“The Next American Revolution: Sustainable Activism for the Twenty-First Century” (2011) by Grace Lee Boggs describes the revolution that is occurring in the inner city of Detroit.
Jobs and people have fled. Tax money is scarce, and all the multiple characteristics of poverty are present. Other cities are experiencing the revolution as well. We can learn from their courage, understanding and persistence.
The characteristics of this revolution are based on:
n Self-governing local communities;
n An active citizenry in which everyone shares positions of leadership;
n Earth centeredness based on food security and environmental restoration;
n Replacement of victimhood by becoming part of the solution to the large list of issues and difficulties;
n Perception of being an integral part of the overall pattern of life;
n Development of a community of love as described by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.;
n Placement of imagination above the accumulation of knowledge as exemplified and taught by Albert Einstein;
n Implementation of problem-solving skills of basic everyday issues, e.g., available nutritious food, health care, public safety, community hygiene;
n Growth of spirit and soul through art, music, poetry and drama;
n Utilization of the pedagogical teachings of John Dewey, George Herbert Mead, Mahatma Gandhi, Paolo, Freire, George Hegel and Martin Luther King Jr.;
n Adoption of a more frugal, cooperative lifestyle;
n Comprehension that true wealth depends on the development of our natural and creative powers;
n Comprehension that real change comes from the bottom; and
n Replacement of self-pity with self-respect.