How to Get in the Way with Service
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Photos, by me.
The morning before the inauguration, I joined over 1200 people to participate in Be the Change‘s campaign, ServiceNation’s MLK Day “New Era Of Service” breakfast at Ballou Senior High School. There were so many volunteers that they actually had to turn some away. Julia and I were invited to tweet and blog at the event, and we did so, happily! Julia’s blog post (on the not-blocked blogger platform, rather than my wordpress based blog which I couldn’t get to due to the school’s firewalls hence the extreme tardiness of this post) can be found here. For the play by play recap, My tweets are here and Julia’s are here.
The breakfast was star-studded and inspirational. I left with lingering anticipation and apprehensive questions as to what the year (4 years?) will hold for non-profits and service in general.
1. Volunteerism is in vogue. I mean, Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher and their friends told me. So, what happens if one day service no longer is popular? And how did we get here (thank goodness we did)? To this state of public appreciation for do-gooders (vs. the indifference I recall from my childhood)?
2. How is this a New Era of Service? How will we approach it differently? More social media surrounding it, or more real action, better policies to prevent the need for volunteers to fix crumbling public schools, or simply more media coverage?
3. How does our current economic and political climate affect our volunteering? Time? Motivation? Fear?
4. And my favorite question in recent job interviews: How do you measure success? This is the real kicker isn’t it? Is success having 1000 people show up to volunteer and get to know the Anacostia neighborhood and it’s residents in a different light? Is success having 30 celebrities make a video about the need for us all to chip in? Is success having someone in the White House who backs communities and calls us all to lend a hand and get to work rebuilding our nation? Is success eradicating urban poverty?
Clearly, some of these are more attainable and realistic than others, but it helps to know what we are aiming for before we begin walking, building, advocating and organizing our way to it en masse.
Senator John Lewis of Georgia (my home state!) said in his speech, “We have an obligation to leave this nation a little greener and a little more peaceful for unborn generations.” (And now I may paraphrase a bit) “Continue to serve and never give up. You will not be arrested or beaten. Go out and do what you can. What you MUST. To make our country what it should be. There is a great spirit in America today, a spirit of hope. I believe we are prepared to travel on this unbelievable journey.” My favorite words from Sen. Lewis were his charge, “Martin Luther King, Jr. has called us here today to GET IN THE WAY. Stand up, speak out, and get involved in service.”
So maybe that is all we need to do. Get in the way of the injustice, the inefficiencies, the brokenness, and know that you will not be arrested or beaten as generations past. You will, we hope, be joined, by a host of other servants. And if you aren’t, maybe go grab some friends and teach them of the work that needs to be done.
You can start here: Sign ServiceNation’s Declaration of Service.
Still confused? Follow Stephen Colbert’s lead when he hosted Be the Changes’s Alan Khazei on the Colbert Report.
As my first live blogging (turned tweeting) experience, I could not have been more impressed with ServiceNation at the event and their follow up. Here is some of the great info they have available for those who want to see more: http://www.bethechangeinc.org/servicenation/happenings/inaugural2009/breakfast
Website: http://www.servicenation.org
Blog: http://www.changewireblog.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/servicenation
Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/servicenation
Think.MTV: http://www.think.mtv/servicenation
Flikr: http://www.flickr.com/bethechangeinc
Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/bethechangeinc
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/bethechangeinc
Finally, how have more people not seen this documentary on Ballou’s marching band!?
Color of Happiness 