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YOUR VISION I believe that it may be
only the power and nurturance of mothers that can heal
our planet right now. As mothers we must refuse to raise
our children to kill other mothers’ children,
assert that there is more than enough to go around and
figure out how to get it around, and commit to the safe
development of every mother’s child. I believe
we have a sacred obligation to envision and then work
towards a tomorrow that is full of possibility for all.
- Susan Hay and her son Reilly
WHISPER this
to each other…
Whether you’ve never considered yourself political
or you’re a third generation activist, starting
to create the world you envision begins by whispering
to yourself what you care about most passionately. What
is your vision for your family? Your community? Your
country? Your world? What world do you want your great-grandchildren
to inherit? We are living in a time of tremendous political
change; our words, dollars, actions and votes have far-reaching
impact. ACTING UP begins with whispering what we value
and can be counted on to stand up for.
Share
your vision with friends; our strength in this movement
is our commonly held vision. Sign up for monthly updates
and share your vision with MAU. Print the MAU brochure, read it and hand it about to all your friends (conservatives and liberals alike).
Identify
any personal barriers that keep you from creating your
vision. One MAU & a group of her friends spent the
time to recognize their 5 main barriers to taking action:
I don’t see myself as an activist; I don’t
feel smart enough or articulate enough to have a public
voice; I don’t believe real and sustainable change
is possible; I don’t know what to do; I don’t
have time. Perhaps your barriers are similar…
Address
those barriers and recognize you are already an effective
advocate for children because you are passionate about
them. You don’t need to be any different, smarter,
better or more schooled. You know how you want children
to be treated and you’re willing to speak out
on their behalf. Informing yourself about the issues
and what you can do is integral to finding the courage
to stand up and speak out.
Choose
one step, a small step perhaps, that in spite of those
barriers, you are excited about taking. It may be sending
a postcard to your favorite candidate or calling the
White House comment line. First steps lead to next steps
and soon your barriers might melt away. Warning: Activism
is a lot like running downhill—it’s difficult
to stop once you get started…
For helpful tools to whisper
this to each other |
