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Civic Engagement
Civic engagement is the notion of belonging, the experience of investment and the position of ownership you feel throughout your local, regional, national and international communities. But in order to be engaged in your community and in your world, you must have the inner strength it takes to reach out for your destiny.
Civic engagement is your responsibility. I truly believe that every one of us was put here on this planet for a unique purpose. To fail to reach out and extend yourself toward that purpose at any point in your lifetime is the fate of so many would-be contributors. Every human’s goal in life should be to make the world a better place. Do you take from the world or do you give?
Civic engagement is your challenge…because to be engaged means to put yourself out there. To put yourself out there means that you could possibly be rejected, disrespected, denied, ridiculed or even hated. What happens if you DON’T put yourself out there? What would happen if you did?
Civic engagement is your thrill...because knowing that you have made a difference in your world is an exhilarating feeling!
Back to Dayton!
I'll be delivering a keynote address about civic engagement at the QUEST FOR COMMUNITY conference at Wright State University, Friday at 9 a.m. with filmmaker Joanne Caputo and a screening of her documentary film, "On A Roll: Family, Disability and the American Dream." For details, visit Wright State University's Web site at www.wright.edu. I'm looking forward to returning to the community where I lived for four years and which embraced me and my family after Hurricane Katrina. It will be great to see friends and those I love dearly. Did you know that Wright State University is one of the most accessible campuses in America?
This Week's Show
For a great example of civic engagement, tune in to The Strength Coach Radio Show this week to meet Cholene Espinoza, a 21st century hero. Air Force cadet, U-2 spy plane pilot, commercial airline captain and embedded war reporter, she has lived many lives. Upon her return to the States from covering the war in Iraq, Espinoza felt lost. A devout Christian from childhood, her once high spirits and rock solid faith faltered.
Then came Hurricane Katrina. The nonstop images of destruction—along with the realization that FEMA was doing nothing—pushed Espinoza’s faith to the limit. A chance encounter leads to a journey into the dark heart of the storm’s aftermath in DeLisle, Miss. The people there are stronger than all the obstacles they face, and this indomitable human spirit turns around her life. Through the Eye of the Storm (Chelsea Green Publishing, April 2006) is Espinoza’s riveting story from the battlefields of Iraq to Hurricane Katrina’s devastated Gulf Coast.
Filled with a steely resolve to make a difference, Espinoza and her life partner Ellen Ratner drove a U-Haul loaded with relief supplies to Katrina-ravaged Mississippi. There they set about rebuilding the shattered lives they found, but a strange thing happened: in helping these “victims,” Cholene discovers their grit and resilience have much to teach her about how to live. The love her new friends display in the face of disaster feeds her spirit. Espinoza is transformed, her faith renewed, her capacity to give and receive reborn in this moving story of loss, recovery and the healing power of community.
Proceeds from Through the Eye of the Storm will fund the construction of the Pass Christian/DeLisle Community Center in Pass Christian, Miss.
Greg Smith Speaks!
Whether the subject is personal development through building inner strength, disability lifestyle and awareness, or men's issues, Greg Smith is a great option for your next conference or meeting. Call him today at 877-331-7563.
The Extra Point!
I'm proof against that word failure. I've seen behind it. The only failure a man ought to fear is failure of cleaving to the purpose he sees to be best.
-- George Eliot
Greg's work is supported in part by the Mississippi Council on Developmental Disabilities. Does your state's DD Council support disability media initiatives? Why not? To find out how, call 1-877-331-7563.
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