Majora Carter, Eco entrepeneurs and Hometown Security

You might have seen Majora's 2006 TED speech about "Greening the Ghetto" and if you saw it, you probably became an instant fan. I watched her talk on local entrepeneurs who are changing our world and thought you might enjoy it. She is a personal hero of mine.

-Reducing recidivism in Chicago

-Reduce water runoff issues in LA by planting trees at schools

-Stopping coal mountain top removal

"We are the key to our own recovery."-Majora Carter

Our Education System:What works

I have spent these past few weeks talking, reading and conversing about our education system. I'm now more convinced then ever, that we know how to solve our education problems.

We've got broken schools and we aren't preparing children for the world they are encountering when they graduate, that is painfully obvious. That problem needs to be addressed by making education more relevant, more applicable. I believe this happens when teachers are adaptive, inspired and committed to their students. Ask what works, and do that. Whether it is reciting raps to learn timetables or making movies of history lessons, students respond when there is something in it for them.

A lot of children living under or at the poverty line are not prepared to succeed academically. It looks like parenting classes, early childhood education and investment in those children can rectify that problem. The only question is how much will it cost. Geoffrey Canada has developed programs at the Harlem Children's Zone (HCZ) to address this and someone needs to cover this cost.

The model that works at HCZ and KIPP is longer hours of instruction and personalized attention for each student. This means tracking each student, working with them on specific skill areas and devoting resources to their education. It seems to me that there is a consensus among education professionals that we can't dismiss teachers who aren't getting classroom results, that we don't have enough money to devote time to each child, and that different models work better for different communities and populations.

The Cost

If we fail to educate and prepare our children for productive lives where they can contribute to their communities, we lose their potential. If we had the majority of students graduating high school clear about how they are an asset to their community and where they wanted to have an impact in the world, imagine the civic engagement we'd have. We'd have students with plans to resurrect neighborhoods, eradicate social issues and leave a legacy. We lose students for a multitude of reasons and it upsets me that it isn't part of the political discourse. We all benefit when children feel they matter, they can contribute and they are expected to meet high standards of achievement.

If we were committed to developing a generation of leaders to work on our problems and help them realize their potential, we'd be in a much better position. I don't know any answers, I only worked in education for a year, but I know the answers are out there. Maybe we need a collective vision, more experiments in different cities or a federal commitment of money to fund what works.

The kids who don't feel school is relevant, don't have hope for their future. That is someone's responsibility-the parents, the teachers, the community. Something needs to be done.

The main point I am trying to make is that we all lose out if we don't have children who are aware of who they can be. We now have the resources to prepare each child for our world and shame on us if we fail to accomplish that.

Inspiring Ideas/Solutions

Harlem Children's Zone-Has systematic programs to educate parents, a conveyor approach to change the culture of Harlem through charter schools for students from K-12. They also provide after school programs to students who don't attend their schools.

KIPP-A network of charter schools that target underserved children and focus on getting them into college. They are results focused, have long class hours and driven by young enthusiastic school leaders.

Students First-A new organization founded by Michelle Rhee (former DC school chancellor) that aims to transform public education.

Books/Media
Work Hard, Be nice- Inspirational story about The founders of KIPP

Whatever it Takes -A comprehensive look at Geoffrey Canada's schools, the HCZ, and how their programs work. Also mentions a lot of research in the educational field with practical applications.
Waiting for Superman -Movie about the current failings of our education system.

Sustainable Development-Hope for our Environment

Yesterday, I saw Jeffrey Sachs talk at the University of Michigan about Sustainable Development and the future of our world. He painted a very bleak picture of what is going to come. In short, developing countries are growing at a rate of 5-10% a year and he suspects that they and the rest of the world will double their economic output in the next 40 years. To do this in a manner that doesn't do irreparable damage to our climate, we must develop alternative energy sources and become more energy efficient. Every living species is in decline right now and our climate is changing everywhere.

This was interesting, but what bothered me was the fact that he spent more than 1 hr making his case for the status of the world economy and environmental situation and 2 minutes on any proposed ideas on how to fix this. I don't believe any one person knows how to solve the global problems we face, but I am pretty sure that collectively we can develop some solid and possible ideas.

Professor Sachs said it was a political problem, a problem with the media and that corporate money flowed into politics. I believe he's right, but didn't Al Gore state similar problems in "An Inconvenient Truth." I'm sorry, but the political will and power argument may be true, but it isn't getting us anywhere.

We can do a whole lot better. Yes, we need leaders and politicians to give us a vision to work toward. We also need people talking about these issues who are not in the government, who are connected to their neighbors, their community and are connected to a larger vision of what we can accomplish together. We can't legislate our way out of an environmental crisis. We need a vision, hope, and a sense of possibility. The bible says "Without a vision the people will perish." A vision of upcoming disaster is not very inspiring.

Some ideas:

-Use the massive database from environmental orgs. to connect people locally to work on a regional or national issue (think Obama's campaign network)

-Hold monthly days of service for the environment in communities Nationally (if the media isn't raising awareness, we sure can.)

-Have a contest for the most compelling environmental short film and use that video (after it spreads virally) as a call to action

-Broadcast and celebrate positive environmental companies and trends, so we can support them as consumers and citizens

Cool organizations:

350.org

What do you think?

How can individual citizens be mobilized or engaged with solving our environmental crisis?

The Girl Effect

This can help change the world. Let's get started.

Homeless in the Bay Area, What can we do?

I have lived here for several years and I’ve always been disturbed that so many people are homeless in the Bay Area. I want to know their stories, how they ended up on the street and what they need? What could really empower them and make their lives better?

For a while, I just thought about it. Then one day, I paused at an intersection in the mission and got caught in a conversation with a man asking for money. After I missed the walking sign, he thanked me for acknowledging him as he told me most people just ignored him. I then understood that I could offer a kind ear for a minute or say hello if I didn’t want to give money to him or the other folks in my neighborhood. And when I knew their faces and some of their names, I wasn’t as troubled, but still, deep down I knew they didn’t have to be in that situation.

Now, it still troubles me walking around seeing so many people asking for money or food. I am not sure how to best help people- I just acknowledge everyone I can and give when I feel I am able.

Still, I know there is more we can do. What does it say about us to let people live in our community while we pass by and are too busy? I am not saying we need to invite them into our living rooms to talk, but would that be so bad? What if each house on a block, took a turn feeding the people in their hood every month or two, would that be so risky? We live the Bay Area where you see wealth juxtaposed with poverty regularly.

The idea that we can just give money to help people, keeps the poor separate from the wealthy. And I don’t have a the solution, but I know that we as a community, as individuals, can do better. It speaks volumes about us in how we respond to the people around us.

“If the misery of our poor is caused not by the laws of nature, but by our institutions, great is our sin.” -Darwin