Today an acquaintance told me a story of a family they know. This family's dad works full-time while the mom stays home with their four children. All of them live in a one-bedroom apartment. This is Los Angeles. For many residents of LA, the above scenario is what it means to live, to scrape by, and to survive. After hearing this story, I stopped and thought, "what the heck are we doing as people, and as a country?" Better yet, "What the heck am I doing?"
I came into this world poor and over the last year have contemplated that realistically I will leave this world pretty poor too. This conclusion has produced an endless thirst for professional development and an unhealthy drive to push myself as a scholar and as an advocate. This blog was originally intended to showcase my growing research and savvy ideas about youth with disabilities in American culture. But the truth is, I could care less about my notoriety as an academic, or going abroad again with the money I receive from a some-day-in-my-dreams promotion. Ultimately, in the end, I want to be a decent human being. I want to be the kind of person that believes in other people and to support and encourage them.
When I arrived home today a friend was being taken away by the ambulance. You can guarantee that when she arrives home from the hospital she will find a teddy bear, flowers, and a card waiting for her. Perhaps, some people would shake their heads, thinking spending money on another person when I am poor is irresponsible. Frankly, I believe turning my back and closing my eyes would be far more irresponsible.
Therefore, every month I am going to make a commitment to do a kind act for someone or a group of people and write about it, because I want to see and help make the world go 'round.
