be the change i want to see in the world

Hi. I’m a sophomore in high school in NY. And my homeroom is the social justice homeroom. Since the school year just, we have not some much, but we have been planning. We want to do some fundraising of course, trying to get the word out about these issues.

We have already visited the United Nations and are trying to plan trips to Washington D.C. and such. Our teacher has introduced us to some great sites such as freethechildren.com and giveyour10.com that give us ways to help people that are facing social justice issues such as child labor and human trafficking, women and children’s negligence of education, health care, etc.

I was wondering what people from other parts of the world are doing. All replies are welcome.

I started doing internet research about opening my own soup kitchen, which, boils down to opening my own non profit. So, Thursday I am meeting a friend at Barnes & Noble for coffee and going to look at books on how possible it is to do that. I was talking about it with some people and the more I spoke about it, the more I wanted it, but more importantly, the more RIGHT it felt. Its kind of like the peace corp. I have wanted it for so long, its always been right here. Now, its time to take the steps and see if I can make it happen.
I want to serve breakfast at mine to start. There is a church that serves lunch and Friends of Night People serves dinner, essentially, if I can get one going for breakfast, the city of Buffalo can provide 3 square meals a day for those in need within a 3 mile radius. If I can find a place (church or building) that could accommodate…lets start with the basics first.

Why do we want to do this? Law of averages says we are the exception. Keep using canvas bags, recycling, being nice…I am tired. So tired. In this last year I feel like I have been trampled on, taken advantage of, cheated on and the best was discriminated against for no other reason than, well, she could. If we are the change, what about the people who dont want to be? Blatantly rude, dont care about anyone, destroy what others have for their own personal gain, people? CEO’s and companies who ask poor americans to bail them out and give 6 figure bonuses to the already rich, government budgets cutting homeless and mental illness programs and libraries, but here in Buffalo, if you are on public assistance and have kids, you get a credit card with $300 per child to help with school expenses. No monitoring, here it is, your $300 credit card. Oh yeah, and a cell phone with minutes, voice mail and texts. Free while you’re on assistance. BUT, P and I send my 80 year old friend extra money every month so she can afford to eat the whole month.
WHAT CHANGE? Has anyone seen change? Has anyone seen one flipping change?

This is probably my favourite quote because it makes so much sense. I know that my behaviour in a way contributes to a lot of what is wrong in the world. Like most of my peers I consume and consume and consume. I want to change that. I want to prove to myself that I can be the change I want to see in the world.

One question. Has anyone ever been able to click the I’m done button for this one?

I made my 11th kiva loan last night. Ilhom Mirzohakimov is a baker from Tajikistan. I have a fondness in my heart for bakers. Anyone who handles food really. So, good luck to you Ilhom.

Monday, Julie, Al, P and I went to dinner at a mexican place and talked about our jobs. Well, Julie and I did. I told her I was researching what it would take to open my own soup kitchen, but more than a soup kitchen. I told her there was a place in a big city that inspired me and I would try to remember it and let her know. Then it hit me, I had put it on here, 5 months ago.
I wanted to re-enter it for people to see so they can see my most favorite video on you tube, PLUS, they can see what makes me happy and what one day I aspire to be. THIS, is who I want to be.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3AOzj7mVNQ

http://www.environmentalleader.com/2009/07/29/timberland-adidas-follow-nike%E2%80%99s-lead-ban-use-of-amazon-leather/

These companies are NOT using leather who raise their cattle on the destruction of the Amazon—-Nike, Timberland and Adidas. 80% of the deforestation of the Amazon is due to sustaining and feeding cattle that are to be used as leather in the garment industry.

The following companies do not care. PLEASE put image aside and give a damn about the future of the world instead of the name on your purse until these companies start to care. Write a quick email. Be the change people.
Wal-Mart, Boss, Gucci, Kraft, Louis Vuitton, Eagle Ottawa (supplier of car interiors to major car companies), Geox, Hilfiger, IKEA and Prada.

I cannot be anything right now.

I love fair trade. I believe, personally, that every person should be paid what they are worth for the product they are providing. Not $.50 a day, not $100 a year, what they are worth. So, following that, I try to buy fair trade whenever I can. Sure, sometimes its a little more expensive, but, if it was your family struggling to make ends meet, you would hope someone would realize the effort and work that went into it and that you also need to feed your family, right? Well, yesterday, P and I were at Premiere Liquor buying wine for her birthday party and there was a nice display for fair trade wines from South America. It showed the farming and picking process. To top it off it was only $10 a bottle. We thought that was a good price (I dont drink so usually have no idea). So, we bought a red and a white.
That made me happy and was considered my find of the day.
Here is the one we bought. :) So happy.
http://www.organicwinetradecompany.com/brands/wines/step-by-step-cabernet-sauvignon.html

I try to do small things for people all the time. Hold a door open. Smile. Pick up a toy/bottle/binky for someone at a store. Let that car that’s been trying to merge onto the road for ten minutes get on in front of you! Never do it for the credit, for the praise. That, to me, cancels out the good deed you’ve just done. Sometimes things backfire – like when that car then does twenty-five in a forty mph zone – but you could have just made some one’s day.