#social change

by Erik Lampmann

Institutions dedicated to the pursuit of the ‘common good’ will be unable to forge meaningful coalitions, strategize policy interventions, or leverage communities’ collective voices without integrated youth at argue youth at the highest levels of spaces invested with real decision-making power; this applies even to that most storied institution of collaboration, the United Nations.

A full one billion people fall into the category of 15-24 year olds. Our generation is one of the most diverse in human history. We’re polyglot, multicultural, and are connecting with each other across oceans, continents, and time zones. We’ve come of age during a lynchpin movement for the climate justice movement, beneftted from the gains of the LGBTQ+ rights movement, and are ourselves struggling against the specter of the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression.

Any way you spin it, our generation is facing social, economic, political, and ecological hurdles previously unknown. We’re expected to curb decades long bouts of inaction to mitigate the effects of climate change, find some semblance of balance in a chaotic global economic system, and find beauty in the cacophony of our 6 billion voices.

Two weeks ago I had the privilege of spending time with 15 change-agents – 15 American youth who united with one voice in their demand for increased representation in the halls of government, both nationally and internationally.

Working with an American NGO, SustainUS, a youth-organized effort to increase our generation’s representation in international governance spaces, we advocated for a multidimensional policy platform at the 52nd United Nations Commission on Social Development.

It might sound empowering to be in a space so given to the diversity of the human experience. Yet, as many of us learned, many United Nations and the international state system is loath to admit a serious flaw in their understanding of how change happens: the necessity of intergenerational leadership.

The continued underrepresentation of the youth community is not only unjust – it’s strategically unwise given the power landscape of the coming decades, creates leadership gaps, skill mismatches, and unsustainable leadership structures. In fact, many youth change-agents would like nothing else than to engage in intergenerational work that isn’t consigned to continuously remake the wheel each time a new class of organizers graduate college.

Meaningful progress has been made by UN entities and member-states in the past. In December 2012, the UN Population Fund convened the Bali Global Youth Forum to review the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development Beyond 2014. The frameworks generated by the youth present (as well as thousands of youth delegates participating virtually) were quite progressive and focused a good deal of attention on the sexual and reproductive rights of all youth, including those traditionally marginalized by service providers.

From 2003 to 2005, the government of South Africa included a massive civic society engagement program to facilitate the development of a new Children’s Act that included consultations with children using accessible language and having provided appropriate legislative training.

Some Western European countries have even gone further and established new ‘youth delegate’ positions elected by popular vote. Youth delegates currently represent youth constituencies of countries like Germany, the Netherlands, Romania, Bulgaria, and Belgium with real decision-making power.

As these examples demonstrate, youth are sometimes present in policy-making spaces at the national and international level. There have certainly been occasions where members of the political class decided to include young people in a specific debate. Yet, the systemic validation of youth voices remains lacking in UN spaces. We are too often relegated to ‘side-events,’ NGO speakers’ lists treated only at the end of any formal session, and tokenized by moderators seeking a brief interlude between ambassador’s diatribes. As the world’s premier organization dedicated to building sustainable, resilient democratic spaces, the UN can and must do more in the coming months, years, and decades.

To begin, 2014 will see continued work across the UN system to articulate the Post-2015 Development Agenda, the successor to the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Additionally, Secretary Ban Ki-Moon continues plans to scale up his plans for a new Partnerships Facility to build the capacity of NGOs working in concert with various UN agencies, programs, and funds. Given the increasing severity of the global climate crisis, attention will also go to the development of additional Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) alongside the Secretary General’s “Sustainable Energy for All” Initiative. It’s in these conversations that SustainUS and other youth delegations will look to the UN to center the voices of youth and those directly impacted by policy shortcomings.

All in all, there are a host of impactful policy and framework discussions to come in the next twelve months which have the potential to impact international development practices for years to come. The silo of the youth movement prevents us from leveraging our potential most effectively to address these issues. In short, we’re tired of the kids table; what we need – and what you need – is for us to be at each and every table, fully integrated into the meaningful struggles to leverage our collective, intergenerational power to confront the world’s social ills.

This article was originally published on Sustain US: US Youth for Sustainable Development. 

“If all of us, in whatever global struggle is our primary, we are justifying our selfish prioritization with the fact of life’s curtness, we will forever perpetuate the imprisoned momentum of change. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. speaks very poignantly on this matter.

Now, before I continue, it can be a controversial endeavor for someone of my skincolor to quote Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., for it often implies a carelessness towards the depth of his intentions and experience. I don’t think any person of the dominant culture has ever truly and sincerely grasped this depth.

As a white woman I walk on a ground of oppression in a patriarchal society, with a dress of white privilege. It is an odd place to traverse day in and day out. There is an openness to duplicity that one must have to handle it with sanity. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was not my leader, his words are not directly intended to empower me, but maybe they were meant to awaken a courageous spirit in all of us. Very few, but some of the Freedom Riders were white, afterall. So he did reach a tiny percentage of us. With every one of his words that circulates today, I am invited to perceive the responsibility of societal change, as it is possible from where and how I am placed, and act upon it. Not to save the black community as many of my white colleagues like to pursue it as, but to save the white community. We have lost our way a long time ago and now pose our leadership in this country as one of "inclusiveness”. It is unreal, disingenuous, and in need of honesty to move forward.

And so, with respect and appreciation for his heart and intellect, I quote a short but important statement by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.: “Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place, but I am not concerned with that right now.” He died shortly after.

As men, as women, of whatever cultural descent, whatever class, whatever profession, we are modern activists of our own primary struggles that inevitably bleed into another person’s primary struggle. We are so caught in our false entitlement to live a “good life”, that we forget that every single one of us has that same human endeavor and that life can only be truly “good”, if our happiness is inclusive of other people’s happiness.

We are not alone until we isolate ourselves. We are not helpless until we refuse help. We are not weak until we believe that we are unempowered. As Safi A. Thomas, my mentor, would always tell me, social media has given us the opportunity to reach thousands of people all at once, now would be the time to recognize the unfathomable advantage this gives us and begin to write, speak and spread words of value to those who will listen. We must stop our tendency to forego our social responsibilities for the sake of “venting”, “self-validation”. Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, even Instagram are not opportunities for callous self-expression, they are opportunities for constructive social interactions. Why not use it?

We are valuable, once we take actions of value. Longevity is meant for all of us, but right now, NONE of us are experiencing it, neither the dead nor the alive. To ignore social ills is to ignore who we are.“

Raphaela Riemer

Soloist 

H+|The Hip-Hop Dance Conservatory 

[via Rabia’s Riff newsletter /  WakingUpTogether.org.]
“
We are now in the time we have been waiting for. 2016 will be remembered as the year Americans finally woke up to the imminent breakdown of our global ecosystem and the injustices inherent in corporate capitalism. We needed a shock to rouse us from the economic and technological slumber in which we have so comfortably taken refuge since the 1950’s.

In 2016 many events came together to provide that jolt to our collective system:
•  Political Corruption — the publication of Dark Money, Jane Mayer’s exposé of the ultra-conservative billionaires who bought out our political and judicial systems;
•  Corporate Fraud — the release of findings showing that ExxonMobil knew for more than 30 years that burning carbon was heating up the atmosphere with disastrous results, while continuing to fund climate deniers to deliberately confuse the American electorate;
•  Hate Mongering — the fact that sexism, harassment, racism and xenophobia have now become “politically correct”;
•  Citizen Activism — the Democracy Spring march on Washington, D.C., challenging Citizens United and big money in politics, and the powerful encampment at Standing Rock to halt the Dakota Access Pipeline; and
•  Political Discontent — the deeply polarizing presidential campaign and the surprise election of Donald Trump.

There is no doubt that the dissolution of the old order is now officially in progress, and things are only going to intensify. Because so much of our country still believes the misinformation spread by special interests, the environment and the economy may have to get much worse before the needed changes are put in place.  

SO… is there any good news?
There is a silver lining to this dark time: these crises are the very things that are triggering a major revolution, one that can lead us to a renewal of spiritual gratitude, ecological sustainability, social justice, and the understanding that self-interest is not the true goal of human life.   Beautiful, hopeful, inspiring messages are already beginning to surface. (Click here to watch “I Trust You” video).

As the breathtaking victory at Standing Rock demonstrated, people are waking up. That victory was made possible by hundreds of thousands of acts of solidarity. For some it meant traveling to North Dakota, facing night after night of cold weather and police brutality. For others it meant organizing solidarity marches and rallies, spreading the word, signing petitions, pulling money out of banks funding the pipeline, and having tough conversations at the office and at the dinner table.

Elias and I witnessed first-hand the resolve of those gathered at Standing Rock, and the new sense of community that took root there: a growing tribe of all ages
and backgrounds, unified in people’s willingness to stand up for justice, sacredness, and the health of the planet.

We all have been through dangerous times before; it is one of the ways we grow. If you have lived a vital life, you almost certainly have navigated many crises. In truth, real breakthroughs usually only come out of crises. And while being in the middle of a crisis can feel chaotic and scary, a crisis is what we want. Let’s welcome it!

As Clarissa Pinkola Estes reminds us, “We were made for these times.” Literally.  Our DNA has evolved over a million years by turning dangers into opportunities. If you (and your ancestors) weren’t skilled in this particular wizardry, you wouldn’t be here now.

So this is the first silver lining: we have what it takes.
At this very moment many writers, spokespeople, activists and leaders in various fields are writing inspiring essays and speaking up to remind us of this truth. We need to support these women and men. We need to shift our attention away from the “pundits” and media dogs who are paid to muddy the waters and distract us, who erode our self-esteem, who make us think we are helpless and isolated — and who convince us that we will only feel safe and whole and happy if we buy new and better “stuff.” We need to turn our attention instead to the women and men who focus on the true and the heartfelt, who are telling the new story about empathy, cooperation, justice, and community.

The second light in the sky is that we know what to do.
Or at least where to begin. We do not lack for well-thought-out scenarios for the sustainability revolution that has to happen. Some of these ideas are already being adopted at the local level. Forward-thinking governors, mayors, and NGO leaders are linking cities and regions together to reduce energy consumption in order to adapt to unavoidable climate change. Many other plausible next steps can be found in the margins, in organizations and practices we call alternative, regenerative, and holistic.

Of course the road ahead will be filled with uncertainty; the challenges we face are many and complex. It will take time to work out exactly how we are going to share resources, devise necessary restraints, design neighborhoods, manage transportation, and address infrastructure needs — not to mention restoring health to the natural systems we have destroyed. However…

The third shining light is that we’re not in this alone.
As the victory at Standing Rock demonstrates, the number of Americans who are already galvanizing is sizable, and growing daily. Fortunately, there are already many networks in place ready to work together and take action. We will need to rely more and more on these networks as a source of news and information, because much of the revolution will be hidden from us. The major news outlets only began covering Standing Rock when the number of people camped there passed the 5,000 mark — in other words, when not covering that story became an embarrassment.

I’ve done my share of activism, but the events of this last year — and especially of this last election — have inspired me to get involved at a level I’ve never before engaged in. It is a scary time, but it is also an exciting time. My hope is that you, too, will answer the call in whatever ways feel most meaningful to you. Alone we can do very little; but together, we can change the world.
“
— Elizabeth Rabia Roberts
http://wakinguptogether.org/

When I first stayed with The Sex Myth founding director Hanne Larsen last May, these were the words that were hung above her desk: “Success is not final. Failure is not fatal. It is the courage to continue that counts.”

The quote — from Winston Churchill, it turns out — resonated with me immediately.

I had told my young cousin, who was working towards a career as an actress, that she should be prepared to face failure after failure on the road to achieving her dreams, but that it was only through persisting through those failures that anyone found success. And I knew from experience that even the things we think will finally make us feel like we’ve “made it” don’t always feel that way when they actually show up in our lives. Neither success nor failure are final; both are just temporary conditions.

The Churchill quote has been on my mind again recently, as I’ve prepared to launch the next iteration of The Sex Myth play and movement into the world.

And here, I take a quick break from our scheduled straight-from-the-heart, uncomfortably honest essay to ask you to join our movement and contribute to our crowdfunding campaign: https://startsomegood.com/the-sex-myth

Over the last couple of weeks, as I’ve reached out to friends and colleagues to ask them to support the play, I’ve received some lovely messages from people in my life, many of them along the lines of, “I’m so happy for you” or “I’m so proud of how much The Sex Myth has grown.”

To which my internal response has been, “But the project is not actually a success yet. I am just throwing myself out on a terrifying precipice trying to make it one.”

Launching a new project is exciting and filled with possibility. But it also means staring the possibility of failure in the face. And in the case of running a crowdfunder, as my friend Erin Bagwell wrote on her blog Feminist Wednesday last week, it means staring the possibility of failure in the face for 30 days.

But to get back to Churchill for a moment, I think it’s this willingness to stare failure in the face that matters most.

Launching a book or a play, running a successful crowdfunding campaign, earning enough money to pay the bills without institutional support or a salaried job — none of these things are easy.

But it’s not the lines on a resume or the achievements you put in your bio that matter.

It’s the courage to continue that really counts: to keep going to auditions, to keep writing and revising even when no one is reading what you’ve created, to keep talking about whatever social issue you care about until you convince other people to care too.

And that’s the true measure of success, I would argue… even if a lot of the time it feels like the opposite.

Besides, as the huscat pointed out to me last night when I talked to him about this, a lot of this project already has come to fruition — even if, to me at least, it feels like everything hangs in the balance right now.

The playbook exists, ready to help people around the world put on their own productions, and we already have people in six communities and four countries talking to us about putting on the show. We have dates and an awesome venue for our New York show in August. We’ve spent the last six months creating a fantastic suite of products to help people get involved in the movement. And in less than 18 hours since we went live, we’ve raised more than $3000 from 40+ contributors.

You can learn more about The Sex Myth play, what we’re doing with it, and why it matters at https://startsomegood.com/the-sex-myth

And please, if the project resonates with you, help us get it off the ground by contributing and joining our movement.

PS If you’re in NYC, join us for our launch party in downtown Manhattan tomorrow night. More info and RSVP link here.

“Jo, can you say what I say?”

“I’ll say anythink as you say, sir, for I knows it’s good.”

“OUR FATHER.”

“Our Father! — Yes, that’s wery good, sir.”

“WHICH ART IN HEAVEN.”

“Art in Heaven — is the light a comin, sir?”

“It is close at hand. HALLOWED BE THY NAME!”

“Hallowed be — thy—”

The light is come upon the dark benighted way. Dead!

Dead, your Majesty. Dead, my lords and gentlemen. Dead, Right Reverends and Wrong Reverends of every order. Dead, men and women, born with Heavenly compassion in your hearts. And dying thus around us, every day.

Bleak House, Charles Dickens

(1853)