One of the themes President Obama highlighted in his campaign and continues to espouse during his presidency was service. I read an article recently about what First Lady Michelle Obama was up to and the article included pictures of her reading to kids, serving food in a soup kitchen and thanking various organizations in DC for their work in service to the country. The example and encouragement of our president's family got me thinking about my own volunteering experiences and attitude.
Simply put, volunteering isn't a regular habit with me. My volunteer experiences often came from school or work; either it was an extracurricular service group at school or organizations or activities sponsored by my employer. To be clear, I'm talking about active participation rather than monetary donations. I've done my share of donations to various causes, and while I understand that money is helpful to any organization, it keeps me distanced from feeling like I've made a difference. The usual thank you and receipt is just a piece of paper.
I have taken part in events that were fundraisers where the activity was oblique to the charity's stated ultimate goal for good reason. I have ridden my bike for Tour de Cure to raise money for the American Diabetes Association. I've attended many fundraising activities for my Team in Training friends. (But no, I will never run a marathon for love, money or charity) I've raised some money for NaNoWriMo. I don't have much expertise in curing diabetes or leukemia nor have I run a creative, inspirational non-profit.
But I think my favorite volunteer experience has been activities that are directly applied help. I volunteered with Rebuilding Together Oakland a few times via my employer. Per their website "Rebuilding Together Oakland (RTO) rehabilitates the homes of low-income elderly and disabled homeowners, so they may continue to live in safety, comfort and independence." One year, I helped build a handicapped ramp and another year, I put up some cabinets, demolished a dangerously-leaning shed and put a shiny coat of paint on the house. In both examples, I did get a chance to meet the homeowner, who was very grateful for our work. It wasn't so much the direct gratitude that makes that different, though it's really awesome. I think it was putting a face to the payoff of my volunteer work that gives it that extra oomph. Which is odd for me, being an introvert. Usually I dread the effort of socializing. Strangely enough, it almost always turns out better than I expect.
This coming weekend I'll be volunteering at the FIRST Robotic Competition event in Sacramento. Once again, this was due to my employer providing the opportunity for me. And once again, I'm dreading having to be around a bunch of people I don't know. But I get to watch the culmination of the hard work and learning that high school kids put into their robots. I'm sure it'll turn out better than I expect.
Monday, March 23, 2009
Volunteerism
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Oh, Happy Day!
I knew I was going to watch the inauguration of our 44th president today. I expected to fire up a live feed on my computer and watch from there. Then my office offered to have it showing in one of the conference rooms on campus. Which was better because I would be able to be with other people, other Americans witnessing this moment in history. Then I found a text message from a friend inviting me to watch the inauguration at the Oakland Arena. Without much further thought, I went and bought tickets. My inauguration-watching experience was even better - I managed to talk Lee into going with me so that I could weep at will on his shoulder and I got to feel the energy of an arena full of hopeful, cheering people. We the People, indeed. Before Biden and Obama took their oaths, we were asked to stand. Lee wondered whether that really included those attending via live television. I felt, and apparently the rest of the people in the arena did also, that since I was witnessing the ceremony, I was a part of it and was therefore included in the "Please, rise.." request. (Admittedly, I might have felt a little silly standing had I been watching at my cubicle.)
While I could have done without the tv pundits bloviating over the video feed, I did learn from them that after noon today, he could officially drop the "elect" part of his title and become President Obama, per the 20th Amendment. However, he can't execute power as the president until after he uttered the oath. Yay, for learning about our Constitution!
I thought President Obama's inaugural speech was excellent. I still think he's one of the finest orators of our day. It was grittier and more somber than I expected. I thought he would employ soaring rhetoric as might have been called for under these ceremonial circumstances. But perhaps the grittier, more realistic look at the challenges we face as a nation is more appropriate for the times. I think I'll have to listen to it again later to digest it better. Ah, the wonders of the internet.
I liked the musical interlude, composed/arranged by the awesome John Williams and played by a quartet that included a clarinet player (REPRESENT!). My favorite may have been the end of Reverend Joseph Lowery's benediction: "...help us work for that day when black will not be asked to give back, when brown can stick around, when yellow will be mellow, when the red man can get ahead, man, and when white will embrace what is right." It's not so much the words, but his delivery and cadence that brought a smile to my face for the umpteenth time this morning.
Have I ever watched an inauguration before? Not until this time. Have I ever paid tickets to join hundreds of other people in watching said televised event in an arena? Not until this time. Have I even seen a presidential election process through to the very end and felt like I was a part of a proud, national process? Not until this time. I think I'm going to need some champagne before dinner tonight.
Monday, October 20, 2008
Respect. Empower. Include
These are the guidelines Barack Obama has given his campaign as they strive to get him elected the next President of the United States.
It's a tall order. In the face of mistrust - is he Muslim? does he pal around with terrorists? will he raise my taxes? will he turn over the US to the hands of those who wish us harm? In the face of heated, passionate disagreements. In the face of fear. But it's what Obama requires of his campaign staff and volunteers. And it makes a difference in the thousands and millions who have volunteered, worked, called, fundraised, hoped. Hope has become contagious.
It makes a difference for me. Seven years ago, an entire world reached out to America in the wake of tragedy. But ever since then, all I've heard from my leaders was to fear, to hate, to distrust. To disrespect, disempower, exclude. I heard that I should pay attention to the worst of people in case they decide to wield that against me. That I should protect myself from harm. But it was isolating and tiring, looking at everyone warily, with suspicion. It certainly didn't make me feel good about the world I lived in and limited the life I could live and still feel safe.
Then in 2004, I heard a skinny guy with a funny name give the keynote address at the Democratic National Convention. And he told me that there are just as many things we have in common with one another than we have differences. That we want to provide for our families with decent wages. That we want our children to grow up healthy and strong with a bright future ahead. That we just want to be heard, respected and loved. And I thought to myself that I would be voting for that man for president one day. I just didn't know it would come a scant four years later. He has appealed to the good in all of us. To trust that as a whole, we are greater than the sum of our individual strengths. That to accomplish the great things that Americans have done in the past and can do in the future, we would have to put aside the fear and distrust and work together. And that it wouldn't necessarily be easy, but that we could be surprised at what we could do.
I have never been one to care that much about politics. Ten years ago, you couldn't have paid me to know who our elected officials were and what they stood for. This year, this historic election year, I AM paying attention with all my obsessive tendencies on display. Not only did I donate to a campaign for the first time, I donated multiple times. As I watched the primaries turn into the general election period, I paid attention not just to the policies but to the people and their expressions of hope. Those faces, those eyes - they keep me daring to believe that we can shed the atrocities of the past eight years and go back to the America I once thought I lived in.
In two weeks, we will know. And I hope that we will know a brighter future.