By Neal Lemery
How am I to react to the news of the day, all the disasters, chaos and turmoil? All the talk of doom and gloom, of institutional dysfunction and the inability to solve problems?
I don’t handle these current events well, and find myself getting anxious and stressed, bogged down and stuck in the mud. Yet, I know that good things can happen, that we as a society can and do advance and change things for the better. A lot of such goodness doesn’t make the evening news or gets talked about much in conversations, but great things are happening and people are making healthy strides to make the world a better place.
Margaret Meade wrote “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.”
I see that thought in action all the time in my community. I’ve been involved with a group concerned about youth access to good writing experiences and a need to showcase their work. We have an enormous diversity of talent and boundless energy. Our weekly meetings have resulted in a weekend writing festival with workshops and open mics, and a first class published anthology of student and adult writings that is being made available to the public. Money raised at the event will help fund scholarships for high school writers. Lives are being changed, and we have been a source of that change.
We are all volunteers, and share a dream of providing opportunities for creative kids to grow, share their talents, and be recognized for their artistry and talents. You can find out more about us, our work, and the power of serving youth, at the Rockaway Writers Rendezvous website, https://rbwriters.com. The Pioneer will be publishing the writing, featuring videos of some of the presentations and events.
We took this on as a labor of love, and as something worthy of filling some needs in this community, a space for youth to grow and celebrate, to be artists and gain some worthy recognition for their goodness. Many adults participated, too, gaining confidence, exposure and experience in their own creativity, and giving the community a stunning display of their talents.
I don’t like the feeling of being helpless, of not being able to be a worker in the social and cultural gardens of the community, to make life better, and to ease the pain of loneliness and being unrecognized, unloved. I know that together, we can help each other, to be happy and productive, to build a better world.
Our group of radical activists is really not all that unique. I see similar involvement and social change most everywhere I go. People getting together to make positive change, to help others, and to be examples of making a positive difference. Such work seems to not be all that newsworthy, but we are making a difference, changing the world. And, it feels really good.
Watch for regular Rockaway Writers Rendezvous stories, videos and more! And be sure to mark your calendar for next year’s event – we’ll announce the dates soon.