I have been on road, and engaged with many amazing people these last few weeks; however, this weekend was a exactly what I needed to fan the flames of activism in me.... I spent the weekend at the South East PeaceJam gathering in Tallahassee, Florida populated with young men and women who I believe without a doubt are the future of peace, stability and sanity in our upside down world. These young people designed projects to change hearts and transform communities. Their projects specifically aimed at ending racism, hate and discrimination were targeted their own communities. What inspires me the most is their ability to see that an effective change agent begins at home. In my journey as an activist, I am amazed that many change agents think that you can only be effective if you focus on third world or developing nations while neglecting the challenges present in their own communities. Dont get me wrong—we all need each other. The third world” or developing countries need people from developed nations. However, that kind of engagement requires respect and an understanding that it is a journey of accompaniment strengthened by the knowledge of one’s own local context. Those young people got it, and that is my source of inspiration. I was humbled by their friendship, love and bravery to stand up in front of large crowds and tell their very difficult life experiences... Their sense of openness and vulnerability built a community among acquaintances. These young people, and the many others I met at Yale, Barnard and Cedar Crest give me hope that our world is headed in the right direction.
Posted on: Mon, 14 Apr 2014 23:40:56 +0000