Blessed Unrest

by jared gardner

Hope in the midst of large and overwhelming global issues. That is my conclusion as I learn of so many individuals and groups choosing to take action based on the unrest see or they themselves feel. This past April I had the privilege of attending a literary arts event where three authors mused on multiple issues of social justice. The format was great. We in the audience watched as the authors sat in comfy chairs and conversed in a way that intimately drew a thousand or so of us into the dialogue. These authors, Paul Hawken, Rebecca Solnit, and Barry Lopez, caused a shift in my thinking. It was subtle at first, but upon reflection has had a large impact in my life. First it was Paul Hawken’s description of “the largest movement in the world.” This movement, the focus of his book Blessed Unrest, is composed of millions of people around the world who are taking their own small steps in areas of social justice. Collectively these movements have grown more powerful and resilient than any top-down, centralized endeavor could ever be. I would go so far as to say that Equity Design is included in this movement. Nothing we do will directly change life on this planet for billions of people, yet we are a part of the larger movement by helping individuals become healthy with their own finances, realizing that healthy individuals comprise healthy communities, and that these individuals and communities are the embodiment of social justice on a larger scale. This blessed unrest will play out in another unique form this month with the October 9th national release of the non-profit film Call and Response (opening at Hollywood Theater Oct 9th and Living Room Theater Oct 10). Following this film will be our Community Commons - Ideas into Actions forum on October 20th where we are bringing a number of excellent non-profits together for a discussion of what is going on in the area of human and worker rights and how you can be involved.  We hope you will participate in one or both of these events and be open to what your place is in the global unrest that is bursting into new forms of life and health all around us.

About this entry

You’re currently reading “Blessed Unrest,” an entry on Equity Design.

Author:
jared gardner
Published:
10am on 10/01/08
Category:
Community Wealth, Economic Justice, Media, Non-profits, Portland Life

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