Blog Action Day (poverty)

http://blogactionday.org/ is today!!!

My thoughts on poverty are too complicated to post in a quick few moments, so I will miss the deadline for today (too many other commitments with a 10/15 deadline!)

But I will say that the recent (and ongoing) financial mess has me thinking a lot more about purchases I make, feeling stronger gratitude for my privileged existence and ability (so far) to be able to buy a cup of tea or a bottle of water or a tankful of gas or treat a friend to lunch when I need or want to.

I am not unaware of the seriousness of the poverty problem locally, globally. I read a lot, use stories for classroom learning opportunities, etc.

[Material World: http://www.menzelphoto.com/books/mw.html and http://menzelphoto.peripix.com/u36/search/?searchtxt=material%20world and Hungry Planet: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5005952 and lesson plan ideas: http://www.uen.org/Lessonplan/preview.cgi?LPid=1271 ]

But I do not take extensive action. I do donate items often. I donate money less often (because I believe that cash is not the answer). I do teach for a living, and do teach life skills and critical thinking skills and conflict resolution strategies.

I do recycle and reuse many items, and am increasingly attentive to this.

I do try to honor and patronize establishments that show some efforts toward helping to ease poverty.

I do loan items (furniture, even a car once — for one year!) to those in need (but people I know and trust). It is difficult for me to give without getting involved, except for Goodwill-type donations.

But I don’t do nearly as much as I am capable of doing.

I often ponder creative strategies toward easing someone’s poverty.

“It is not enough to be compassionate, one must act.” [a quote promoted by Syracuse Cultural Workers http://syracuseculturalworkers.com/ ]

more another day.

I hope this Blog Action Day generates renewed determination by many, including those presently in poverty, to find a way OUT.

holly

This entry was posted on Wednesday, October 15th, 2008 at 8:52 pm Filed under poverty and tagged poverty. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

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2 Responses to “Blog Action Day (poverty)”

Carla Arena Says:
October 16th, 2008 at 12:10 pm
Dear Holly,

I think you do what you can do right now, but just the fact that we’re writing about it make us thing, and maybe even change our approaches. I deal with poverty in Brazil all the time, in every traffic light. Brasilia is a city of huge social and economic divide. I am in the privileged side, but I can’t just not see what’s out there. My sister-in-law made a very moving documentary about the homeless in Brasilia. I wonder if we could find a way to post to others to see. I’ll talk to her about it.

Thanks for adding your voice.
Beijos.
Poverty, We, Empowerment - Blog Action Day 08 at The Journey Says:
October 16th, 2008 at 12:14 pm
[...] Inequalities Friends’ Posts: Dennis Oliver’s Mary Hillis’s Cris Costa’s Holly’s _____________________________________________________________________ « 21st Classroom [...]