What to do, what to do...
In September 2001, I was an International Relations major at The American University's School of International Service with an intended concentration in International Development and an area concentration in Africa. However, I realized that I could never go into the Peace Corps. I'm honest with myself. I'm prissy (or pritzy as my stepdad said it). I don't get dirty. I'm not too fond of kids. or animals. or the outdoors. So the Peace Corps was out for me. In March 2002, I changed my major to marketing. It was more realistic with my actual aptitude.
But every once in a while, my youthful optimism returns and I have a yearning to make a real difference. To live up to the American University slogan of ideas into action, action into service. I want to change the world.
Last time I got this big push was Fall 2004 - I was living in DC and there was a series of murders of young people in Southeast. I didn't know them, but for some reason, I allowed these murders to completely rock my world. The senselessness of someone the age of my cousins dying left me in tears for weeks. My mother was concerned, but figured it was my trademark oversensitivity. She wasn't so amused later in February when rather than focusing on applying to PR firms, I threw all my energy into applying for the Teach for America program. Then, in April when I was rejected, I was catatonic. My plan for changing the world - for working in education, then in community nonprofit then going to get my MBA (at Stanford, naturally - focusing on strategy and marketing and nonprofit management), working in consumer products just long enough to get street cred and opening my own firm in social issues marketing - was shot to hell. What's a woman to do?
So I redirected my energy. Took a series of bad jobs in sales then moved to the Bay Area to work as the marketing manager for a training and consulting company.
However - the pull - the magnetic pull to change the world and make a difference and add value to society is starting to pull again. After a year of pretendng that having a job is enough - I'm dying to do something substantive.
While I still would love to do something in the area of educational equality (I know that it was te Grace of God that put me in good schools from day one and made sure that I got an good education), I am also feeling Africa pulling on my heartstrings. After watching Hotel Rwanda, I called my mom sobbing uncontrollably. I am OBSESSED with (Product) Red - the company founded by Bono and Bobby Shriver to take money from consumer products to buy antiretrovirals in Africa. I think it's brilliant on so many levels. I would kill to work with them. Add to this that the last book I read was A Long Way Gone, it's the tale of Ishmael Beah - a young man (ok, he's older than I now,...but at the time he was in his early teens) who was drafted into being a soldier in the civil war in Sierra Leone after several years of wandering too avoid the war and surviving starvation. A family friend's son is in Liberia with no hope (at least not in the near future) of getting a visa to come here. It's been 10 years sense she saw her son...and who knows when she will see him next. I hear about the atrocities in Darfur and how they're moving to Chad. I haven't yet seen Blood Diamond or The Last King of Scotland - and it's probably a good thing...who knows...I may just join the Peace Corps after all.
That said - I'm yet to figure out what to do. Where, when, how do I volunteer to make a difference in educational equality? To do something constructive to help the continent of Africa. Then don't get me started on my back up priorities of feminism and GLBT rights and ending racism and just general being a democrat (so healthcare equality. I'm so overwhelmed. I want to do so much - but there's only so much time.
So I putting this out there for the 3 peoeple who read my blog. Find something for me to do. Or at least give me direction. I checked volunteermatch,com (this is a great resource throughout the US, but none of the opportunities in the Bay Area align with both my strengths (planning, development, press relations) or my interests.
Advice greatly appreiciated.
But every once in a while, my youthful optimism returns and I have a yearning to make a real difference. To live up to the American University slogan of ideas into action, action into service. I want to change the world.
Last time I got this big push was Fall 2004 - I was living in DC and there was a series of murders of young people in Southeast. I didn't know them, but for some reason, I allowed these murders to completely rock my world. The senselessness of someone the age of my cousins dying left me in tears for weeks. My mother was concerned, but figured it was my trademark oversensitivity. She wasn't so amused later in February when rather than focusing on applying to PR firms, I threw all my energy into applying for the Teach for America program. Then, in April when I was rejected, I was catatonic. My plan for changing the world - for working in education, then in community nonprofit then going to get my MBA (at Stanford, naturally - focusing on strategy and marketing and nonprofit management), working in consumer products just long enough to get street cred and opening my own firm in social issues marketing - was shot to hell. What's a woman to do?
So I redirected my energy. Took a series of bad jobs in sales then moved to the Bay Area to work as the marketing manager for a training and consulting company.
However - the pull - the magnetic pull to change the world and make a difference and add value to society is starting to pull again. After a year of pretendng that having a job is enough - I'm dying to do something substantive.
While I still would love to do something in the area of educational equality (I know that it was te Grace of God that put me in good schools from day one and made sure that I got an good education), I am also feeling Africa pulling on my heartstrings. After watching Hotel Rwanda, I called my mom sobbing uncontrollably. I am OBSESSED with (Product) Red - the company founded by Bono and Bobby Shriver to take money from consumer products to buy antiretrovirals in Africa. I think it's brilliant on so many levels. I would kill to work with them. Add to this that the last book I read was A Long Way Gone, it's the tale of Ishmael Beah - a young man (ok, he's older than I now,...but at the time he was in his early teens) who was drafted into being a soldier in the civil war in Sierra Leone after several years of wandering too avoid the war and surviving starvation. A family friend's son is in Liberia with no hope (at least not in the near future) of getting a visa to come here. It's been 10 years sense she saw her son...and who knows when she will see him next. I hear about the atrocities in Darfur and how they're moving to Chad. I haven't yet seen Blood Diamond or The Last King of Scotland - and it's probably a good thing...who knows...I may just join the Peace Corps after all.
That said - I'm yet to figure out what to do. Where, when, how do I volunteer to make a difference in educational equality? To do something constructive to help the continent of Africa. Then don't get me started on my back up priorities of feminism and GLBT rights and ending racism and just general being a democrat (so healthcare equality. I'm so overwhelmed. I want to do so much - but there's only so much time.
So I putting this out there for the 3 peoeple who read my blog. Find something for me to do. Or at least give me direction. I checked volunteermatch,com (this is a great resource throughout the US, but none of the opportunities in the Bay Area align with both my strengths (planning, development, press relations) or my interests.
Advice greatly appreiciated.
posted by Gracie B. @ 1:29 AM
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