Why this blog?
This blog has been long in coming. Audrey Watson, the YesMagazine.org editor, has been urging me to do a blog, and I think I understand why now, so here is what I’d like to offer.
As executive editor of YES! magazine, I encounter people, ideas, and new initiatives that show signs that a better world is not only possible, it is being built every day.
Yes, this is a time of backwardness coming out of Washington, a time of war and violence, climate disruption, empire-building, and intolerance.
But in a time of transition and chaos, a society can go in any number of possible directions. How things turn out will depend on each of us and what we choose to do, and on how smart we are about working together.
To do good and powerful work, we need to know that a positive direction is possible. If you are a YES! reader, you know that this is the purpose of YES! magazine. By giving attention to positive work, dialogues, experiments, and visions, we get smarter, more effective, more energized about the possibilities. And knowing how this work is unfolding can give us a clearer sense of how we each can play a part.
So this blog will not be a place where you will find the latest dirt on some wrong doer or signs of the break down of our society.
Instead, I offer you evidence that we just might come through this period of darkness into a time of new energy and new capacity to confront together climate change, nuclear proliferation, job flight, intolerance, and despair.
I also will offer some behind-the-scenes glimpses of how YES! comes together – perhaps a tidbit from our wide-ranging and often hilarious staff lunches or an insight into our struggles to clarify an issue theme.
And occasionally, I’ll write some news from home. I live on the reservation of the Suquamish Tribe, the people of Chief Seattle, and I offer my time to an organization I co-founded, Suquamish Olalla Neighbors, which is working to build a stronger sense of community and respect between the non-Native and Native communities. (See Going Home in the Winter 2005 issue of YES!)
I hope you will check back often, and leave a comment now and then. And if you like what you read here, I hope you will email this link to your friends.
posted by Sarah van Gelder @ 12:50 PM
5 comments
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5 Comments:
A positive blog? I can't wait.
Magnificant,Inspiring, Great Idea
The world needs more role models that are change agents in their communities, like you Sarah. I would love to get inside the brain of someone motivated every day by a higher world vision that makes such a difference in her community.
This article - Reader Stories And Letters - has been sent to you by mmurphy10@fuse.net.
Editor Sarah Van Gelder--Two local Cincinnatians who I think merit an article in Yes! are energy efficiency expert John Robbins (of Independence, KY), who can be reached via aea1@aea.org.
Second person is Peter Block who has (with others) designed a series of six cascading questions which, when used in small groups of about 6 persons, are aimed at re-generating
'civic engagement' and leading to the 'restoration of community.' Can be reached via www.asmallgroup.net
I have met and had lengthy contact with each of these men and find them to be remarkable effective individuals. I hope you contact them and do an article around each one.
Mike Murphy
ps--I have three other Ohio people/organizations I would like to recommend, but first I must say that I spent an hour trying to send this message. Probably largely due to my own unfamiliarity with computers and your site. I mention this because I love your magazine, but find this site a bit user-unfriendly.
Sarah,
It is the 6 month anniversary of the Katrina/Rita hurricanes. In response to this outrageious situation, we are calling for a national Day of Prayer and Call to Action...and we will keep the issue of the Gulf coast Survivors front and center with monthly events building to an action in the Gulf Coast at 9 months, and a national action in Washington at the 12th month marker holding our federal elected leaders, beginning with Bush accountable.... We are building a coalition of interfaith and civil rights leaders. Please consider endorsing and joining this alliance. You can find more information on this at www.linkedfate.org. We will continue to build this response through the one year anniversary. Please share this information with your readers.
Thank you for your Executive Editor comments in the Winter 2006 issue JUST AND GREEN REBUILDING... We are also tracking the developments of the race and class concerns that erupted in the gulf coast as well as the many cities which are part of the "slow moving hurricanes" at our website METROEQUITY.NET...which features a Katrina resource section.
We need the leadership which your voice provides on these issues....Every word was right on time and right on target. The corruption and the abandonment, are at an all time high...Is there any message more capable of mobilizing our outrage and compassion , or awakening our moral imagination than the plight of the Gulf Coast survivors?
Kudos to you and to Yes for helping us keep this message front and center. from paloma Pavel
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