Dialogue in the Dark

Today Darius and I went to "Dialogue in the Dark" at the Exhibition Center in Atlantic Station. It was such an cool experience. But before I write anything else, if you plan on visiting "Dialogue" and if you do not want to know what to expect during the tour, you might not want to read the rest of this post.

So the way it works is you walk into a room were the lights slowly get darker and darker until it's pitch black. You are given a stick to use to prevent you from walking into things which, in my case, did not help a lot, but, still, you get the point. You are lead through a series of settings by a blind guide that include a city, a grocery store, a park, a cafe, and you even board a boat! The entire tour is about an hour long and I never truly got used to following my tour guide's voice or finding my way by tapping my cane.

At times, the process of making my way through the tour was very frustrating and I felt a bit helpless and kind of dumb to tell you the truth. I mean, I could hear my guide say, "Follow my voice" and I kept thinking, "Where the H is your voice!?!". It definitely takes more than an hour for your others senses to compensate.

I was surprised by some of my behavior during the experience. For one, I could not bring myself to just close my eyes. Even though I could not see a thing and I could feel my eyes straining as I tried to look around, I felt even MORE blind when I closed them! I was also surprised to find how small everything felt. I guess to think of anything as being bigger than me was overwhelming and I kept trying to duck into hallways even though after feeling the wall, I could not even come close to touching the top even on my tippy toes.

Another thing that was cool about the experience was how everyone in the group let go of a lot of their social boundaries. We were all standing so close to each other and I felt people besides Darius touching me to try to follow me. Everyone felt comfortable relying on each other for help. I thought that was really cool. But, above everything else, I think the coolest thing about "Dialogue in the Dark" is that the blind guides have the opportunity to orientate others into something unfamiliar instead of the opposite. I am sure it is very empowering for them to not only have this leadership opportunity, but to have the chance to share their "view" of the world for once.

At the end of the tour, we sat down in the cafe and had a Q&A session with our guide. I got to ask him a few questions I have always wondered about blind people: Do they value travel as much as the sighted world does? Are there "blind-friendly" cities? And, the million dollar question, If you could, would you undergo a procedure they could give you sight? Through his answers, he reminded me that there is more to travel than just what you can see. You can taste, hear, and feel culture just as much as you can see it. He told me Atlanta was fairly "blind friendly" and, lastly, he remains undecided as to whether or not he would want gain the ability to see. At first I was surprised, but then I realized that to gain sight for the first time in your life at 25 years old would be just as jarring as losing your sight at that same point in your life. It would entail re-learning everything you do. You would have to re-meet everyone you know. You would have to learn your way around just as a sighted person who became blind would. But what his undecided answer says to me more than anything else, is people become comfortable in their lives, abilities, and states of being. And whether or not a change in a person's life would be considered socially "positive", the unfamiliar will inevitably remain intimidating, scary, and even unappealing.

I really valued my experience today and remain astounded that such small changes in our bodies have the ability to create such immeasurable obstacles in our lives.

TLC

TLC only has shows about 3 things:

1.) Little People
2.) Obese people
3.) People with obscene amounts of children

Seriously. WTH?

I wonder why they are doing this. I mean, are a bunch of TLC executives sitting around a big table and one of them jumps out of their chair and says, "I know! Let's have a show about people who have a ton of children!" and the others say, "But don't we already have that with John and Kate Plus Eight?" and the excited exec replies, "Yeah, but these people can have, like, more than eight kids! Like, we can have a show about people who have 12 kids and another show about people who have 17 kids and maybe even a show about people loving shows about people that have tons of kids! This multiple kid business is a gold mine!" and everyone high fives each other???

And don't get me started on the incessant specials about primordial dwarfs and obese people.

I. am. over. it.

But, yet, I cannot change the channel...

"A" is for Activism

So, this past Tuesday I volunteered to advocate for Oxfam International at the Coldplay concert. I would LOVE to say it was done 100% in an effort to eradicate hunger and poverty but, as a HUGE Coldplay fan, I have to admit, it was extremely easy to sign up for this gig.

First off, let me tell you how proud I am that I get to take part in helping Oxfam achieve its goals of coming up with solutions to end global poverty and hunger as well as respond to natural disasters, improve international trade conditions, and fight global warming (just to name a few). This is an organization that believes in people and their ability to work towards a better future for, not only themselves, but for the rest of the world. So many non-profit organizations just throw money at problems and hope for them to go away in time, but Oxfam truly does its research to find the root of each issue and systematically improve the human condition.

Well, let me tell you, sometimes while working for humanitarian efforts, you will run into quite a few humans that let you down and make a mockery of what you're trying to do. Our job at this event was to talk to Coldplay fans (the guys in the band are HUGE Oxfam supporters) about joining the Oxfam monthly e-mail list in a effort to have Coldplay fans take their first step in advocacy by simply just reading and talking about the issues. Now, I knew going into this that it would be a tough job. An e-mail list is not the most exciting or rewarding thing in the world, but I figured that most Coldplay fans would be open to helping the world get back onto its feet, and that maybe some of them would have even heard Chris Martin speaking about the organization. Well, I was in for a bit of a shock...

Before I say this, PLEASE don't get me wrong; I met hundreds of wonderful people who did or did not sign up for the e-mail list. I even had several fantastic and passionate conversations with people who could not wait to be part of Oxfam's poverty and hunger solutions, but the few instances where I came across some of the angriest and least philanthropic individuals I had ever met, it hit me hard... and sometimes it even felt like I had the wind knocked out of me.

Because I used to work for Red Bull, I have had plenty of experience walking up to complete strangers and starting a conversation, but when I worked for Red Bull, I had the opportunity to hand over a free drink at the end of the conversation which was warmly accepted in most cases, but while working for Oxfam, all I had was an opportunity to receive a monthly newsletter and a free button if they signed up... NOT an easy sell. I was received well most of the time with only the occasional person ignoring me or saying they were in a "big hurry", which was easy to handle, but every once in a while, I came across someone who just couldn't wait to make me feel small and my aspirations unimportant.

One guy told me, "Those people just need to stop being lazy and get a job!" I told him that he might be surprised to know that there is a lack of jobs in war-torn Darfur and that the people we are trying to help are the furthest thing from lazy. But what I wanted to tell him was that HE was the lazy one. I am sure that he has never had to walk miles and miles to collect clean water. I sincerely doubt he has had to support an entire family of children after losing his parents to disease or civil war. And I seriously doubt he has ever had to go to sleep hungry. But I didn't say that. Instead I thanked him for his time and told him to enjoy the show.

But, by far the WORST comment of the night was from a woman, about 55 years old that, after talking to her for a moment, got in my face and said through her teeth, "Why don't you give me YOUR e-mail address so I can bother YOU." All I said was that she obviously had NO idea what we were trying to do and she should just enjoy her night and not worry about it. What I SHOULD have said was, "Hey, if you are planning to send me an educational, monthly e-mail about ending poverty and hunger, I would be more than happy to read it." But, no. I just smiled and let her be rude to me.

These are the kinds of moments that stop humanitarians dead in their tracks and make them question what they are fighting for. Will people always be this ignorant, angry, and selfish? CAN things get better? Is this world beyond repair? But that's when I remember that I am not fighting for THOSE people. I am fighting for people who believe in the same future for this planet and the people on it as I do: A future free of poverty, hunger, and social injustice. I am fighting for people who believe that humans are inherently good and capable of treating others with respect and gaining knowledge as long as they are open to it. And, most of all, I am fighting for people who NEED me to not give up. So, I won't.

But what is so important for me to remember about this night was all of the great people who did listen and did care. The people who did not want to sign up, but respected me as a good person trying to do a good thing. That is why it is so rewarding to take part in events like this, and I would do it a million more times if it meant that just one more person started to care about these issues.

If just to make one more person care about someone else.






“If you can't feed a hundred people, then just feed one.”- Mother Teresa

"Generosity is giving more than you can, and pride is taking less than you need."- Kahlil Gibran

"It is better to light one candle than curse the darkness"- Confucius

"Each time a man stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope, and crossing each other from a million different centres of energy and daring, those ripples build a current that can sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression and resistance."- Robert F. Kennedy

Musica!

All I want you to do is download Vampire Weekend's "Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa" and "M79".

Let me know if you like it!!

It's been a long time coming...

I love to collect quotes and I wanted to share one with you that means a lot to me, especially right now...

"I refuse to accept the view that mankind is so tragically bound to the starless midnight of racism and war that the bright daybreak of peace and brotherhood can never become a reality... I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word."

- Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

YES WE DID

I could not hold back my tears tonight...I just couldn't believe it. My voice was finally heard.

Now there will finally be a chance for America to regain its respect around the world. A chance for ill people to afford medication, doctors visits, and surgeries. A chance for us to really support the troops and bring them home from a senseless war. A chance for a President who embraces dialogue and understanding to improve our country's foreign relations. For once I can look at my fellow Americans and be proud and for once, I actually feel patriotic.

I have always felt lucky to live in this country, but tonight, I feel especially lucky. I got to take part in making history. Less than a lifetime ago, people who looked like Barack Obama were drinking from separate drinking fountains and now, he is The President of the United States and even for that alone, I could not be any more proud.

THIS IS WHAT WE CALL PROGRESS.

So to everyone that voted for change this election, my sincerest thanks. Now let's get to work.

Election Eve

So here we are, only hours away from knowing who will be the next President of the United States. I have to admit, although I am excited for so many things to change in this country, the one thing I am looking forward to the most about this election coming to an end is, well, this election coming to an end. I am so exhausted from debating and the polarizing atmosphere that is created during an election. But, before this election is over, there is one thing I really want to get off of my chest when it comes to stereotyping Obama supporters.

The McCain/Palinites (yes, I just invented that term-lol) are constantly referring to Obama as a "celebrity" and just some "rock n' roll" candidate whose only political strategy is to play with the emotions of his supporters. I am so offended by statements like these. Although I am a HUGE Obama supporter and I am often in awe of his verbal eloquence, I am by no means a GROUPIE. I think what has so many of us swept up in Barack Obama is the fact that it is so unbelievably powerful, exciting, and refreshing to have a presidential candidate that is passionate about more than just WINNING the election. There are so few politicians that seem to have as much passion about "doing the job" as winning the position.

THAT is what impresses me so much about Barack Obama. Not that he got Common and Kanye West to perform at the Democratic National Convention, or that he is young or good-looking. It is the fact that I think he does not only want to be President, he wants to do a good job.

I am so excited about the idea of having an INTELLECTUAL president. A president that can move people by his words. Presidents that can do that are not going to be like the polarizing president we've had the past eight years... "You are either with us or against us"...Remember that? What kind of leader speaks that way? We are (hopefully) about to have a president that sat on the board of the Harvard Law Revue... not a C student who got into Yale through his daddy's connections.

His ability to draw a crowd is not what attracts me to him; WHO HE IS and WHAT HE HAS ACCOMPLISHED attracts me to him. So, to all of the conservatives that are desperately making fun of Barack for being POPULAR, think about what you're saying.

On a separate note, I am so sad that Obama's grandmother passed away today and will have to miss the most significant moment in her grandson's life. I feel so sad for him that he will not have the time to stop for a moment and grieve for her- these last few hours are too crucial. But, hopefully, tomorrow will be a day he can dedicate to her and all she did to raise such an amazing person.

Well, here we go- No matter what your bumper sticker says, we will have a new president tomorrow and, no matter who it is, we are all in this together. Let's just cross our fingers that America gets it right this time.


Below I have some statistics from FiveThirtyEight.com and, well, it looks damn good.