People are constantly saying, “I can’t change the world. I’m only one person.” Well for me there has always been more to that saying, “I can’t change the world. I am only one teenager; one kid.” For a period of time I honesty felt this way. I felt that there was no way I could ever change the world. Then I started a class at DREAMS Center for Arts Education; though I signed up for a theatre class little did I know that it would end up affecting my life in such a way. At the start of the class the instructor (Ron Dortch) asked each student what they wanted to be when they grew up. I stood up and told him, “I want to be an activist”. Instead of staring at me incredulously or laughing; he looked at me and told me, “Then you will be an activist.” Those words gave me the strength and encouragement I needed to know that can I be an activist; that I can be an activist now; I don’t have to wait until I am older.
At the same time my mom began working with ONE. This gave me numerous opportunities to use my voice. I can sign petitions, I can go to government meetings, and I can even write letters to my senators and representatives. I went with my Mom to work at ONE table’s and spread the word about ONE because it is truly making a difference.
Near the end of my time with Brother Ron he asked us to do a faith project. I wrote a monologue and to end this post I would like to insert a section of that monologue.
I believe in a lot of things. I believe that peace is more rewarding than war. I believe that love can conquer hate. I believe that we will one day be able to work together and end global poverty and the spread of AIDS. I believe that everyone has a voice that needs to be heard. I believe that education is the tool to the future. I believe that I CAN make a difference in the world.
My faith is simple, I want to live each and everyday to the fullest and not care what other people think. I want to make an impact on the world today. I want to prove that anyone anywhere in any day and age can do anything they put their mind to.