"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