Comments on: Blog Action Day: What’s Your Relationship to Poverty? http://entrylevelliving.wordpress.com/2008/10/15/whats-your-relationship-to-poverty-6/ The Personal and Professional Insights of a Struggling College Grad Fri, 01 Jan 2010 00:22:45 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: Brian Siegel http://entrylevelliving.wordpress.com/2008/10/15/whats-your-relationship-to-poverty-6/#comment-403 Brian Siegel Tue, 28 Oct 2008 03:54:28 +0000 http://entrylevelliving.wordpress.com/2008/10/15/whats-your-relationship-to-poverty-6/#comment-403 I appreciate your candid and real insights to poverty, how it relates to you personally, as well as what you are doing about it! All too often people 'shift blame vs. shift change', so thank you. I too grew up 'humbly gracious' to say the least, and it truly makes you who you are, almost 'training for life'. This is proved for your ambitious and genuine endeavors via the non-profit realm, which I also share your values, as well as experiences. My non-profit journey started during youth, where I grew up in challenging environments with a single mother and sister. She instilled tremendous hope, values, and example of how to live working as a social worker, and wonderful mother. It separated us from the folks who blamed their lack of movement in life on their environment, as my mother directed us on how to shape/mold our surroundings vs. vice versa! I still recall friends from youth who claimed they could not do certain things because of where we were from, yet I consistently amplified a 'can do' voice. It is extremely important to have role models, mentors, and support in your life to get feedback, direction, and good decision making on your journey. I was blessed with some great voices in my life, as well as learning how to listen, grow, observe, and with conviction understand "How you react to obstacles defines your identity". This carried over to how persistent and passionate I am today, and I notice that in your writings, the reason I am reaching out to you. My first 'formal' non-profit service work (besides the occasional food/clothing drive, soup kitchen work) was in 1999 with the YWCA Battered Women's Shelter, where I tutored, mentored, and did what I could to make positive impact. Since then, I formed my own non-profit, and have connected to many other organizations and projects to utilize my education, leadership, skills,and experiences to inspire others. I appreciate that you are doing the same, invite you to learn more about what has been 'built' since '99, and check out "One Community" via facebook groups until our new site is launched! I appreciate your creative writing, connecting, and spirit. Never lose that, and never allow anyone to steal it, as we need more 'heart print' makers on this planet. Also, thank you for inspiring others via your journey vs. making it a crutch. Feel free to share how I/we can be of service for you and your family, as well as connect our non-profit ideas/partnership to improve lives, awareness, and impact! Sincerely, Brian Siegel I appreciate your candid and real insights to poverty, how it relates to you personally, as well as what you are doing about it! All too often people ’shift blame vs. shift change’, so thank you. I too grew up ‘humbly gracious’ to say the least, and it truly makes you who you are, almost ‘training for life’. This is proved for your ambitious and genuine endeavors via the non-profit realm, which I also share your values, as well as experiences. My non-profit journey started during youth, where I grew up in challenging environments with a single mother and sister. She instilled tremendous hope, values, and example of how to live working as a social worker, and wonderful mother. It separated us from the folks who blamed their lack of movement in life on their environment, as my mother directed us on how to shape/mold our surroundings vs. vice versa! I still recall friends from youth who claimed they could not do certain things because of where we were from, yet I consistently amplified a ‘can do’ voice. It is extremely important to have role models, mentors, and support in your life to get feedback, direction, and good decision making on your journey. I was blessed with some great voices in my life, as well as learning how to listen, grow, observe, and with conviction understand “How you react to obstacles defines your identity”. This carried over to how persistent and passionate I am today, and I notice that in your writings, the reason I am reaching out to you. My first ‘formal’ non-profit service work (besides the occasional food/clothing drive, soup kitchen work) was in 1999 with the YWCA Battered Women’s Shelter, where I tutored, mentored, and did what I could to make positive impact. Since then, I formed my own non-profit, and have connected to many other organizations and projects to utilize my education, leadership, skills,and experiences to inspire others. I appreciate that you are doing the same, invite you to learn more about what has been ‘built’ since ‘99, and check out “One Community” via facebook groups until our new site is launched!

I appreciate your creative writing, connecting, and spirit. Never lose that, and never allow anyone to steal it, as we need more ‘heart print’ makers on this planet. Also, thank you for inspiring others via your journey vs. making it a crutch. Feel free to share how I/we can be of service for you and your family, as well as connect our non-profit ideas/partnership to improve lives, awareness, and impact!

Sincerely,
Brian Siegel

]]> By: Dorothy http://entrylevelliving.wordpress.com/2008/10/15/whats-your-relationship-to-poverty-6/#comment-391 Dorothy Sun, 19 Oct 2008 06:58:41 +0000 http://entrylevelliving.wordpress.com/2008/10/15/whats-your-relationship-to-poverty-6/#comment-391 Very insightful post! I really didn't think about the different types of poverty there were and how each type's needs differ. Very insightful post! I really didn’t think about the different types of poverty there were and how each type’s needs differ.

]]> By: Kim http://entrylevelliving.wordpress.com/2008/10/15/whats-your-relationship-to-poverty-6/#comment-389 Kim Fri, 17 Oct 2008 00:30:04 +0000 http://entrylevelliving.wordpress.com/2008/10/15/whats-your-relationship-to-poverty-6/#comment-389 Awesome post. I hope you don't mind me sharing a bit of my own interaction with this issue. You know... since beginning my reading of bell hooks I have been more conscious of how class plays a role in my life and how I have benefited from my class status. Sometimes I do feel anxiety with some people I meet thinking that there won't be enough commonalities between us, especially if I meet people who are really into money, jewelry, cars, clothes and other material things that I don't place so much emphasis on. This kind of disconnect happens on all class levels with me; with materialistic rich people I feel contempt and with materialistic poor people I feel guilt, like I'm being judgmental for misunderstanding the source of that materialism. This kind of thinking does close me off in a box where I surround myself with other middle class people and rarely let other people into that space. Finding that middle ground is hard for me because I am so used to treating issues like they are black or white. Anyway, I'm sharing all of this because this is something that I would really like to work at so thank you for your notes and for bringing this up. I will make an effort at "getting personal" beyond my boxed-in life. Awesome post.

I hope you don’t mind me sharing a bit of my own interaction with this issue. You know… since beginning my reading of bell hooks I have been more conscious of how class plays a role in my life and how I have benefited from my class status. Sometimes I do feel anxiety with some people I meet thinking that there won’t be enough commonalities between us, especially if I meet people who are really into money, jewelry, cars, clothes and other material things that I don’t place so much emphasis on. This kind of disconnect happens on all class levels with me; with materialistic rich people I feel contempt and with materialistic poor people I feel guilt, like I’m being judgmental for misunderstanding the source of that materialism. This kind of thinking does close me off in a box where I surround myself with other middle class people and rarely let other people into that space. Finding that middle ground is hard for me because I am so used to treating issues like they are black or white.

Anyway, I’m sharing all of this because this is something that I would really like to work at so thank you for your notes and for bringing this up. I will make an effort at “getting personal” beyond my boxed-in life.

]]> By: Alanna http://entrylevelliving.wordpress.com/2008/10/15/whats-your-relationship-to-poverty-6/#comment-388 Alanna Thu, 16 Oct 2008 01:55:01 +0000 http://entrylevelliving.wordpress.com/2008/10/15/whats-your-relationship-to-poverty-6/#comment-388 This is such an important thing to get into the discussion of poverty. I am going to be recommending this post to everyone I know. This is such an important thing to get into the discussion of poverty. I am going to be recommending this post to everyone I know.

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