How my son and I spent our Saturday (with ONE.org)

[RevolutionStartsNow]

Edit: fixed the link to Danny's actual blog:
http://action.one.org/blog/comments.jsp?blog_entry_KEY=441&t=

This Saturday Danny and I attended advocacy training in San Francisco for ONE.org. If you aren't familiar with ONE, they are the Campaign to End Global Poverty; this is the group lauded by Bono and other celebs, but it's certainly not a celeb-fest, nor is it a fundraising organization. The point of ONE is that each and every one of us can add our voice to the campaign to end extreme poverty and stop the spread of HIV/AIDS in impoverished countries, mostly by advocating to others and lobbying our elected politicians to join the fight and commit more money to fighting poverty, cancelling debt, increasing fair trade and providing access to primary education to kids everywhere.

Danny and I stumbled on the ONE tent at the Warped Tour in SF last year, and have been on their mailing list ever since. We've talked about starting a group in Santa Cruz; mostly we are surprised a ONE group doesn't exist here already, but then again we're busy in this city trying to impeach George Bush and/or widen the freeway. Whatever.

When we heard this training was coming to SF, we immediately signed up. I'll let Danny's blog speak for itself, but suffice to say that he was the ONLY kid there and his impact on the other adults there was tremendous. We stayed for all 6 hours and they of course asked him to be a guest blogger when it was over. In our break-out session, he made our presenter tear up a little (he was verklempt, really), and people came up to me later to tell me how much Danny's presence and intelligent questions during the session impacted them.

In fact if you scroll down the page I linked, past Danny's blog and the others, you'll see his name again there and more info about the day. Also at the very bottom is a pic of Danny and I when we first arrived.

ONE is a great organization, and I urge everyone to check out the website in more detail. Much of their appeal is that they are non-partisan and not about fundraising. They want to work with anyone on either side of the aisle who is committed to cancelling those bad old debts (that mostly went to dictators and are now crippling many countries), fighting the spread of AIDS, providing educational opportunities for children, providing clean water, and of course encouraging fair and sustainable trade practices.

I'm incredibly proud of Danny, and it's hard to keep a proud MamaBear from preening, but on a personal level, I want to urge every one of you to think about how you can add your voice to the movement to address some incredibly staggering statistics:
- Currently over 3 BILLION people live on less than $2 per day
- A child dies every 3 seconds from AIDS and extreme poverty
- 104 million children don't have access to elementary education; 2/3 of them are girls
- Less than ONE-HALF OF 1% of the US budget goes to poverty-fighting development assistance (in 2005 it was something like 0.39%)

It can be overwhelming to even think about, but there have been many successes recently, due to the work of ONE and their affiliated organizations. Every one of us can make a difference. Danny can't save the world all by himself.

[knowbody0]

1. how very cool!

the link would not work for me.

[RevolutionStartsNow]

3. Thanks, I fixed it nt

[RevolutionStartsNow]

2. Shameless kick: really want to know what DUers think about ONE

and a little plug for my cute son. :)

[knowbody0]

4. I'm wowed!

He's beautiful and very intelligent. amazingly articulate.

Thanks for the link, I showed my kiddies, my daughter is going to use it for her class tomorow.

[RevolutionStartsNow]

7. Thanks, that's very cool

He's actually very interested in getting other kids to take up the cause. How old is your daughter? He really wants to start ONEkids so we can start educating and training the next generation of activists.

Kids are generally so compassionate, and so eager to help. They just aren't taught that their voices can count.

Danny was very emboldened by this event, and I know it will inspire him. I don't want to push him too hard, he is a typical kid with homework, Little League games and a brand new passion for surfing, but he's willing to carve out time to do this, too, because he really does care.

[knowbody0]

11. that is wonderful

I take my kids to all the protests, and they do seem to "get it" but their attention is more social than sincere. They are: Annie, 14, Joey, 15, and Felicia, 16. Annie is the most concerned and the most sensitive about this ton of crap we call reality. Mayhaps they can exchange ideas and she can start something here in the Pacific Northwest.

Here's a big smile for you and Danny.

[RevolutionStartsNow]

12. Your children are 14, 15 and 16?

Wow, you must be busy/frazzled/proud!

I think it's great that you have at least one teenager who is concerned and sensitive. My 15 year old daughter was just like Danny at 11, she even traveled to Iowa with me to work for Howard Dean, she attended MeetUps and wrote letters and was very excited about politics. But she hit 13 or 14 and everything changed. She's still a great kid and very compassionate at heart, but she is incredibly self-centered in that particular teenage way.

I tend to think that's how all teenagers are, but I know there are lots of kids her age who continue to be active and engaged in social consciousness.

[knowbody0]

13. actually this is my second set of kids

My three biological children are grown. I adopted these three siblings from my foster care 11 years ago. yep, busy, frazzled, and really proud. They have exceeded all expectations, 2 on the honor roll, my son the only sophomore wrestler to make it to league, and little Annie is a belly dancer. It has been an amazing journey. My grown daughter is really active politically, my boys not so much.

When we go to protests and peace vigils they are really into the movement of it, but when they get back to our red necked village and school, it is not a popular topic. My grown up daughter did her senior project on the truth about the Iraq war. She got a lot of flack for her report, and it created a great deal of controversy, however it did at least get people asking questions. Part of it was on depleted uranium, and her teacher was a Vietnam vet who was disabled because of it. He was horrified to realize that the military was still using it.

Don't know quite why I'm sharing this all with you, oh wait - - I'm busy and frazzled! Just part of the time. Yep, I'm a weary old woman with too many kids, but I would not have it any other way.
I am truly blessed.

Peace and Love to you and yours.

I am Kate

[RevolutionStartsNow]

14. you...

kate, are an inspiration, for taking on these kids and raising them right. I know what a challenge it is just to have one teenager. Mine is a great kid, but even just last night I had a long talk with her about drugs and alcohol, as one of her friends (they are 15) just got caught getting high. I've come to realize that while I can keep an eye on her, know her friends and her parents, make sure she keeps in touch when she's out, etc., ultimately I just have to trust her. She appreciated that, and I do trust her.

She used to come with me to rallies and such, but she has lost interest, has such a busy social life. Most of the kids she hangs out with don't seem to be too politcally aware. I think that's the age, and maybe when she's closer to 17 she will start to expand her horizons a bit. I certainly planted the seed with her when she was young.

You are truly blessed, as are your children for having you to guide them.

:hug:

[The Straight Story]

5. Kick for you - awesome, thanks for sharing the info! (nt)

[il_lilac]

6. you should be proud

of him and yourself!

[RevolutionStartsNow]

8. I am VERY proud of him

I always have been, he's such a good and caring kid. His afterschool program is teaching him how to be a leader, and I think that's a key component. Lots of kids want to help but few learn how to speak in public or even put themselves out there.

[midnight]

9. Very beautiful way to spend time as a family. How old is your

son? Thanks for sharing this information. I have recently purchased The End of Poverty by Jeffery D. Sachs. The forward is by Bono. I was drawn by the the phrase on the cover of Economic possibilities for our time. It is a bit tough for me to move through it though. Lots of data on statistics of debt. I will keep trying to move through this book.

[RevolutionStartsNow]

10. Danny is 11, which I think is a great age to "reach" kids

He's old enough to handle some difficult truths about poverty, but not too old that he's distracted by girls or his social calendar (yet).

What I found most interesting about the training was how they were able to weave together the issues of poverty, rampant spreading of HIV/AIDS, lack of education (esp for girls) and the need for debt cancellation. It's all connected, and it's a terrible cycle.

But they also stressed that there have been some important successes in the past several years, including the cancellation of some debts to some countries (not nearly enough).

It's easy to become overwhelmed by all of the issues -- especially when I am also concerned daily about the continuing war in Iraq, the potential for a war in Iran, the treatment of our veterans, poverty and the lack of health care here in the USA...We can fight on all fronts, given the time, but I believe many of the world's problems come right down to poverty. The fact that so many children (and adults) live in such extreme poverty pierces me on a very personal level. I do not actively participate in an ecumenical organization, but I have very deep faith and I cannot accept that the world continues to allow this to go on.