THE MOST INSPIRATIONAL LOVE STORY OF 2013

Phoenix, AZ -- (ReleaseWire) -- 02/12/2013 -- Just a few years ago, Yahya Bakkar was on the verge of homelessness. Today, he is an author and motivational speaker who inspires over 100,000 students, parents and educators across the country each year. Although he was able to turn his life around, there was always something missing; he never met his biological mother.

For the past 5 years, Yahya has tried looking for his mom by himself with no success. All he had was one picture of her and an idea that she was from Thailand. With the help of his best friends, Yahya decided to write a post on Facebook in the hopes of making it go viral in Thailand. Before he shared the post publicly, he asked his Facebook friends if anyone knew how to translate English into Thai to help him find his mom.

An excerpt from the post reads:
"I want to THANK her. I want to thank her for taking care of me for 9 months while I was in her womb. I want to thank her for going through the pain and the struggle to bring me into this life. I want to let her know that I am okay even though we've been separated for the past 24 years. I want her to know that I always think of her even when it hurts…because deep down inside, behind all the pain, hate, and frustration, a child will always love his mother no matter what. I want her to know that she would be proud of me despite the numerous challenges that I've faced without her by my side. I want her to know that it's not her fault; it's never been and I unconditionally love her."

Within a few minutes, Yahya was connected with the #1 TV show in Thailand, which has a history of reuniting parents and children who have been separated for decades!

Only two days later, Yahya's phone rings:
"Hello"
"Hello, is this Yahya?"
"Yes, who's this?"
"Yahya, it's me. I'm your Mom"
Then all of a sudden Yahya realized that this was real when he heard his mother cry over the phone.
"Mom, I can't believe this. I LOVE YOU. I LOVE YOU SO MUCH."
"I love you to my son. I miss you."

On the month of Valentine's Day, a son looking for all the answers reconnected with his long-lost mother. A beautiful journey that was over 2 decades in the making is now close to reaching its completion.

Yahya is now raising funds for him and his friends to be able to make the trip to Thailand to reunite with his mom for the first time in 25 years. They plan on documenting the entire event as a Thank You to everybody who has supported this amazing reunion story.

You can help Yahya & his friends by going to: www.gofundme.com/reunion

Find more information: www.YahyaBakkar.com

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

Apollo Poetry, as seen on MTV'S True Life & ABC'S Glass House, has released a tribute song for "One Billion Rising" - A global movement to end violence against women.

Phoenix, AZ -- (ReleaseWire) -- 02/06/2013 -- 1 in 3 women on the planet will be raped or beaten in her lifetime.

It's a sad truth that the world will have to eventually face, and the time is right for us to do so. In the midst of global protests, campaigns, and causes, the concept of One Billion Rising seems long overdue. After all, there isn't a single country on the planet that is not affected. Violence against women has gone on throughout history and has existed in nearly every culture. It is why millions around the world now celebrate Valentine's Day as V-DAY instead. V-Day is an organized response against violence towards women and uses February 14th, as a synergistic day to promote their cause. After they launched the One Billion Rising movement, the sense the urgency became clear when over 160 countries got involved.

One Billion Rising is a global movement to end violence against women, and has harnessed support from celebrities such as Rosario Dawson, Robert Redford, and Jane Fonda.

Reality show star, Apollo Poetry, is the most recent to speak up for the cause. He has used the online following that he gained from appearing on MTV'S True Life & ABC'S Glass House, to raise awareness for an important social issue.

"Dear Ladies" is a touching tribute song dedicated to One Billion Rising. The emotional acting and intense scenarios that are displayed are so close to life that the video comes with a Trigger-Warning, to let survivors know about its graphic content. The video was put together by members of the One Billion Rising – Phoenix chapter, and is on its way to getting over 100,000 views on Youtube.

In a recent interview with the underground rapper, poet, and activist, Apollo stated, "Society is very much like a bird. Men and women are the wings. When we learn to fly together, we will learn to rise together." Apollo is one of the millions of men around the world who have decided to finally stand up for women everywhere. Ultimately, this issue affects both genders. And when it comes to all human rights issues, whether it's about race, religion, or gender, our openness to change is a direct reflection of the times.

Click here to watch "Dear Ladies" and support its cause.

You can also join the millions of people around the world who will be dancing on February 14th, by going to OneBillionRising.org

Contact:
ThePoetryTeam@gmail.com

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm