Invest in Students ~ Invest in Change

Reprinted with permission from the October Issue of Ladybug Flights.

Several months ago a rumbling began in the LGBT movement, propelled by the cascade of states ready to recognize the pairing of non-straight people and the shocking loss of marriage equality in California. A few national organizations started talking about a National March on the Mall for Equality.

As we are Americans, everyone had an opinion. Many felt and some still feel that it is not the right time because we are working hard in many states, mostly running on fumes, fund raising, collecting signatures, electing politicians who are ready to embrace that humanity is diverse. Others put their heads down, got the required permits and put one foot in front of another. For weeks blogs, posts, tweets were argumentative, contentious, competitive, mostly questioning the timing or defending a national march.

I never questioned for one moment. To me nothing is as effective, productive, long lasting, transforming as a march. I posted the question on Facebook ~ how did your life of activism begin and everyone who responded said it was a march. From the moment the decision is made, an individual begins planning, thinking, dreaming (possibly scheming) about the march. The three hours of walking and listening to speakers is only the cherry on top of the sumptuous sundae of becoming a changemaker.

Today you can effectively participate in politics, movements, marches right there at your desk or on your couch. You can collect signatures, blog, post, tweet, make calls, reach out through a network of your own design. If you can't go to a march for any reason, you can sponsor someone who can. It is an investment with high yield returns. Gandhi's life would have been entirely different without, Herman Kallenbach and the dozens of benefactors who contributed to the ashram and the campaign. You will be confirming someone's ideals and making it possible to see them realized.
   
One group that has caught my attention is Students for the National Equality March. Through the spectacular social media network of Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, this is a national organization supporting students who have the time, the passion, the character to come to Washington DC for the March for Equality but need sponsorship. In addition, members of Students for the National March for Equality will be posting and tweeting, so you can follow minute by minute. This is the new electronic movement; exciting and unstoppable.

Of course the real payoff happens when that marcher comes home. They are, not just changed, but are now a changemaker. They have found that an ideal, manifest in community, is irresistible.

Happily over 200 organizations have endorsed the National March for Equality and are collecting a force for change. You can find out all about it at Equality Across America. The excitement is building. The District of Columbia is voting on marriage equality, Rep Nadler is introducing a bill to repeal DOMA, Vermont has Hubby, Hubby ice cream to celebrate gay marriage. The country is on the March! I marched in 1968, 71, 72, 78, 80, …. and 2009! I hope you will march with me in person or virtually.