This week:
MLK & The Fierce Urgency of NOW- Evolution or Revolution Motivated by Great Feelings of Love:
On MLK Day this week, I was privileged to represent Mission Fed at Alliance San Diego’s 30th All People’s Celebration in Balboa Park. This gathering of well over 1,000 people each committed to a better community featured a powerful keynote by Eva Paterson of the Equal Justice Society, who made an eloquent and compelling case for behaving into some of the key tenets of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and juxtaposed them with what we are seeing in American civil society and politics today.
Here are some of the highlights of MLK’s dream and lowlights of today’s America that resonated most deeply for me.
Spirituality Anchored in Love: Dr. MLK stood for a beloved community girthed by a spiritual underpinning expressed in love, not fear or hate.
Racial Inclusivity: While the civil rights movement might cursorily be viewed as being about African/American issues, at its core it was about all respecting and affirming all people.
“If you wonder what you might have been doing in the early days of Nazi Germany, look at what you are doing now!”
The “knock of fear” on the doors of DACA families have striking similarities to what members of the Jewish faith experienced during World War II.
References to “$#!+hole countries” by our President, referring to Haiti and African countries reeks of racism and white supremacy.
Alternatively, fostering a culture of inclusivity invites us to learn more about each other’s cultural history and celebrate and affirm our differences not deride them.
Economic Equality: The 3 evils we need to understand and address are poverty, racism and militarism/war.
Nobody wins in the “Oppression Olympics” and nobody survives circular firing squads!
Here are some tips from Eva to keep us strong and together:
- Be Hopeful
- Be Patient
- Be Resilient
- Resist the Chaos
- Remember our History (and learn from it)
- Stay Informed
- Act/Vote! (Including in the mid-term elections)
- Practice Self-Care
“We were put on this earth to do something, not everything”
A Demand For Change Backed Up By $6 Trillion- A Sense of Purpose:
This should get your attention, because of the content and because of who it’s coming from, the CEO of BlackRock, a key investor which manages nearly $6 trillion in assets. “Society is demanding that companies, both public and private, serve a social purpose. “To prosper over time, every company must not only deliver financial performance, but also show how it makes a positive contribution to society.”
https://www.blackrock.com/corporate/en-us/investor-relations/larry-fink-ceo-letter
If you are local…
The Most Profound Experiences are Found in the Least Likely of Places:
It has been said that sometimes the most profound experiences are found in the least likely of places. Consider stepping behind the walls of prison. And that’s exactly what I’m inviting you to do with this special ticket offer to TEDxDonovanCorrectional 2018.
Last year’s inaugural TEDxDonovanCorrectional was one of the highest ranked TEDx events in history and considered to be the most successful event ever put on inside a California prison. It’s coming back on Sunday, March 11, 2018 and TEDxDonovanCorrectional extends a special invitation to you for the value it sees you bringing to this event with your community and business leadership and your vision for changing the conversation in today’s society.
The day-long event, organized by the inmates themselves in collaboration with outside volunteers, will feature 10 speakers – 5 currently incarcerated inmates and 5 outside speakers ranging from a 911 dispatcher, to a neuroscientist, to a radio hall of fame producer – all exploring the theme of “Reasoning with Reality.” As the inmates say in their own words, “TEDxDonovanCorrectional invites you into an explosion of ideas, thoughts, and emotions that are unexpected, transformative and edifying to one’s soul. Be prepared to look at reality from a whole new perspective.” Click here to reserve your seats as soon as possible.
In the spirit of TED’s mission to create ideas worth spreading, we hope you join us to create new ideas worth spreading into your community.
Be brilliant,
Mariette
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TEDxDonovanCorrectional attendee reviews say a thousand words…
“The experience was once in a lifetime. The stories shared by the men wrote on my heart forever. Their vulnerability, their personal story of transformation, their wisdom and their passion were unimaginably real.”
“I’ve been to a few TEDx events before with truly inspiring speakers, but TEDxDonovanCorrectional was by far the most meaningful, intense, eye-opening event I have ever been to. I will never forget this experience.”
“This was the most impactful, loving, expansive experience I’ve ever had in my life. It truly drew me beyond the surface of prison and the inmates showed me the deep humanity we all share.”
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Thanks this week go to the Chamber of Purpose and Conscious Capitalism teams, Mariette FdS, and all people indivisible and willing to take a stand!
Pay it forward with purpose
Love,
Neville
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“You must take personal responsibility. You cannot change the circumstances, the seasons, or the wind, but you can change yourself. That is something you have charge of.”
– Jim Rohn
Happy Soul Food Friday! 