The Change We Seek
In the days, weeks and months leading up to the election, I saw something that I have never witnessed before. I saw it on the streets of Oakland, at conferences in Memphis, and in storefronts in New York. People were creating their own Obama T-Shirts, buttons, and stickers and proudly selling and wearing them. The excitement and momentum around Obama’s campaign had created its own cottage industry, and I could not remember one person ever wearing a John Kerry T-Shirt.
This excitement was present around the world on November 4th. You saw it in the tears of all those gathered in Chicago (even Jesse Jackson was crying!). You felt the excitement in the students, all 4,000 of them, gathered at an impromptu celebration outside the White House (one of several in DC alone). People sent in pictures of celebrations from Tokyo, Jerusalem, Sydney, and Jakarta. I swear that even Condoleezza Rice was getting emotional and seemed genuine and authentic when I saw her on TV today (seriously, check it out, I think she voted for Obama - (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HeOWnmL-Rbs&NR=1), two words I have never used to describe Rice.
But one thing struck out to me in his acceptance speech. He said that this election alone is not the change we seek, merely an opportunity to attain that change. Throughout this campaign, Obama and his team has created incredible momentum in real communities. If we can harness that momentum, and continue to work towards that change, then we may have the beginning of something new. Getting any one person into office does not automatically equate to real change.
Civic engagement is not about coming out once a year or once every four years to cast a ballot. It is about being engaged everyday in our communities, working to attain the change that we envision.
I happen to think that Obama, who as we all know used to be an organizer, went into the campaign with an organizer’s mentality. The way he mobilized communities was not in the traditional way that politicians run their campaigns. He empowered people, and created a grassroots movement to support his political campaign. With him going (back) into political office, this time the highest political office in the country, it is on us to continue to harness the momentum that he helped build.
Leaving politics out of the discussion, I believe that I share many of the same values as Obama, and that our vision of change is pretty similar. I believe that both of us will fail if all of the grassroots communities are not out there supporting his vision of change, and holding him accountable to it. I don’t care who it is, a politician alone cannot bring about real change without the support of, and accountability to, the grassroots communities that are impacted by his/her decision.
As excited as I am about this election, and as much faith as I have in Obama the person, we need to recognize that, in his own words, it is not about him but about us. His being in office merely presents us with the opportunity to bring about change.
So it’s on us ya’ll.
I look forward to building with all of you in the upcoming months and years.
Peace,
Kazu
This excitement was present around the world on November 4th. You saw it in the tears of all those gathered in Chicago (even Jesse Jackson was crying!). You felt the excitement in the students, all 4,000 of them, gathered at an impromptu celebration outside the White House (one of several in DC alone). People sent in pictures of celebrations from Tokyo, Jerusalem, Sydney, and Jakarta. I swear that even Condoleezza Rice was getting emotional and seemed genuine and authentic when I saw her on TV today (seriously, check it out, I think she voted for Obama - (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HeOWnmL-Rbs&NR=1), two words I have never used to describe Rice.
But one thing struck out to me in his acceptance speech. He said that this election alone is not the change we seek, merely an opportunity to attain that change. Throughout this campaign, Obama and his team has created incredible momentum in real communities. If we can harness that momentum, and continue to work towards that change, then we may have the beginning of something new. Getting any one person into office does not automatically equate to real change.
Civic engagement is not about coming out once a year or once every four years to cast a ballot. It is about being engaged everyday in our communities, working to attain the change that we envision.
I happen to think that Obama, who as we all know used to be an organizer, went into the campaign with an organizer’s mentality. The way he mobilized communities was not in the traditional way that politicians run their campaigns. He empowered people, and created a grassroots movement to support his political campaign. With him going (back) into political office, this time the highest political office in the country, it is on us to continue to harness the momentum that he helped build.
Leaving politics out of the discussion, I believe that I share many of the same values as Obama, and that our vision of change is pretty similar. I believe that both of us will fail if all of the grassroots communities are not out there supporting his vision of change, and holding him accountable to it. I don’t care who it is, a politician alone cannot bring about real change without the support of, and accountability to, the grassroots communities that are impacted by his/her decision.
As excited as I am about this election, and as much faith as I have in Obama the person, we need to recognize that, in his own words, it is not about him but about us. His being in office merely presents us with the opportunity to bring about change.
So it’s on us ya’ll.
I look forward to building with all of you in the upcoming months and years.
Peace,
Kazu
Tags: obama
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3 Comments
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Comment by Christina "Krea" Gomez on November 7, 2008 at 10:01am -
"the victory is yours"- Barack Obama
Great blog! I agree with you 100%. The saying is "Yes WE can" not "Yes HE can". I got to admit I have some anxiety about peoples view of him as a Savior. That he is not.
However, a passionate man who cares about America and the possibility of letting people down he is.
We must keep him accountable. Which means we must step our game up and be accountable as well, making sure that our message and request are clear and well thought out, that they are inclusive.
I know many are excited. I just hope they are excited to get back to work...
Thanks for sharing your awesome writing- you should write some more buddy.
Hope your trip to kauhale (home) was good.
I head there in december.
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Comment by carol saffen on November 6, 2008 at 1:45pm - Yes Kazu! We have only crossed the threshold with Obama on board. Now is the time for all to gather,harness our energy and continue with unabated commitment and action to strengthen our communities. With Obama at the helm-I believe there will be the support from Obama to empower the people and begin to emerge from the cycle of disproportionate economic, educational, genuine equality and justice that has plagued disfranchised communities for centuries. Now is a great time to make changes, This is an exciting time, It is also the time where the real work for change can begin. Change that is concrete and not just a dream.
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Comment by Gina Belafonte on November 6, 2008 at 12:51pm
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Well said Brother Kazu,
I agree it is us, the people, that made this shift by coming together in a common goal, and our goal was clear. We need to keep our clear goal in sight and organize accordingly. It is we who make the change. I think The Gathering has got it right. Going from community to community to gather information and collectively engaging issue by issue. Creating the foundation of Nonviolent Direct Action strategies is our weapon of choice and what will sustain us through this movement. Navigating the waters ahead will get tricky, but if we stay on course and always hold the heath and well being of the entire collective in our hearts the goal can be reached. Peace GB
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The mission of The Gathering is to build an Intergenerational, movement, rooted in history, cultures and non-violent direct action to heal communities, build collective strength and generate an environment of hope and opportunity.
Civil rights and social justice organizations have come to understand that collective action on a national basis is required to stop child incarceration and challenge the immoral process which perpetuates an unjust justice system. These groups are working under extremely difficult circumstances and many of them with little or no resources. The Gathering is a national movement that creates a coordinated space to 1) fortify relationships between regional groups, 2) support local endeavors and 3) enhance the ongoing organizing of non-violent direct action training. Central to its mission is strengthening our moral environment.
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"The Gathering" is a project of Tides Center 501c3
Civil rights and social justice organizations have come to understand that collective action on a national basis is required to stop child incarceration and challenge the immoral process which perpetuates an unjust justice system. These groups are working under extremely difficult circumstances and many of them with little or no resources. The Gathering is a national movement that creates a coordinated space to 1) fortify relationships between regional groups, 2) support local endeavors and 3) enhance the ongoing organizing of non-violent direct action training. Central to its mission is strengthening our moral environment.
- “a project of tides center” -
"The Gathering" is a project of Tides Center 501c3
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