“Activism is my rent for living on this planet.” ~ Alice Walker, Pulitzer Prize-winning author
Today I spoke with HopeLab, an organization I’ve been getting to know over the last year. Founded by Pam Omidyar, HopeLab uses technology such as video games to improve the health of children. We have been talking about our mutual interest in using social media to engage children and their parents in living healthier lives. This lead us to talk about our public education system and its role in improving child health.
As our conversation unfolded, I could feel my spirits rising. I could feel the emotion welling up in my voice, not causing it to crack, but causing it to strengthen its conviction. Talking about education puts me into a zone where I am my most articulate. On this subject, my thoughts weave together to synthesize powerful, passionate sentiments. And I don’t need prepare anything to talk about education. I just allow myself to show up and be; this is the height of authenticity.
While watching the news, I saw that President Obama showed up at the Republican meeting, allowing the party to fire questions at him. His spontaneous responses were taped live. He took no notes or prepared remarks with him; he showed up with only the information in his mind and his intense focus. Despite the difficult few weeks that preceded the talk, he was determined to hold his own. Another example of the power of authenticity.
Activism, at its best, is giving our authentic passion about social issues the center stage. So many social issues need our attention now: education, healthcare, clean energy, the environment. And the list goes on. Our world is getting to a point where we cannot afford to wake up, go to work, go home, and sit on the couch, hoping for a better tomorrow. As Alice Walker has so eloquently stated in years past, “we are the ones we have been waiting for.” The only thing that is going to create a better tomorrow is our ability to act.
Christa Avampato 