Just a little shout to the Backspin channel on Sirus Satellite radio!!
Wow!! There has been so much that has occurred since the last time we talked.....where shall I begin.
First, I would like to congratulate Senators Obama and McCain on securing their parties nomination for President of the United States. Second, I would like to express to my readers who this is all about....the people. I have the honor through my non-profit (The Penny Institute) to teach classes on political education and civic engagement to teenage mothers in the District of Columbia at another non-profit called Healthy Babies. Through these classes I am able to teach them the tools necessary for them to understand their responsibility in creating the changes they want to see in their communities.
These women have little education and even less understanding of the political process, yet during each session their thirst for more grows stronger and stronger. While we sit and debate over talking points from the right and the left these women ponder how they will feed their kids this week and how not to become the next victim of DC's massive gentrification plan (see Mayor Fenty for more details). After just a few sessions these young women are starting to understand that the system will not listen unless you vote in large numbers and can write some checks.
In contrast, I teach a more advance level of political education to some college students in a joint effort with The Center for Progressive Leadership. These students are in DC for the summer working with different think-tanks and other non-profits. Their ambitions are high, but their understanding of political education isn't much higher than the teenage mothers. They are just formulating their political identity and thankfully they are not jaded yet, but they are getting a heavy dose of partisan politics. Unfortunately, they are suffering from the same hangover (see George Bush on YOUTube) that many other Americans outside the beltway are......"Why can't they get shit done"!
The thing that is fascinating and frustrating to me about these two groups is that this is America's future. These young adults have very little in common except their ignorance of their civic responsibility to this country. But, the thing that gives me hope is that both groups are so thirsty for the knowledge and as I give them the water they need for their own nourishment they grow and blossom right before my very eyes.
I ask you, who do you know that is thirsty? Who can you pour hope into?
Until the next time.....feel free to forward this and go to the Penny Blog and post your comments.
How many pennies does it take to change the world?
