the age of 65 share those beliefs. Additionally, younger generations are more likely to feel like it's their personal responsibility to address climate change, as well as think that transitioning to 100% renewable energy is viable. Overall, 25% of Americans feel that climate change is a "crisis," and 35% feel it is a "serious problem." 10% of Americans said they think climate change is a minor problem, and 16% of Americans feel it is not a problem that worries them.

The poll found that concern for the environment isn't a partisan issue – or at least when it comes to younger generations. Two-thirds of Republicans under the age of 45 feel that addressing climate change is their duty, sentiments shared by only 38% of Republicans over the age of 45.

Keep Reading Show less
climate crisis environment
The Planet

British people guessed what Americans pay for basic healthcare and were stunned by the answers

via Politics Joe / YouTube

The healthcare systems in the United States and the United Kingdom couldn't be more different.

The UK's National Health Service is the largest government-run healthcare system in the world and the US's is largest private sector system.

Almost all essential health services in the UK are free, whereas in America cost can vary wildly based on insurance, co pays and what the hospitals and physicians choose to charge.

A medical bill in the US

One of the largest differences is cost. The average person in the UK spends £2,989 ($3915) per year on healthcare (most of which is collected through taxes), whereas the average American spends around $10,739 a year.

So Americans should obviously be getting better care, right? Well, the average life expectancy in the UK is higher and infant mortality rate is lower than that in the US.

RELATED: The World Health Organization declares war on the out of control price of insulin

Plus, in the U.S., only 84% of people are covered by private insurance, Medicare or Medicaid. Sixteen percent of the population are forced to pay out of pocket.

In the UK, everyone is covered unless they are visiting the country or an undocumented resident.

Prescription drugs can cost Americans an arm and a leg, but in the UK, prescriptions or either free or capped at £8.60 ($11.27).

via Wikimedia Commons

The one drawback to the NHS system is responsiveness. In the UK people tend to wait longer for inessential surgeries, doctor's appointments, and in emergency rooms. Whereas, the US is ranked as the most responsive country in the world.

RELATED: Alarmingly high insulin prices are forcing Americans to flock to Canada to buy the drug

The New York Times printed a fair evaluation of the UK's system:

The service is known for its simplicity: It is free at the point of use to anyone who needs it. Paperwork is minimal, and most patients never see a bill. … No one needs to delay medical treatment until he or she can afford it, and virtually everyone is covered. …

According to data from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, the United States spent 17.2 percent of its economic output on health care in 2016, compared with 9.7 percent in Britain. Yet Britain has a higher life expectancy at birth and lower infant mortality.

Citizens in each country have an interesting perspective on each other's healthcare systems. UK citizens think it's inhumane for Americans have to pay through the nose when they're sick or injured. While Americans are skeptical of socialist medicine.

A reporter from Politics Joe hit the streets of London and asked everyday people what they think Americans pay for healthcare and they were completely shocked.

national health service us healthcare costs uk healthcare costs uk vs us healthcare
Health

A disabled woman's post on fake service animals perfectly explains why it's a big problem

via Found Animals Foundation / Flickr

Service dogs are true blessings that provide a wide array of services for their owners based on their disability.

They can provide preventative alerts for people with epilepsy and dysautonomia. They can do small household tasks like turning lights on and off or providing stability for their owners while standing or walking.

For those with PTSD they can provide emotional support to help them in triggering situations.

However, there are many people out there who fraudulently claim their pets are service or emotional support animals. These trained animals can cause disturbances in businesses or on public transportation.

Keep Reading Show less
service animals tumblr disabled people ptsd service dog laws
Communities