3.07.2012

The 20%

Call it fauxtivism and call it a fad.
Call us bandwagoners and call us naive.
Tell us to look at both sides of an issue and tell us to solve problems in our own country first.
 
That's okay. I really do understand. 
                      And honestly, you may be right about a lot of it.

I'm willing to bet that 50% of the people posting about Kony 2012 had either never heard or never cared about the 26 year central African conflict before. And 80% of them won't stay involved. It happens every year with every big event. But my excitement is for the 20%:
The 20% who, like me, stayed hooked after watching the Rough Cut almost 7 years ago.
The 20% who joined in after the Global Night Commute and Displace Me.
The 20% who found their voice at The Rescue and took that voice to DC for lobby days.
The 20% who have taken their role in Schools for Schools, fighting for better education for the future leaders of Uganda.
The 20% for whom OKC is not just the city who stole the Sonics, but a turning point in their lives.
And the 20% who will continue to fight for peace long after 2012 is over.
That is what we are about.

Am I so much of an idealist to believe that Nicki Minaj and Kim Kardashian will be speakers for justice rallies ten years from now just because they tweeted about the Kony 2012 video? Not at all. But I do believe that there are some who will watch it from their tweets and become one of the 20%. And all of those 20%ers? Well add us all together and it equals a lot. Hundreds, if not thousands of youth and young adults who do their research. Who pay attention to non profit financial statements and the effectiveness of the programs they support.

I have personally seen dozens who have changed career paths to promote justice for all, as Invisible Children was merely the open door, allowing them to see that there are things going on outside of suburbia that need to be addressed. I have seen former roadies and office personnel come off their time with IC hungry for more. Some continue with IC/Resolve, others have gotten involved with non-profits dedicated to poverty and trafficking, both domestic and international. For me, being involved in invisible children helped me get past myself. It pushed me to get involved in community development projects and sex trafficking awareness programs. It made me add a non-profit management focus to my degree plan, along with some extra time in school. My heart is burdened for the broken, the neglected, the abused. And for over 6 Years, the primary avenue I have taken is through invisible children and resolve. I have still been involved in homeless ministry and my dream job would be working internationally with women pulled out of sex trafficking. But it all started with a 50 minute video when I was a senior in high school, made by three guys who had no idea what they were doing.

So hear me out:
Not all of us are just along for the ride and plan on jumping off as soon as we hit a stop sign or a bump in the road-- or as soon as Facebook and Twitter shut up about it. And yes, we do have problems here. Huge ones. Homelessness and disease, abuse and neglect. But I pass the reigns to you on that one. This is the biggest issue that has been laid on my life for the time being, so I ask you to go out and start something for the issue on yours. But please don't be upset that my campaign stays true to the burden of my heart. I will gladly help you fight for peace and justice and will support you in campaigns you may start, and I don't see them as conflicting just because one is international and one is domestic. We are all humans, no matter where we were born, and we all have lives that deserve protecting. 

We all have a voice to use. Are you going to use yours to complain about me using mine? 
              Or will you stand up, and use yours to fight for freedom? 

This isn't the issue that pulls your heart and that's fine.                
                But what is? And what are you going to do about it?

                 "You don't have to support #kony2012. But don't hinder the world,
           especially the youth, from realizing the power of their voice." -Megan Duhon