Submerged in Activism

I began my first day as a City Year Rep. today. It was very long. Like any leadership based organization, we began the day with name games and team building. I've done it all before. It's always fun. I find myself amongst a lot of very strong leaders - I enjoy that.

The most powerful part of my day came unexpected, however. Around noon found myself walking to lunch with one of the City Year Directors, Christian. Very cool guy. I believe we were walking up Massachusetts avenue when I noticed a huge bulding called Tent City. Christian had been explaining to me the history of development in this particular part of the city. Interesting, but I didn't see the importance other than making conversation. However, when we approached Tent City, Christian stopped. He explained that due to the increasing development, poor citizens were being forced out of there homes. Where this particular building was, Christian explained that it was formerly a park for the area citizens. An activist, whom I can't name, refused to allow developers move people from their hard earned homes.

He took action. He organized to have over 500 tents set up in the park. All were inhabited. Lead by this man, the people stayed in the tents until the city gave in. In what I imagine was a compromise, the City of Boston built them an apartment complex - Tent City. I was amazed! The tangible result of activism was directly in front of me. All I could let out was, "wow." He probably thought I was a bumbling idiot or uninterested.

Still, as we continued to walk to lunch, he pointed out Dr. Martin Luther King's old residence when he attended Boston University. I was knee deep in the history of great idea's put into action by indefatigable idealism. Together, they brought about results - real change.

That in and of itself made for a great day. Not to mention that my fellow new comers and the team leaders were very nice and helpful. Tomorrow (or shall I say today), we get to do a lot more than boring paper work and tortorous "webinars." I will be taking my first trip to a Boston City School. I'll keep everyone posted!

Actions Speak Louder Than Words

"you ask me why I do not write something... I think one's feelings waste themselves in words; they ought all to be distilled into actions and into actions which bring results." This quote by Florence Nightingale influenced the title of my blog. I chose the first title because, over my several years in undergrad, I have written hundreds of pages pontificating about how I think the world should be. Sometimes, the subsequent reactions were "Joe, this was good, but not exactly what I assigned." I would comeback with "I know, but..." and then I would do the assignment over. Well, I want to turn my words into more than moral hubris.

Aristotle's quote, "Men acquire a particular quality by constantly acting a particular way... you become just by performing just actions, temperate by performing temperate actions, brave by performing brave actions," influences the subtitle. I chose the second title because isolated acts of activism rarely amount to anything. Results take continuity. Change doesn't come in a day or a week, it takes years of gradual improvement and unrelenting dedication to the change one wants to see--often with setbacks and obstacles along the way.

Well, having recently graduated, I have a chance to turn my pontification into something tangible. If you want something to change, go change it. Hence, I will start my career in activism as a City Year Rep. on Tuesday 13th January. I'm very excited! As hard as it may be to believe, I love doing more than talking.

I hope through my actions with City Year Boston I can attain moral excellence through habitual service. I want to make my feelings about poverty, education, and social justice mean something--I want my feelings distilled into actions which bring results. City Year has been praised for its results, so, here I go.

In the infamous words of Dr. Collar "you're not here just to punch your ticket to the good life! No one is gonna stamp your forehead!" It seems I took that to heart as I'll qualify for food stamps. But, what I don't make in money I'm sure ill make in friends and the satisfaction of helping ones who don't yet know how to help themselves. I hope you all enjoy my blog. I'll try to keep up with it daily. I'm sure everyday will be an adventure....