Give a Vote to Get a Vote

The ability to vote is a Constitutional Right that many fought for, marched for, and died for throughout history. Yesterday, Vincent Orange was elected to the DC Council as the newest At Large Member. This position was most recently held by now Chairman Kwame Brown. What I find interesting about this election is the number of DC residents who voted, which an unofficial turnout reported 43,208 of 455,842 voters equaling to 9.48% of registered voters.  This lack of voter turnout is disheartening.

Earlier in the day yesterday I asked some of my adult learners if they had voted or were planning on voting. Most of the class was completely unaware of the special election and those who were aware had no interest in voting. This is ironic because this was my GED Social Studies class and we have been learning and discussing civil rights, fighting for freedoms, and public policy. I understand that this was not a presidential or mayoral election, but still is it not our civic duty and responsibility to participate in elections? I prodded my class further and asked if they planned on voting in the 2012 Presidential election and once again many said “no” and that their vote would not make any difference.  After reviewing the number of DC residents that turned out to vote yesterday I realized that it was not just my learners who stayed clear of the polls.

Voting in local elections is an important way to voice our opinions regarding elected officials and overall policies. Public policy is the effect of public outcry. If we want change we have to make that change. Ensuring your voice is heard includes voting, communicating with elected officials and staying current on policies and procedures. Voting is how we decide our future by electing individuals who reflect our ideologies. Seeing Vincent Orange win the election with only 28.27% of the vote illustrates the overall lack of community support and interest. Every day I am informed of budget hearings, testimonies, rallies, and ways to have our voices and issues acknowledged by the D.C. Council. It is my belief that if organizations and community members want to effectively have their issues well represented and especially funded we need to get community members who are eligible to vote, registered, informed on candidates, and to the polls. Elected officials recognize the individuals and organizations that have the greatest impact on their campaigns. As a community in need of funded services and programs we need to be that impact. It our civic duty to vote and it is the responsibility of the elected official to represent the votes of their community.

Abraham Lincoln, in his Gettysburg Address called democracy “government of the people, by the people and for the people.” The government was established to serve the people and to ensure that our community’s needs are met, we need to do our part and vote responsibly; electing individuals who are willing to serve, listen, and value the community.

--Krystal

(to review  all unofficial voting results check out the DCBOEE site.)

Believe in the People

I believe in people. I believe in the power of the people.  I believe individuals can make a difference. I believe the community can have a positive impact on the political administration. I believe people want to be good, helpful and inspire others. These acts of good can be seen in a variety of different ways especially when comparing a motivated group of people to state or federal agencies. It is true that private charities give four times as much money annually to good causes than every state program put together. Habitat for Humanity puts together more houses than FEMA each year. These individuals are not forced to be helpful, but are doing so of their own free will.  Will, the desire of an individual, and the acts done when such desires and decisions are put into effect.  We can illustrate our free will through voting, writing, speaking, or advocating for our beliefs.

 Last week Megan and I took a group of our Adult Education students to the Fair Budget Coalition’s rally at the Wilson Building. This rally was setup to demonstrate Fair Budget members and affiliate organizations’ strong feelings towards protecting the human services funded by the DC Council and Mayoral office. Organizations throughout the District were present at this rally and came together for a common goal of protecting the human services budget. Most of the students who attended this rally with us were unfamiliar with the budget policy process, but still were eager to show their support for their programs. Seeing these students who have made so many strides both academically and personally come voluntarily to the rally with letters addressed to their councilmembers and words to express to the group reminded me why these services are so important to our community and how an individual can make a difference. The power of people.

Many individuals who are recipients of these human services spoke at the rally and testified in front of council members. They spoke about how these services and programs have positively impacted their lives, their families, and their future. These individuals not only took advantage of these programs and services, but after receiving them they are now advocating the protection of these services not just for themselves, but for the rest of the community. The power of people. These services are provided to individuals in need and to see these individuals who have overcome adversary return the act of service they received illustrates the true meaning of redistribution.  Advocates, clients, students and community members have stepped up to the plate to say we want more, we need more and we deserve more. This group can affect public policy decisions and change the political system. The power of people.

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, supreme genius of modern German literature said, “Treat a man as he appears to be and you make him worse. But treat a man as if he already were what he potentially could be, and you make him what he should be.” Regardless of our background, social status, or education we should see people for what they can be and when a part of a community what we all can accomplish. As a community we need to pick our battles, find our voice and fight for the programs, policies, services and people we believe in. 

--Krystal

Things Fall Apart

In today's Post, an opinion article called "An Earth Day Pep Talk", noted that the Times headlined today an article called "Nation's Mood at Lowest Level in Two Years, Poll Shows" and stated that many countries would want to trade places with us, despite these hardships. "Life is good," it stated.

And with that, I disagree. We live in America, we are born in America, we are schooled and educated in America. We have a particular American bias. A dismal number of Americans have passports, and an even more dismal number have actually used them. In my oh-so-humble opinion, Americans don't  know what they're talking about when it comes to how the rest of the world is. We are taught from a young age (don't get me wrong, all countries put their own slant on historical events) the American perspective of how things went down and how FREE we are here. How very, very lucky we are to live in America. Sure, maybe we've got it better than places in Africa where AIDS is running rampant and there are no schools and fresh water and civilization--in our opinion, though, right? Am I the only one who's read Things Fall Apart? What we are forgetting when we make statements like "so many others would love to live in our great country" is that this is based on cultural ideas of what makes life good. 

I think a lot of people would be astounded and not too impressed by our extravagant, unsustainable, have-to-get-ahead, workaholic lifestyles where guns are attainable, people are super-sized, and our public schools are falling behind. 

So let's not try and ignore the fact that we have a set of problems here with the "it could be worse--take a look at Libya" mentality. In the past week, there were two shootings in my neighborhood--by kids. We have a huge budget crisis, unemployment issues, an unsustainable lifestyle (we use more energy than most other nations by  A LOT), and no matter what we do, year after year, we are fighting to protect people's rights. Do you know how many permits you need and fees you have to pay to be a small business owner here? Do you know how many codes and regulations we have on everything? Do you know how much money is cut each year from education programs and social services? Despite what the people who these things impact want, decisions are made, and we live them. This country is set up so only the rich survive. 

All I'm saying is, we can't just glaze over this by saying "we have it better than other countries." That is merely an opinion. If we want America to be great, we do need to look at the issues on the table. We do need to reverse the unemployment crisis and get people off the streets and into jobs. We need to improve our public schools, and we need to take note of all of our failings and debts and correct them. We need to change the way we live, so that we're more earth friendly and energy efficient. We need to live simpler, healthier lives. We need to take back our rights and make a stand against the governments decisions and funding cuts. We need to take ownership of both the good and the bad and be a responsible community member. 

The nation shouldn't be feeling depressed today, like the Times notes we are; we should be enraged and charged up by what's going on around us. Today, Earth Day, is a great day to evaluate your lifestyle and your values and make some changes. Don't take the "life is good" approach, and ignore all that is wrong; instead, look at all the faults of this country. Look and fight for a better future. How we measure up to other countries shouldn't motivate us to act(or not act, for that matter)--we should want better for ourselves, our families, our communities.


--Megan

7 Billion and Counting...

There will soon be 7 billion people on the planet. When I was born, in 1987, there were 5 billion people. We've gained 2 billion in 24 years. In 1960, still not that long ago, there were 3 billion. 4 billion people in 50 years. 21 cities currently have populations larger than 10 million, and by 2050 that could easily double.
This major population influx is impacting our planet--big time. Our finite resources, such as water, could be depleted. (Check out this cool water use calculator to see how you measure up! ) There are now more mouths to feed, and therefore more crops to grow and animals to raise. There are more houses to build and energy to use and gas guzzling cars on the already jam-packed roads. Many of our largest cities are not equipped with a large enough water system, sewer system, or with habitations and jobs to sustain populations that large.
Several factors play into this population crisis; the population itself is of course a problem, but the side-effect of pollution might be a greater threat to our planet. For example, in cities in India such as Delhi, the problem of population is not necessarily the population, but the poverty...or is it that the poverty is a product of the overwhelming population? Cities such as this are suffering most from poverty--there is not enough to go around, and people are everywhere. The Indian goverment is looking to solve the problem by implementing forced birth control.
Regulated birth control isn't necessarily solving the environment problem, however; in sub-Sahara Africa, where population is growing rapidly but carbon emissions are minuscule in comparison to that of the US, the population problem there is more to do with mothers not being able to support their large familes. China is quite the opposite, and similar to the US in that the birth rate is finally falling, but emissions are at their highest, due to China's economic boom.
Ultimately, the biggest problem with a too-crowded world is the amount of resources being burned up and the amount of waste being produced. We need to seek out alternative forms of energy and use those whenever possible and pay attention to our consumption. This is not to say that the number doesn't matter, because this number impacts how much we eat and how much land we use up as well.


With Earth Day coming up, it's a great time to be mindful of how many other people are using this earth as home. This planet is our home, and we share it among us all. It deserves respect; it's kept and provided for its inhabitants for generations. It is also important to be mindful of our daily habits and the way we use energy and natural resources.
As National Geographic says in their January 2011 issue, "It's too late to keep the new middle class of 2030 from being born. But it's not too late to change the ways we all consume."

Check out the whole National Geographic article "7 Billion" in their January 2011 issue!


--Megan

The Time for Action is Now

    Everything that involves people is political. The policies and regulations passed and enforced through political administration affect our everyday lives. Policies are based upon research on cost and benefits of public programs that are delivered to society. In DC the programs that are being cut after council member research are programs that support DC residents struggling with poverty including; Adult Education, Homeless Services, Child Care Vouchers and Interim Disability Assistance. These programs are vital to the community and cuts to these programs should enrage residents to fight for new policy. New public policy is the result of public outcry. It is time for the DC community to publicly outcry for the funding and attention their programs deserve. Wednesday, April 20^th 12:00p, The Fair Budget Coalition of the District of Columbia will be holding their annual Advocacy Day at the Wilson Building, 1350 Pennsylvania Avenue NW. This event is a great opportunity for organizations and community members to show their support for these services and the funding necessary to keep them.  

    Earlier on April 20^th at 10:00a, all of the community members in support of Adult and Family Education should come to the Wilson Building for the Office of State Superintendent’s (OSEE) budget hearing. To support the Adult and Family Education programs you can write a letter to your council member, testify at the hearing, or participate in the advocacy day event at 12:00p. Your support is encouraged and welcomed. To find additional information about how you can show your support for the Adult and Family Education programs check out the most recent blog entry on the DC LEARNS site. The time for action is now and action is necessary to ensure a brighter future for our community.

--Krystal

The American Dream

    The American dream, the ideal that brings people to the United States, the goal of many Americans that keeps us going to work day after day to jobs we don’t enjoy. The American dream, which brings us to college to enhance our intellect to get that dream job that will leave us forever satisfied and financially comfortable. The American dream which drives us to marry, start our family, purchase our home, and live happily ever after. The American dream which is the idea that anyone can be successful in America. The American dream is our story of "rags to riches". But, overtime, our journey towards the American dream has become a broken path.

     Owning a nice home for your family is a goal for many striving for their American dream. And with this philosophy it should be possible for anyone to do so. But instead, those who are of good fortune with well paying jobs are put into situations where they over borrow, refinance, and overspend to secure a home above their means, just to idealize this perception of achieving the American dream. As we have seen this leads to individuals who are unable to afford their homes and are left with multiple mortgages, debt, foreclosures, and a giant step backwards from their dream. Then there are individuals on the opposite end of the spectrum who are not searching for a fancy new house, but simply want a roof over their heads. These individuals who can carry all of their belongings in their hands are also searching for their American dream. Fortunately, there are organizations that can provide shelter to those in need. Unfortunately, these organizations do not have the essential funding or space to assist these individuals and families in need. And it gets worse; the small amount of funding these organizations currently have will be reduced by our government even further. For these families the American dream is just that, a dream.

    Access and quality of education has also been a lure of America. The equal opportunity for knowledge for anyone interested is an American value. But value is not equivalent to practice. In practice our values have faltered. The standard for education varies between states, counties, districts, and neighborhoods. Throughout our nation, public education is failing our children at every level. Test scores in America are lower than many other industrialized countries, violence in schools has increased, and many students cannot read or write when they graduate. There was a time when our education system was the best in the world. Today students are not motivated to learn and many of those who are motivated are not receiving the attention and enrichment necessary to be successful. Several political leaders and pundits have speculated as to how to improve our education system. One thing that is certain is that cutting funds for our education system is not helping our society. Not only is it important for us to ensure our children are adequately educated, but our adult learners as well. Our education system failed these individuals and to ensure this cycle is not perpetuated we must provide them with the necessary tools to educate and enhance their lives and our future.

    The American dream has been a deep value because it illustrates a “rags to riches” story and gives many individuals hope. Somehow, someway we must find our way back to the practice of anyone having the opportunity to succeed regardless of race, gender, ethnicity, creed or sex. In the news today, a Georgetown student with an opportunity to achieve his dream with a dream job in the works faces deportation. True, he is an illegal immigrant with his work permit ending soon, but this is America, the country built by immigrants. Juan Gomez is graduating magna cum laude from Georgetown and has worked hard for this opportunity and should be able to see his dreams come true. America has come along way and has made great triumphs, but in some ways we have taken several steps backwards and need to find our way back to the path of equal opportunity. 

--Krystal

Basic Human Rights

With the possibility of a  government shutdown looming, and (in Mayor Gray's words) DC residents being treated like "second-class citizens," I thought it an appropriate time to discuss human rights and entitlement.

That being said, I want to speak specifically of how wrong and self-serving I feel it is to shut down the federal government, and thus DC's government in order to prove a point. These people know what is on the line--peoples' jobs, DC's sense of autonomy, and public services to a city caught in the middle. This entire nation is dependent on this group of people to make decisions for us, and yet they are imposing on our freedoms and values.
Michael Moore recently said in an interview with Stephen Colbert that "the street, and the bridge,and the school, and the library...does belongs to everyone." What with recent attacks on unions and social services, it is important to keep in mind that our rights not merely as citizens but in fact as human beings are being attacked and questioned by the very people we have elected to represent us.
If we want to make the place we live a community, we need to treat those around us as if they matter. Our elected officials are not demonstrating this.
This basic humanity, to think that we matter, is all anybody wants. I draw a lot of inspiration from a man I met at my school this year. He is battling a degenerative disease and working with a learning disability. These things don't make him quit. In fact, he takes three buses in order to get to school on time. Even more importantly, he comes with an open mind and heart. He is positive, loving, and has a faith in the goodness of people. The one thing he wants? Autonomy. He wants to be treated like he's just like anybody else, for better or for worse. He wants other humans to respect him for being human and to consider him a contributing part of the community. He comes to school to learn, yes, but I think more-so to be a part of our community, to have purpose, and for the sense of autonomy it gives him to get himself there and ready each day.

Everyone has the right to feel human, to feel worthy, and to feel autonomous. That's humanity.

--Megan

In Support of Adult Education

I think people often view educating adults and older generations as a "lost cause" and feel that it is better to focus our eyes on the future, hence why there is much emphasis on K-12 education. There is one major flaw in this idea: these uneducated, "lost cause" adults are the parents of our K-12 children. If the parents of our future generations don't value education, if the system failed them in some way, or if the parents are unable to help with homework because they lack the skills, the children are less likely to value education or understand the importance.
Education begins far before children reach school age. Better-educated parents are more likely to read with their children at home, to play critical thinking-type games, and to instill the belief in their children that they are capable of changing their own circumstances. This is key. Many adults without high school diplomas also lack independence and a sense of self-worth. These parents have been fighting the system of poverty and have become reliant on social services for the well-being of their families, as a lack of education leads to a perpetuation of poverty and diminished resources. They don't see change as being something they can plausibly make happen on their own, and therefore cannot promote the idea to their child that he/she is in charge of his/her own future. Children model behavior, and if they see adults working hard they will feel inspired to do so. If they see the adults close to them downtrodden and uninterested in school/work/life, they will feel this is the appropriate way to respond in school. 
Children with parents with less-education often come in behind their peers from the very beginning. They are less likely to come in motivated to be in school. As these children progress through school, they have no one at home affirming their good works and encouraging them to do their best. Despite a classroom teacher's best efforts, if a child feels no motivation or does not understand the value of learning, he/she will fall behind.

We need empowered, educated families to break this cycle.

What is keeping us from good programs for adults? We are afraid to "blame the victims," according to the Christian Science Monitor. We don't want to point a finger at parents who are held back by lack of eduction and supported by social services. Our system has failed these adults, and nobody wants to be the first to blame them for our schools falling apart. Our society values privacy too much to intrude on the way someone is raising their children, and feels a certain amount of guilt for what our system has done to marginalize some. That being said, it is all too important to continue funding programs and schools for adults and restore their sense of self-worth, and give them a second chance at what our system has kept from them.

Adult education is about empowering families. It is giving people a new perspective on their communities, on education, and on themselves. With just that much more self-confidence and an understanding of why school is important, they feel better about themselves. Parents that are comfortable with their literacy will spend more times doing literary activities with their children, will check homework, and will feel more comfortable communicating with the teachers and administrators at school about their child's progress.

It is my belief that every single human being wants to be treated with the dignity of an independent human being. Adult education gives adults a chance to gain some independence back and to be a strong leader and role model for their families and communities.

--Megan