\7
world,” says Larsen, whose long-distance girl
friend lives in W ashington, D.C.
“I’ve been drawn toward the things that
other people didn’t want to look at like geno
cide, ethnic cleansing and race issues. But I’ve
always looked at them straight in the eye and
wanted to move through it to find solutions.”
After traveling to Ecuador and working with
indigenous communities, she snagged a degree in
comparative international studies from University
of Wisconsin before she set sail again. This time,
her rudder was aimed toward Southeast Asia.
As a free-lance journalist in Thailand and
Burma, Larsen’s vision for the magazine became
clearer. “My work there impacted me profound
ly,” she says. Although there were a lot o f ele
ments that caused the bud to blossom, it was the
Burmese women who left a permanent imprint.
“T he women of Burma blew me away,"
Larsen remembers. “They had been through so
much: Som e had been raped [the Burmese
regime is called a 'school for rape,’ with soldiers
instructed to rape ethnic minority women],
some had their families killed in front of them,
some had been living in the forest for years try
ing to flee from the troops, many had malaria.
T heir stories were so incredible and inspiring."
Beyond the crosses they bore, Larsen was
moved by the way the women worked together.
“They were not about to give up their home
land,” she recalls. They not only collaborated to
find ways to share their stories with the world
but also strategized how to bring the dictator
ship down. “They were always helping each
other...and helping to educate the children.”
T h e Burmese women put things into per
spective for Larsen. “To start something like a
magazine to tell their stories— although risky—
was not a risk. T h e obstacles seem really sfriall
compared to what they’re going through.”
W orld Birth will tackle issues within a broad
scope. T h e magazine and its international co n
tributors will cover pivotal stories on urgent
global topics. Part of the aim is to be unlike
traditional media sources.
T h e W orld Birth W eb site states that “cover
age cuts to the heart o f global problems and
highlights committed local and cross-border
forces already at work resolving these complex
issues.” Among others, that includes human
rights, education, health care, international
law, economics, the environm ent, drug traffick
ing, terrorism, domestic violence, grassroots
movements and queer topics.
The forum
environmental advocates, psychologists, aca
demics, midwives, artists and global change
agents. In November 2002, Larsen founded the
nonprofit World Birth Forum with the magazine
as the primary vision. T he forum is made up of a
seven-woman board of directors, a handful of
staff across the nation and innumerable profes
sional volunteers, all of whom contribute in
integral ways.
“There are so many different people helping
us, so many different energies stepping forward
that it’s going to emerge in a different way than
I’d ever envisioned it,” Larsen shares. “It’s big
ger than me.”
Riding these waves of support, Larsen has
big plans for the future. She hopes to take the
virtual roundtables they currently host to a
higher level. “It would be amazing to get these
women leaders together face to face to spend a
few days together to tackle big issues like sex
trafficking.. .getting to meet each other face to
face is really powerful.”
O th er things on Larsen’s “to do” list
include creating individual news bureaus in
every continent that would he run by women
for their local and regional news. She also sees
some sort of mentor leadership program that
would he similar to life coaching for women
around the world.
And, at the five-year mark, she’d like to
look into publishing a magazine that branches
off for children. “It would help teachers and
educators broaden children’s minds to become
global citizens so they can be really knowledge
able about various cultures and traditions and
social and economic trends around the world....
Right now, our public education is really lack
ing in geography and basic global education.”
Larsen has no doubt in her mind that
there’s a rising global movement— one focused
on solutions, one that’s goes beyond blame.
“W om en are at the forefront o f it. I didn’t even
realize how powerful and networked it was
until I started this magazine.... I could feel it,
and I saw it in Ecuador, in Burma and in T h ai
land. But not until I started this did I
realize.. .there were thousands and thousands of
women’s organizations that are seeking an
equal place at the table in all kinds of decision
making around the world."
W hen asked how it feels to watch her brain
child come to fruition, Larsen says it’s been
nothing less than euphoric. “I’m excited because
it’s always been my dream to work with power
ful, kick-ass women around the world.’ ’ j n
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