PUSH 2008: THE FERTILE DELTA by Push Institute
June 17, 2008
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The final installment of Rash IV closed PUSH 2008.
Jenni began by speaking about her third year in Rwanda - she was based in the capital, Kigali. Things were worse then they had ever been and the gap between reality and her imagination was getting thinner. The rash continued spreading throughout her face, and she doesn’t love Bernard unconditionally anymore.
After spending three years in Rwanda, she resigned – only to find out a couple of weeks later the U.N. was kicked out of the country.
Jenni sits down on stage with her knitting and talks about moving to Haiti. The situation there was similar to that in Rwanda. Her relationship with Bernard was disintegrating with pointless discussion. After two years she left Haiti because it wasn’t big enough for the two of them.
In the next few years Jenni worked in 25 different countries. Her dad would prelude each trip with “Are you sure it’s safe Jenni?”
She explains that she began knitting to manage her stress better. She started measuring flight distances with knitting lingo and her biggest challenge was getting her needles through airport security. It was her first time she didn’t have itchy feet and she realized she didn’t want to start her life from scratch anymore.
Jenni signed up for a UN training program in a forest in Germany – it was a little late for training on what to do if you are kidnapped.
The stage went back to the well-known gunshots and she explained a familiar scene that was present in each installment of the play. People ran out from the trees, dragging them out, covered their heads and interrogated them. Jenni has a gun to her head. She starting yelling saying she was pregnant and married.
During the debriefing she was told that talking saved her life - she was told the same in Rwanda. That is when she realized what she wants is not what she needs. She was going to always have to deal with her inner conflict. “Is that selling out?”
She sat down to knit again discussing her flight to JFK airport. She was exited to be in New York, crossing the Brooklyn Bridge. She landed her dream job - working for WITNESS. She is not working on the front lines, but she is working for those who are.
She ends the play by saying she is surrounded by knitting cafes to manage her stress and it was the first time her dad stopped asking her when she was coming home. She is still living in chaos, but she loves it.
Then she gets a call from the same familiar voice at the UN asking her if she would leave for Sudan in a couple of weeks.
She answered, “Maybe not right now, but what about the future? I’m still wavering.”
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June 17, 2008
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Michael Furdyk, one of North America’s leading technology entrepreneurs, closed out the presentations for PUSH 2008 discussing the challenges we face and how technology can empower us to improve health, the environment and education.
Furdyk started his career in technology before he entered high school - he launched his first web site in eighth grade. He has co-founded and sold two successful internet-based companies- Mydesktop.com and buybuddy.com. His most recent venture is TakingITGlobal, which connects youth globally and helps them get involved in projects to better their local and global communities – changes that are affecting the planet.
“If we can inspire them at the right age there is no amount of change that can’t happen,” said Furdyk.
Furdyk and his partner developed the idea of a web site where people could go to learn about global issues. That was the start of TakingItGlobal.com. It was the world’s first social network for social good.
TakingItGlobal developed training programs for teachers and students. At a school in West Philadelphia TakingItGlobal gave a laptop to every child and introduced a social network that exposed peers around the world. Teachers said that many of the students became unlikely friends. They created bonds across the country and world with the people they had met through the site.
In 2006 almost one half of students dropped out of high school because they were bored. 90 percent of dropouts were passing students. What is wrong with that? TakingItGlobal works to teach students in a fun, challenging way to keep them intrigued. If the dropout rate is lowered 1/5, the U.S. would save 18 billion dollars annually.
TakingItGlobal has many different features to fulfill its mission - to inspire, inform and involve. Features include: a global gallery, Commit to a
Better World, downloadable guides to action, educational classroom games, a page on issues and lastly 3.5 million pages about countries, states and cities around the world.
The user base of TakingItGlobal is worldwide and only increasing. Thirty-one percent of users are from North America, 22 percent of users are in Africa and 20 percent of users are in Asia. TakingItGlobal is working to make information available off-line, by SMS text messages and textbooks – textbooks will reach 8 million people in the next decade.
Studies show that on average teenagers are as competent as adults. There is a proven link between their being treated as a child and behavioral problems. Young people are capable and competent - teachers need to engage them because they have great ideas.
TakingItGlobal has been on-line for eight years. 2.5 million people used the site in 2007. The site is available in 12 languages. It has had 250,000 downloads and over 35,000 actions have been taken through the site in a six month period. Youth are engaged from every country on the planet.
If young people are learning this much from TakingItGlobal and becoming involved with important global issues, think about how it is going to change the world.
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June 17, 2008
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Rwandan-American Antoine Bigirimana, co-founder and managing director of Thousand Hills Venture Fund (THVF), kicked-off the technology section of PUSH 2008 by discussing how technology has started to advance Rwanda into the 21st Century.
After the Rwandan genocide in 1994 when 1.2 million people were killed in 100 days there was an incredible opportunity for technology advancement throughout the country.
Starting in 2001, anything was possible for Rwanda. The economy was destroyed after the genocide. A virgin economy was available, offering opportunities across the nation that were ready to be embraced.
“Every time there is a problem there is an opportunity,” said Bigirimana.
In 2003, Rwandan President Kagame decided to reinvent the future using technology, with a vision of making Rwanda the technology hub of Africa. The early increase of technology created Rwanda’s first chance at a democratic election.
Vision 2020 was also developed. This idea was that by 2020 Rwanda would be a middle-income country - an idea that all Rwandans could base their future around.
Rwanda offered ample opportunities for entrepreneurs and businesses. People came to the country to work, but credit was a major issue in Rwanda. In 2004, Bigirimana co-founded THVF. It allowed people to get a variety of loans, some interest free, and investments to start these businesses.
As businesses and wealth come to Rwanda, it will continue to get closer to reaching the goal of Vision 2020.
Looking into the future, Rwanda is creating 1000 telecenters. There will be a variety of services offered including: literacy, computer literacy, job listings and information on commodity prices for all national markets.
THVF is looking to bring in 1.2 million One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) computers, and hoping to have this localized by August 2008. The social impact of OLPC will be huge; the young will teach the adults how to use the OLPC, bringing access to information and knowledge that was not accessible before.
The access to information and technology needs to be available to 100 percent of the people in Rwanda, thus eliminating inequality and preventing another genocide.
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June 17, 2008
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"Who are the polarizers?" asked Anthea Butler, an Assistant Professor of Religion at the University of Rochester who specializes in African American religious history, American religious history, and women and gender studies.
Basically, the polarizers are the people who monopolize the airwaves and mislead you into thinking that religious people are crazy: the Ted Haggards, the Jerry Falwells, etc., etc. Thus Butler boldly introduced a politicized conversation and invited us to consider the opposite - that "religious people aren't crazy" (or ignorant). We must allow ourselves to understand that the individuals popularizing the notion of deep religious divisions are much more peripheral than the more taciturn men and women who represent the religious core.
The non-crazies who represent the middle ground are serving humanity under the guise of religion because it is what they know best. Religious institutions provide ample opportunities for potential partners in civic engagement. Not only have religious institutions capitalized on technology, but they have also
created extensive local and global networks, advanced education and grown human capital. These religious institutions and individuals are ripe for outside investment, collaboration and inspiration.
So instead of focusing on the divides and the periphery, Butler asked us to consider the center - the fertile delta of religion - to transcend denominational boundaries and focus on the virtues instead of the values, the consensus instead of contentions, and inclusiveveness/globalization instead of isolation/nationalism. Dr. Butler cited the following examples of religious institutions that are providing effective community outreach:
The Dream Center in LA
Save Africa's
Children
West Angeles Community
Development Corporation
National Association of
Evangelicals
Saddleback Church
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June 17, 2008
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In an extraordinary hour after lunch, Rich and Yvonne Dutra-St. John, founders of the Challenge Day, gave participants a taste of the transformative experience, which is now practiced with youth in almost all US states and Canadian provinces as well as in Germany and elsewhere in the world.
The vision of the program is "that every child could someday live in a world where they feel safe, loved and celebrated." The founders launched it after years of professional work that dealt with symptoms, such as drug addiction and crime, and wanted to address the real causes of these symptoms – separation, anxiety and loneliness in our society, in their view.
"Why do some people need to get "into the system" after drug treatment or something else before they can get the love and attention they deserve?" Rich and Yvonne asked themselves. "21st Century teens are under more pressure and less equipped than ever before," they said.
"Our goal became to create a program that was safe enough and powerful enough to bring everyone together on campus," Yvonne said -- different races, body types, economic situations and all other factors that separate people. "If we settle for tolerance, we have failed. Our goal became to bring them together in love."
Videos in high school settings showed how the Challenge Day program achieves its goals of breaking down barriers, starting with games to loosen things up and proceeding quickly into participants' revealing some of their most difficult experiences, each completing the sentence to their peers, "If you really knew me, you would know …" They took a stand -- "crossing the line" across the gym – admitting to difficult issues in their lives, issues that are rarely discussed: if they had ever been hurt or judged because of the color of their skin, because somebody thought them too fat or thin, if they had ever been humiliated in a classroom by a teacher or student, if they had ever been teased or hurt for a need to wear glasses, and more.
The process ends in an amazing level of new understanding and commitment to take on the challenge of changing the environment in the larger student body.
In a similar vein, PUSH 2008 participants were asked to stand in silence at their seats and recognize their colleagues who answered positively if they had ever felt alone in school (almost all audience members), been called stupid or lazy or not good enough, been hurt or judged because of the color of their skin, ever been or had a family member homeless or on welfare, ever witnessed or been part of an act of violence, ever seriously considered or attempted suicide or knew someone who had, and more.
A second audience exercise asked participants in teams to practice the tools the Challenge Day leaders believe to be the two most important tools that are needed in our lives, in their philosophy: being "real" by telling the truth, and offering the gift of listening.
To "be the change" we have to accept the challenge to do our part. "Be the difference," Yvonne and Rich urge us. "Find out what we are passionate about in this world. Commit to doing one intentional act to make a difference every day" -- something of service to help another human being.
Just think what a difference it would make if you consider the multiplier impacts of the days, weeks and months of these simple acts.
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June 17, 2008
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Dr. Eboo Patel followed the Redeemer Kids perfectly with his discussion on the importance of religious pluralism and its significance for the future on Tuesday morning to start the last day of PUSH 2008.
Patel is the founder and executive director of the Interfaith Youth Core. He wrote the book Acts of Faith and co-wrote the book Building the interfaith Youth Movement with Patrice Brodeur. Patel is an Ashoka Fellow and has been featured in various types of media including NPR, CNN and the Chicago Tribune.
“Muslim extremist murders Christian pilgrim.”
Most people read that headline as Muslim | Christian. Patel believes that people need to start reading that line extremist | pilgrim.
“If we read the line Muslims against Christians…” said Patel. “We are all going to be lost.”
That is one example of the faith line that is bound to destroy people in the 21st century. There are many factors leading to the faith line.
- The unexpected religious revival that we have experienced in the last few years
- The youth bulge – the majority of the world is the youth.
- The breakdown of socioeconomic trends – including the difficulty for many to get viable employment in traditional jobs.
- The increased interaction of people from all different backgrounds living together
But what does this mean? The youth is the most influenced age group in our society because they are looking for a clear identity and to have a powerful impact on the world, but still haven’t made up their minds on where they want to go in life.
“My fear is that the people who have figured out the energy at these four convergent trends [factors leading to the faith line] are religious extremists,” said Patel. “Every time you turn on the television you see someone murdering someone else to the soundtrack of prayer.”
How old are those murderers? Why is religious extremism a movement of young people taking action? It’s because religious extremists build from the youth.
Patel explains how vulnerable some young people are with a quotation from the late Chicago African-American poet Gwendolyn Brooks: “I shall create if not a note, a hole; if not an overture, a desecration.”
Bin Laden was 14 years-old when he was recruited to Al Qaeda. He was on a soccer field at an elite academy. How does this happen? It’s because religious extremists understand the power they have to influence the youth.
On the other hand, how old was the Dali Lama when he started his movement – 19 years-old; Martin Luther King Jr. was 26 when he led the Montgomery bus boycott. Youth can be influenced with extremism or pluralism.
What is going to make a difference in the way the world goes? Patel believes it is youth, his basic idea behind the Interfaith Youth Core.
The Interfaith Youth Core believes that we need to build religious pluralism and institutions nurturing young people can make that happen.
“The central challenge is to have young people be the leaders in religious pluralism and be the architects of a society in which people from different backgrounds live in equal dignity and mutual loyalty,” said Patel.
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June 17, 2008
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Heading up the political segment of PUSH 2008, "Leaders in Reverse: Playing Short-Term Gains against Long-Term Needs," U.N. correspondent for Al Jazeera English Mark Seddon decided to speak from the platform of personal experience to help understand a bigger, hopeful political picture.
Seddon's off-putting experience with Britain's Labour Party led him to drop out of politics and into Al Jazeera, a network created to help educate people by closing North-South news divides and erasing existing geo-political and
cultural stereotypes. Seddon's intention today, drawing from rarely seen examples, resembled the network's philosophy as he challenged individual political complacency and asked for proactive thought and action.
Unfortunately, the special, symbiotic relationship between Britain and the United States allows for minimal cross pollination of new ideas and therefore an unchanging, unchallenged, and dumbed-down political process in which people believe in the inherent superiority of the Western system of political organization. For example, people seem to think that free market economics is the best and most effective system, since that's what we've been told and are most accustomed to. The decline of representative democracy and of political accountability is something that needs to be challenged and is not specific to government. A place to start would be the media: Al Jazeera is minimally available in the United States, largely as a result of the self-imposed (or ordained) censorship that large media corporations practice.
Seddon's advice stems from the belief that change can be seen in both a constructive and a destructive light; it has been a Western luxury to believe that change is stagnant. The current decline in activism must be answered, not necessarily by an involvement in politics. Seddon rallied the audience to take it all on, to get organized and involved again. Today's climate portends change, especially with the presidential election looming, and we have to
start to think again. With the return of the idea and the power to think, so too will return the real power of democracy.
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June 17, 2008
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Clyde Prestowitz, author of Trading Places, Three
Billion New Capitalists: The Great Shift of Wealth and Power to the
East, and current member of both the Intel Policy Advisory Board and
the U.S. Export-Import Bank Advisory Board closed Monday's round of
speakers. He asked that listeners first focus on the issues that are
demanding and will demand change, then problem-solve and decide what needs
to be done about changing those issues.
Prestowitz translated his ideas
into reality through a colorful story of a recent trip to Mexico City and
then to Shanghai, destinations that face significant challenges that are
relevant both internally and externally. The crippled Mexican police represent just one example of
the failing state that lies just across our border. And with the Gobi
Desert growing at a rate of 2km per year and coal power plants
popping up weekly, China faces impending environmental devastation that
will not remain confined within one country's borders. In both
destinations, the short-term need for basic security and energy,
respectively, are pitted against the long-term potential consequences of a
failed state and an unlivable natural environment. Accompanying each issue
is the potential to do harm at home in the U.S., yet the redeeming
possibility of pragmatic decision-making still exists.
Moreover, Thomas Friedman has popularized the notion that globalization will make everyone
rich, democratic and thus peaceful. Prestowitz argued that globalization
does not make democracy strong; rather, it makes autocracy strong (see the
Middle East and China versus relatively weak Western democracies). Rapid
economic growth does not commonly occur under democracy; democracy comes
about later. We are experiencing globalization in which developing
countries question the validity and superiority of democracy. This concept
obviously demands our consideration.
And considering democracy,
Prestowitz was one of the many speakers today to mention the upcoming
election. His view is that the three most important issues facing the next
president will be 1) the collapse of the dollar 2) energy and 3) the
nature of our democracy in regard to the system of checks and balances
that make the system difficult to challenge, especially in relation to
global warming legislation. So, how do we use change-agents to make our
systems work better and address our problems?
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June 17, 2008
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J.D. Steele closed out the first full day of PUSH 2008 on Monday evening with a performance about what he has been doing in Africa. He entertained the audience with a cultural experience and music.
A little background: Steele and his family began touring the international hit show “Gospel at Colonus” with Morgan Freeman around the world. The show had a nine-month run on Broadway in 1988. After that success, The Steeles signed their first record deal. Since then J.D. Steele has produced, performed and recorded six Steele albums and has written, produced and performed with many artists including Prince, Fine Young Cannibals and Donald Fagen. He has also written many songs and arranged credits for movies such as “Corina, Corina”, “Blankman” the award-winning documentary “Hoop Dreams” and was nominated for an Emmy Award for the PBS version of “Gospel at Colonus”.
But those accomplishments are nothing compared to what he has been doing recently. He went to Nairobi, Kenya to work with a group of children in the Shangilia (meaning rejoice child of Africa) orphanage. At the orphanage he worked with the children singing songs.
Steele played a video of the children and the town the orphanage is in. The video gave a personal look inside the town, the orphanage and the children. He described the town as a place of hopefulness. The people are happy and excited all the time, with hope for change in the future.
“They are truly my heart,” Steele said about the children.
As the video was playing, Steele started performing, explaining all that he and the children have done. They took their first airplane to Greece and did multiple concerts. They have been aired on BBC and appeared at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. and have gotten funding for a new school just outside of the city.
Steele ended his performance with two songs, one about saving Africa and the other about riding on the wings of love.
“I’m all the things I have done; I’m all the things I have seen,” sang Steele in the song “On the Wings of Love.”
“It will inspire you, take you higher.”
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June 16, 2008
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Nate Garvis, Vice President of Government Affairs for Target Corporation, spoke in the political section of PUSH 2008 about leadership in reverse.
He is responsible for political, legislative and regulatory affairs at the international, federal, state and local levels of government. He is recognized as a thought leader in the areas of integrated public engagement strategies and emerging trends in the interrelationships between multi-national corporations, non-governmental advocacy groups and governmental institutions.
Garvis started by asking an unanswerable question, “What is the meaning of life?” No one knows the answer, but finding the meaning of life is the path of humanity, it’s what public policy has always been about.
Public policy is measured in outcomes. Too often things are discussed by inputs, but at the end of the day we experience outcomes.
Our dilemma is mobility- the mobility of information. Right now, we live in an age of storytelling. It has never been easier to get your story out there, and that is what is needed in the consumer world – consumer input to get the outcomes you want.
Garvis gave the example of a toolbox: it isn’t about one tool, it’s important to have the entire box. These tools are how people get what they want. The first tool in the box is being literate, not how well you read, but how you know the authentic qualities of that technology or institution – institutions such as government, business or NGOs/ non-profits.
The next tool in the box is the “how” not the “what.” It is important to know how institutions or technologies do what they do, not what they do. Institutions, such as the Target Corporation, need to listen to the consumer and know what they want, everything they want.
The consumer is in command. Be literate. As the consumer, express what you want and be a conspicuous consumer.
“It used to be, I’m rich and famous and I drive a Ferrari, you can’t,” said Garvis. “Now it is I’m rich and famous and I drive a Hybrid, why don’t you? No one said boycott the Ferrari, it’s that more people want the Hybrid.”
We need to practice a reward culture. Institutions are playing not to lose. We need to live in a world where we want to win, and where as many people as possible win. We need to enable these institutions, be clearer about what we want and reward good behavior.
We should look at the whole tool box of institutional energy that is capable of doing so much good, but also capable of many screw ups.
“As a consumer we owe it to these folks to tell them exactly what we want. Our job [as the institution] is to be better listeners than ever, to provide as much value as possible,” said Garvis.
Doing this is “leadership in reverse.” The consumer is leading the institution to get the right outcome.
Posted by Melissa Turtinen
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