Solid Gold Values And The Venus For Restart Collection

When I started mazi + zo, my jewelry company, I focused on creating beautiful jewelry for people who care about style, original design, and quality. It was also important to me to use sustainable materials, handcraft our product, and do it here in NYC. I didn’t, however, expect to weave in my broader political values as well, but that’s how things have turned out!

Back in 2020, when nothing felt more important than engaging in election news, Michelle Obama’s “When We All Vote” organization selected our VOTE necklace to help raise money to promote voter participation. It felt great to raise more money than I could afford to donate personally (the small biz struggle is real) and it was a thrill to see photos of people all over the country wearing our necklace–everyone from Stacy London to Monica Lewinsky to Kara Swisher has one!

My experience with the VOTE necklace taught me that I *can* make a difference and I’m ready to do it again: Along with the majority of the USA, I am enraged that the highest court of our country has determined that people cannot choose for themselves when or if to have a child. In 2019, poet laureate Amanda Gorman expressed the importance of standing up for reproductive freedom better than I ever could, opening with “ When the penalty for rape is less than the penalty for abortion after the rape, you know this isn’t about caring for women and girls. It’s about controlling them.”

Reproductive rights are human rights, and this decision impacts men, too.

Juliana Kim wrote for NPR about why overturning Roe v. Wade is tragic for our whole society, and not just a women’s issue. Notably, she referenced a study by Dr. Bethany Everett at the University of Utah which “found that young men who were involved with a pregnancy and whose partners had an abortion were nearly four times more likely to graduate from college than those whose partners gave birth.”

I want to help the people who are tragically affected by the laws being passed all over the country, and I want to have as big of an impact as possible!

This time around, I’ve partnered with Stix, another women-founded company. Stix provides doctor-approved products related to pregnancy, ovulation, UTIs, yeast infections, and emergency birth control (aka the morning-after pill.) That last one, Stix calls their product Restart™, is clutch right now, when people in many states are being denied access to the morning-after pill. The amazing founders at Stix have committed to providing Restart™ free of charge to people who need it, no questions asked. It’s easy: people in need fill out a form on getstix.com and Stix ships it out in a generic package so no one can guess what’s inside. This is a literal lifesaver.

These tests aren’t free to provide, though. So to help them continue to provide this service, Stix established the RestartTM Donation Bank, where anyone can donate to defray the costs of distributing this critical health care.

Want to help?

As a sign of my support for reproductive rights, I’ve been wearing mazi + zo’s minimalist Venus sign jewelry which represents a goddess deified as a warrior, lover, and “bringer of victory.” And when I explained the significance to others, I had an “a ha!” moment and knew exactly what to do:

I’m using those designs to support Stix’s efforts: When you buy any piece from our gorgeous Venus for Restart™ collection, mazi + zo funds a dose of Restart™. The delicate Venus pieces include a charm necklace, stud earrings, and (my favorite,) threader earrings. Like all of our jewelry, each piece is available in sustainable solid 14k gold or pure .925 sterling silver, is handmade in NYC, and ships in our signature reusable tin.

So you can shop, shine, and help someone in need receive the urgent health care they deserve. That’s gonna feel good. You can also donate directly to the program here.

Thank you for supporting the RestartTM Donation Bank and sharing our solid gold (and sterling silver!) values. You’ll look great in our Venus threader earrings, necklaces, and studs and they make great gifts, too.

About The Author

Lizzy Klein lives in NYC and is the founder of mazi + zo, a company that makes jewelry that ups your personal style with original, high-quality, easy-to-wear, easy-to-layer designs. Shop mazi + zo and find your next favorite jewelry!

The Bipartisan Gun Bill: Is It Gun Reform?

The Senate has announced a bipartisan bill on Gun control. The first major gun reform laws since Sandy Hook. Since then the united states has seen 2654 mass shootings. We need to be very clear that this bill does not solve all of the problems in gun control. However, it is a start. I like most who work in education wish that it would have come sooner. That when lawmakers said this would never happen again after Sandy Hook they would have fulfilled their promise.

I also wish I could say that I felt that this is something that we in education, that our children could count on. However, with the Supreme Court ruling, I cannot say that I feel it will be something that we can count on. So this is my appeal to voters. When you sit down to fill out your ballot this is what I want you to think about.

I want you to think about the teacher in your life. Picture his/her face. Now think about them sitting in their car before they walk into their building. Think about them praying to their higher power that today is not the day. Today they will not be forced to make a decision that will change the lives of their loved ones forever. One that could potentially lead them to not come home to their families. I want you to think about that teacher who would do everything in their power to protect their students from harm. We need you to think about educators because this is what educators are thinking.

What if it’s today? Will I be prepared enough to keep my students safe? Should I move my classroom around again to ensure that we make a make-shift barricade in the event the worst happens? Will I have time to his my students and shield them from the pain and trauma? What if I cannot protect them? What if I can’t protect myself? Will I make it home today?

Then I want you to think about the children. The true innocence in this whole situation. Going to school is their only job. In most cases it is the only time they are safe. However, now that’s not something we can guarantee. As an educator, it breaks my heart to say I cannot guarantee that my students will be safe. I can hope, and I can pray, but at the end of the day, their safety and the ability to live free of trauma at school is in the hands of our lawmakers.

So when you sit down with a ballot this year, please think about the fact that everything but a gun is regulated in this country. That a gun literally has more rights than all the minorities in this country. That there are people out there who will fight for the right to a gun before they will fight for the right of a school-aged child’s safety. That we as a nation are divided.

I urge you to think about these things; then I urge you to do your research. It’s time to tell our lawmakers that we are in control. The only way to do that is to mobilize, register, and vote!

Stay safe, go vote!

Here is Why Voting Rights Is A Movement We cannot Give Up On

We are seeing many states hinder the right to vote. One of the most basic rights that we as Americans have.

Voting is so important, and not just in the presidential elections. I would argue that it is more important in your local elections. Starting in your city with the mayor and your city council. This is my call, get up and register and then vote in every single election there is. Not just the ones that make national news!

This fight is clearly not going to be an easy. We have been fighting this fight since America became a nation in 1776. However, that doesn’t mean that we can give up. We have to keep fighting. Like the ones that did before us. So get up and get involved. Run for something, do your research.

One of the questions that I get all the time is, why vote it doesn’t matter? That exact train of thought it part of the reason that we are now in this situation. You cannot stand and protest and then not go out and do the thing that will help the most. Voting in officials that are going to protect our rights. So go watch speeches, read what the candidates have to say and most importantly look at their voting record on the issues you care about. Remember that it starts in the most basic of elections. You can make a difference.

We are the movement. There are enough voice that we can make the difference. It’s not going to be easy, but we have to stand our ground. We have to get to the polls, even if that means you miss a day of work. I know, I know you can’t afford it. Let me tell you, you cannot afford not to. If you want change, real change it starts at the polls. It starts at the local elections.

Real change is hard, but it doesn’t have to end with us. We can prove that this is the strongest generation. The one who is fighting for people to live their lives and be happy. In order to do that it’s time we stop allowing a small minority of people to run the county. It’s time that we stand together and make it happen.

Find out when your local elections are being held. Go, run don’t walk, get registered, and vote!!

Keep fighting and stay safe!

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Keeping Elections Fair, Free, and For Everyone

This last week we watched on as a state representative was arrested for knocking on the door of a governor, who signed a bill into law making it illegal to give someone waiting in line to vote a water. A Law that makes it harder for people to vote. A law that took us back in time. A law that is just so lawless.

As I am writing this I am thinking about how I have written other posts and advocates that everyone’s vote counts. It was something that I truly have believed in. Something that I have believed for many years is the thing that has set us apart from many other countries. Now with this law going into place in just one state I feel like I can no longer say this. The injustice of the law is so great that law makers who should be protecting our rights not just to vote but all of our rights, are taking away a ver basic right that we as Americans have fought for from the very beginning.

We are seeing history reincarnated. This is something that scares me to my core. Something that I never thought that I would see. Although, I was not unaware of the fact that we still had so much work todo. For me and many people that I have talked with, think that now we are fighting from the beginning again. However, we have to keep fighting. Whether we want to believe it or not we aren’t just fighting for us. We are fighting for all the babies who are growing up in this world.

It’s time to band together again. This isn’t going to be easy. We are literally watching law makers take away our rights. The very basic rights that we as Americans can seemingly take for granted. Yes this is going to be an uphill battle. Yes the challenge is great. However, as I watch so many young people fight for what they believe in. Keep pushing the envelope, I know we can get through this.

This means voting in every single election, no matter how small. Running for office. Getting the word out about injustice. America cannot be on the moral high ground of the world and be taking the rights away of its citizens. So let’s keep fighting together. Let’s show the world that injustices will not stand. That we can change the wold.

Our first fight: keep our elections fair, free and safe.

Yes, Your Vote Matters. Here’s Why You Should Vote

Look Beyond Summer. You Matter. And so does your vote.

Your Vote Matters.

Voting is one of those things I hear young people say doesn’t really matter. This could not be further from the truth. Yes, I know the person who is in office won because of the electoral college. And yes, you are right he should not really be there. So, why does your vote matter?

Vote For Change

Do you want things to change, like, I mean, REALLY change? If so, you need to vote for everything, not just the president. You have to vote in every single election. This is the best way to be heard. And in my opinion these other elections are even more important. Why? Because these local and state governments are what we are effected by the most. Your state representatives are the ones who are going to the electoral college. They are the ones who are making the laws that change your life. So Yes, your vote from the bottom matters more than you think.

Voting is something that I am so proud to do. It is my proudest moment as an American. I get to have my voice heard right there on the ballot that I have filled out. Nothing matters more to me than the direction that this country is going. Why? Well because I will be living in this country for many years to come. And I recognize that my future children will be directly effected by the things that we as a generation get do, TODAY.

Vote To Set An Example

When we vote we set the example for the next generation. Let’s not take this great privilege that we are endowed with away from them. Let’s get them excited to vote. Let’s teach them that we have to do our research. And let’s teach them that making changes, can be difficult. We are talking about this year and many similar ones. Because I understand it’s frustrating.

However, if we do not make a big deal about every single election no matter how big or small we will never go the direction that we want. And our children will have to continue this fight that we have been in for generations. So let’s break the cycle.

Vote Because It Is Your Country To Care For

And we must also remember that this is our country. So if we don’t like the way things are going, it is our job to send a pink slip out via the voting booth. If you don’t like what your representatives are doing for your community. Head to the polls and vote them out. We as a people have to quit complaining about things and then doing nothing about it. Yes, it is frustrating that we have to keep going through these things, however, if we do nothing we will just keep having the same issues. We will keep having to fight the same fights. We will keep passing these problems down to the generations that follow us.

Vote Because it is Unselfish

Voting is one of the most unselfish things that you can do. I know that it does not always seem like our voices matter. Instead of this being a deterrent from voting use it to be the reason that you go vote.

Because the things in our world are messed up is the WHY you need to storm the voting booth.

Vote To Support The Protests

We are storming the streets to insight change and to see that and being apart of it is amazing! However, it is just not enough. The people in office do not care and the ones who do are in the minority so nothing can be done. The representatives who are trying to change things are counting on you to go to the polls. Not just this November, but every single time there is an election.

Vote To Show You Are In Charge

It is time that we show our representatives and the corporations who is really in charge. And it is time that we show the world that these issues matter. That we are going to do what ever we have to to make sure that the change that needs to come is going to. It is time that we show the next generation that we care. That this matters and we will do whatever we have to do to not only make our vote matter, but we will make their vote matter too. It is time to believe that we have to do more.

And It’s time that YOU believe that YOUR VOTE MATTERS! Register via Rock The Vote here! Let’s win this!