BREAKING NEWS: Borowicz offers support for opening The Central Registry
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Donna Speaks Blog!
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Donna M. Kshir is an author, activist, publisher and columnist featured in over 50 publications. Donna seeks truth and justice for children exposed to abuse. She speaks out and writes against these injustices done onto children. Donna's work has landed her on the bestsellers list 16x in multiple categories.
She used her influence in the growth of gaining national support for nonprofit Dreamcatchers for Abused Children (2008-2015) and Conner's Law, making child abuse by death a violent crime in Kentucky; receiving a Letter of Recommendation from Conner's mother Mashanna Bachuss (2019). In 2009, Donna created, produced and hosted Dreamcatchers Talk Radio until 2015 to become the face and producer of Your Voice Radio's, Two Nana's at Noon. In June 2016 she and her best friend and sister advocate Lee 'Cougardawn' Roberts co-founded Advocates United for Humanity. Donna is a member of the Nonfiction Authors Association, she received the NNPAAW Award (2012-2018), she's a 2019 nominee of the Pinnacle Awards and the 2019 Diamond Quill Lifetime Achievement Award recipient.
She used her influence in the growth of gaining national support for nonprofit Dreamcatchers for Abused Children (2008-2015) and Conner's Law, making child abuse by death a violent crime in Kentucky; receiving a Letter of Recommendation from Conner's mother Mashanna Bachuss (2019). In 2009, Donna created, produced and hosted Dreamcatchers Talk Radio until 2015 to become the face and producer of Your Voice Radio's, Two Nana's at Noon. In June 2016 she and her best friend and sister advocate Lee 'Cougardawn' Roberts co-founded Advocates United for Humanity. Donna is a member of the Nonfiction Authors Association, she received the NNPAAW Award (2012-2018), she's a 2019 nominee of the Pinnacle Awards and the 2019 Diamond Quill Lifetime Achievement Award recipient.
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On November 18, 2020 Donna and Lee 'Cougardawn' Roberts served as Co-Editors to honor her dear friend Stephen Miller, who passed away unexpectedly on 02-11-2020, and his first release Waterfalls and Cascades of the Pennsylvania Wilds. The photo book reached the Amazon’s Top 100 in Photography and Travel in January/February 2021. Donna and Lee Roberts' program ‘Real Talk’ on AU4H RADIO began being broadcast on iHeart Radio podcasts in March 2021. The show was created and aired in December 2020. |
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On July 22, 2021 Donna and Lee 'Cougardawn' Roberts introduced a petition to make the Child Abuse Central Registry public. Their goal is to have a State Representative sponsor the amendment and present it to the House and Senate. Donna and Lee first introduced this amendment in 2015 following the passing of Conner's Law. In January 2022, writer and advocate S. Justice featured Donna in the book titled, 'Conner's Law - Kentucky (KY SB102)' for her work with Mashanna Bachauss-Waggoner, Conner's mother, prior to it being passed into law in 2015. |
Gladys Caroline and Donna Kshir (1994)
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On November 8, 2022 Donna and Lee's independently published release, You Are Enough, hit #38 on Amazon's bestseller's list for Best Photo Essay Books, making it Donna's 16th time on the bestsellers list.
Donna writes under several pen names and advocates for those in need. Her most recent penname, Gladys Caroline, is to pay tribute to her late maternal grandmother. A woman who she wholeheartedly loves that truly impacted her life.
She has spent much of her life dedicated to giving back to her community. Donna has volunteered her time and talents with various non-profit organizations over her lifetime, animal rights, volunteered at her children's schools, in youth groups and gives of herself as she is able with God guiding her journey, as her health allows. She enjoys a quiet laid back lifestyle with her family!!
Donna writes under several pen names and advocates for those in need. Her most recent penname, Gladys Caroline, is to pay tribute to her late maternal grandmother. A woman who she wholeheartedly loves that truly impacted her life.
She has spent much of her life dedicated to giving back to her community. Donna has volunteered her time and talents with various non-profit organizations over her lifetime, animal rights, volunteered at her children's schools, in youth groups and gives of herself as she is able with God guiding her journey, as her health allows. She enjoys a quiet laid back lifestyle with her family!!
You Are Enough:
Special guest speakers at the Ross Library in Lock Haven, Pennsylvania on November 27, 2022.
You Are Enough Launch Party at the Renovo Public Library - September 27, 2022.
Top Photograph: Layla Anthony, Photographer Cynthia Probst, Donna Kshir, Cynthia Prost and Brittany Nelen. Missing from the photography Lee Roberts, Denise Maris, Michele Whitney, Katrina Catlin and Laurie Ann Smith.
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Click image to purchase!
You Are Enough is a photobook of 9 women who have faced adversity in their lifetime and have overcome it. They defeated issues with self-esteem, anxiety, depression, mental health, infertility, illness, crisis, disabilities, and body image to become independent, stronger, and more confident women.
In this book, each woman shares their story, along with raw, unedited photographs taken by the photographer and the owner of CJ Photography, Cynthia Harkinson. They have chosen to tell their story and use unedited photographs to show they are beautiful and they are enough, just as they are in true form without society's interpretation of what they should be through photoshopping and filters. Each of these women knows they are enough just as they are and you, too, are enough, just as you are. The book was published independently by Donna and Lee. On November 7, 2022 You Are Enough hit #38 on Amazon's bestsellers list for Best Photo Essays Books. 
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Kind People, Kind Hearts:
Northern Books, Lee 'Cougardawn' Roberts and Donna Kshir are proud to announce the release of 'Kind People, Kind Hearts' by 9-year-old Abigail Murphy.
At age 1 year old, Abigail Murphy was diagnosed with Alopecia Totalis; an autoimmune disorder where white blood cells attack the hair follicles. Never knowing different Abigail embraced it to the fullest. After moving, and changing schools Abigail went toe to toe with bullying. Baldy and cue ball were names she was called regularly. Luckily for Abigail, her empathetic personality and intellectual mind combined with a 3rd-grade guardian angel teacher, Mrs. Ward, there was hope. Read the full article for an incredible update!
Advocacy Work:
Two grandmothers, Donna M. Kshir (above left) and Lee Cougardawn Roberts (above right), seeking legislation to become law that would require the State Police to open the current private computerized database of individuals convicted of child abuse in the state are one step closer to seeing their vision come to light.
On April 5, Ms. Kshir sat down with Republican State Representative Stephanie Borowicz to see if they could gain her support and sponsorship of legislation. This time around, Borowicz offered support and suggested the duo meet with Republican Senator Cris Dush. Borowicz offered to sit in on that meeting.
The biggest roadblock the pair has faced has been the misunderstanding of Pennsylvania’s Unified Judicial System and the central registry.
Ms. Kshir said, “The central registry is a private computerized database of individuals convicted of child abuse and the Unified Judicial System provides comprehensive public access to court records online and upon request. The two are very different. One protects individuals who have been convicted of child abuse and the other allows the public to search and view court cases but information housed by the Unified Judicial System can be hard to place together unless you know someone’s full name, birthdate, county, and state. Without that information you have no idea where to begin to look to see if they have committed a crime.” She added, “it can take days or weeks to research someone. Let’s be honest with ourselves. How many people have days and weeks to research someone’s past before befriending them or getting involved with them?”
Roberts (who divides her time advocating for children and animals between Crestview, Flordia and Clinton County) added, “Unless it’s a high-profile case chances are even if you attempted to look it up, you wouldn’t find it.”
Ms. Kshir used her influence as an author and child rights activist seeking Conner’s Law alongside Conner’s mother, Mashanna Bachuss-Waggoner, to get justice for the Kentucky toddler.
After serving 5.5 years in prison, on a plea deal, for brutally torturing and killing the Kentucky toddler, Ronald Saunders was released from prison and within a month he abused a 15-month-old girl. The toddler’s mother had no idea Saunders had a violent past.
Ms. Kshir said, “If the central registry was public April Brandt would have never gotten involved with Ron Saunders II, and her child would not be scarred for life. Opening the central registry is vital to protecting children and saving lives.”
On December 5, 2019, Ms. Kshir received a Letter of Recommendation from Bachuss-Waggoner, for her work with Conner’s Law – Kentucky.
The grandmothers have been trying to open the Pennsylvania child abuse registry since 2015.
Source: The Record - Online
On April 5, Ms. Kshir sat down with Republican State Representative Stephanie Borowicz to see if they could gain her support and sponsorship of legislation. This time around, Borowicz offered support and suggested the duo meet with Republican Senator Cris Dush. Borowicz offered to sit in on that meeting.
The biggest roadblock the pair has faced has been the misunderstanding of Pennsylvania’s Unified Judicial System and the central registry.
Ms. Kshir said, “The central registry is a private computerized database of individuals convicted of child abuse and the Unified Judicial System provides comprehensive public access to court records online and upon request. The two are very different. One protects individuals who have been convicted of child abuse and the other allows the public to search and view court cases but information housed by the Unified Judicial System can be hard to place together unless you know someone’s full name, birthdate, county, and state. Without that information you have no idea where to begin to look to see if they have committed a crime.” She added, “it can take days or weeks to research someone. Let’s be honest with ourselves. How many people have days and weeks to research someone’s past before befriending them or getting involved with them?”
Roberts (who divides her time advocating for children and animals between Crestview, Flordia and Clinton County) added, “Unless it’s a high-profile case chances are even if you attempted to look it up, you wouldn’t find it.”
Ms. Kshir used her influence as an author and child rights activist seeking Conner’s Law alongside Conner’s mother, Mashanna Bachuss-Waggoner, to get justice for the Kentucky toddler.
After serving 5.5 years in prison, on a plea deal, for brutally torturing and killing the Kentucky toddler, Ronald Saunders was released from prison and within a month he abused a 15-month-old girl. The toddler’s mother had no idea Saunders had a violent past.
Ms. Kshir said, “If the central registry was public April Brandt would have never gotten involved with Ron Saunders II, and her child would not be scarred for life. Opening the central registry is vital to protecting children and saving lives.”
On December 5, 2019, Ms. Kshir received a Letter of Recommendation from Bachuss-Waggoner, for her work with Conner’s Law – Kentucky.
The grandmothers have been trying to open the Pennsylvania child abuse registry since 2015.
Source: The Record - Online
Click image to read the FULL STORY: Two women fight for law to make child abuse central registry open.
Donna M. Kshir and Lee 'Cougardawn' Roberts, both grandmothers, want people to be able to search offenders by name and location, according to Lexi Howard, an assistant and spokeswoman for Kshir and Roberts.
The grandmothers are seeking legislation to become law that would require the State Police to open the current private computerized database of individuals convicted of child abuse offenses in the state, including their name, date of birth, the tier of the crime and the location the crime took place which is often needed to find court records. Read More!
The grandmothers are seeking legislation to become law that would require the State Police to open the current private computerized database of individuals convicted of child abuse offenses in the state, including their name, date of birth, the tier of the crime and the location the crime took place which is often needed to find court records. Read More!
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Public stigma involves the negative or discriminatory attitudes that others have about mental illness. Self-stigma refers to the negative attitudes, including internalized shame, that people with mental illness have about their own condition.
Did you know that 1 in 5 people will be affected by a mental illness at some point in their lifetime and there are more than 40 Million people in the United States live with a mental health condition (anxiety and depression)? (NAMI)
Anxiety
Intense, excessive, and persistent worry and fear about everyday situations. Fast heart rate, rapid breathing, sweating, and feeling tired may occur.
COMMON CAUSES
Anxiety can be normal in stressful situations such as public speaking or taking a test. Anxiety is only an indicator of underlying disease when feelings become excessive, all-consuming, and interfere with daily living.
Mental Health Conditions: Depression and Anxiety
Who gets Depression?
According to the CDC, about 1 out of every 6 adults will have depression at some time in their life. Depression affects about 16 million American adults every year. Anyone can get depressed, and depression can happen at any age and in any type of person. Many people who experience depression also have other mental health conditions.
Anxiety disorders often go hand in hand with depression. People who have anxiety disorders struggle with intense and uncontrollable feelings of anxiety, fear, worry, and/or panic. These feelings can interfere with daily activities and may last for a long time.
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Depression and Suicide: Getting Help in a Crisis
- Some people who are depressed may think about hurting themselves or committing suicide (taking their own life). If you or someone you know is having thoughts about hurting themselves or committing suicide‚ please seek immediate help. The following resources can help:
- Call 1−800−273−TALK is the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
- Call your mental health provider.
- Get help from your primary doctor or other health care provider.
- Reach out to a close friend or loved one.
- Contact a minister, spiritual leader, or someone else in your faith community.
- Or contact NAMI
- More Mental Health resources
Enough is Enough: Stop Bullying!!
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For more information on AU4H's Bullying Awareness Campaign or to become an Upstander, visit AU4H's official website! Listen to Donna speak about bullying on a recent episode of Real Talk in iHeartRadio -->>>> |
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Radio & Podcasts:
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© Donna Kshir
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**This page is maintained by AU4H Volunteers**
Questions or concerns contact Lee 'Cougardawn' Roberts at Northern Books |
