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A Maya Angelou collage by my friend Schylar to start us off |
Once I started learning more about societal inequalities, systemic injustices, environmentalism, feminism, and the other difficult but pertinent issues facing our world today, I discovered that a heavy imperative comes with knowledge and experience. It creates a gnawing sense of personal responsibility for world workings beyond our direct control. Interning at the Enough Project, though exciting and rewarding, was often difficult. One particularly painful morning when peace talks yet again stalled in South Sudan and the bolded subject lines of our inboxes told of other unspeakable horrors, a coworker and I went on a long walk on cracked DC sidewalks. We slumped under feelings of overwhelmed hopelessness. The trying task of connecting the bad in the world with the good in many hearts was insurmountable as we sat tearful on a park bench.
Less understandably, I recently laid awake for most of the night ridiculously petrified, thinking of all the plastic that hadn’t been recycled in the world that day. Torturous images of plastic bags bobbing in ocean currents and crushed bottles flung to the side of roads flooded above me and ebbed away sleep. This is not a healthy relationship with activism, to feel weighted, not inspired, by care.
Things to Watch
Watch Virunga on Netflix. I’ll even give you my username and password. I had the great chance to see a screening of it while in DC and to talk to the brave Director and Producers who risked their lives to make this film, which is a story showcasing the best and worst in humanity, the extremes of selfishness and selflessness. This exquisitely shot film documents the day-to-day dangers Virunga park rangers face as they fight to protect Africa’s first national park’s animal and human inhabitants. Unfortunately, a greater threat lurks on the ever-encroaching horizon, SOCO Oil. Be sure to check out the website, because it offers an epilogue about a recent success for Virunga echoes hope for parks and peoples in similar situations.
Watch this advertisement for Nike’s nonprofit The Girl Effect. The organization focuses on female empowerment abroad, specifically provided education, health, and occupations to females in cultures that may not value them as equals. There is criticism of Nike’s treatment of overseas workers, but this commercial gets me every time. There’s such sweeping hope!
While you’re at it, check out the documentary film Girl Rising. Created by a team of former ABC reporters who set out to find the best, most efficient way of eradicating global poverty. Their answer was to educate females. Educating women means higher combined family incomes, later and farther-spaced pregnancies, better education for her children, better health for her children. An educated woman has the confidence and ability to start a business, to barter for fair deals, to fight smarter and more creatively for a better life for her family. My friend and I hosted a screening of the film and raised a good bit of money for the nonprofit. If you have any questions on how we did it, contact me!
And here’s just a quick video reminding us how cool nature is and why all of the recycling and reusable water-bottle-carrying we do is definitely worth it. (Warning: you’re going to have to pee after this).
Things to Read
Read The Most They Ever Had by my fellow Alabamian Rick Bragg. It reminded me of the dignity of work and how our nation used to be committed to earning, not expecting. In vivid, evocative prose, Rick Bragg captures the duality of sacrificial suffering and fulfillment mill life offered to those with few alternatives. This book praises people who have not been praised. Their stories are important and worth revering in an age where the importance of work is not always noticed or known.
Read Truman Capote’s A Christmas Memory to remind yourself of that period of magic and love right before disillusionment. It’s okay to cry.
Also, everyone should listen to Laura Mvula. Her songs are incredibly kind and exquisitely crafted. She’s hella cool too. “Can’t Live With the World” is your new go-to stressed song. She’ll remind you to “remember how far you’ve come” and how “you can’t live with the world on your shoulders,” and you’re going to feel better. Also, if you’re mad at someone, listen to “That’s Alright.” It’s empowering and super groovy. She also tells you “You have diamonds in your heart,” and that’s one of the nicest things anyone has ever said to anyone.
GO GO GO on Change.org and sign a million petitions! You can sign-up for email alerts so you’re aware of how you can contribute to issues you care about. Also at the end of the year, they’ll send you an awesome mash-up of their success stories.
If there are other websites/videos/books of note, comment them below.
In closing, here’s a photo of a baby impala I took in Kruger National Park
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Echo Foxtrot 
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