Geowareness

EYL

2008-08-08T10:37:00.000-07:00

Recently, I staffed at a youth camp called Extreme Youth Leadership, or EYL for short at Angelo State University in San Angelo, Texas.

For six long days I spent most of my time performing precarious team building exercises, like for instance one where a six-foot-four man wanted me to climb on his shoulders so 30+ people could fit into a two-by-two foot square, eating college cafeteria food and relearning who I am. To say it was a long week is drastically understating it.

The purpose of EYL, like so many other camps, is to empower and strengthen our youth through relationships and good old-fashioned fun. To be more specific, EYL is about bringing youth groups together for a shared purpose of making life better in their own communities. Many were committed to reducing the number of drunk driving accidents, helping students make better decisions, or bettering themselves, as was the case with my group.

The process of action planning, however, reminded me of something I had forgotten in the busy humdrum of my pre-EYL life, as I like to call it. There is a process to this life, that should we choose to use it, will change the world. But that’s just it; it’s all about the choice, one that we all have, one that isn’t always easy. And it takes love, above all else. Love for yourself and for the rest of humanity.

I had forgotten that, too.

I also learned something else at EYL.

My organization, the Texas School Safety Center, trains a variety of people on a variety of problems including Internet safety, bullying, dating violence, drugs, gangs, cultural diversity, just to name a few.

Just glancing over our repertoire you may or may not see the common thread linking these topics to our youth: respect and self-esteem. Respect for yourself and for others, and enough self-esteem to stand up to bullies, to the drugs, to the gangs, to online predators. If we empowered our youth with these two principles, what improvements would we see in our schools, in our future?

-Rebekah

A Controversial Execution in Texas...

2008-08-07T14:21:00.000-07:00

http://www.cnn.com/2008/CRIME/08/05/scotus.execution/index.html

Love to hear your thoughts on this one.

One more way Facebook is changing us....

2008-07-31T10:03:00.001-07:00

http://www.onteenstoday.com/2008/07/22/serial-friending-how-facebook-is-changing-the-definition-of-friendship/

How Will Facebook Influence Future Elections?

2008-07-14T14:00:00.000-07:00

http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/commentary/la-oe-savage14-2008jul14,0,7689709.story

Is the Internet Changing Us?

2008-06-16T08:52:00.001-07:00

I had to begin this week with this fascinating article I found over the weekend from Atlantic called “Is Google Making Us Stoopid?”

We are all well aware of the many complaints about the Internet’s changing our kids’ reading and writing habits. Educators everywhere charge the Internet, along with text messaging, with disrupting our children’s ability to read and write properly.

Much of this is due to the increased demand for speed over accuracy so that “Where are you?” becomes “WHR R U?” or “I’m confused, please explain” turns into “???”
Convenient, yes, but some educators have even found this net lingo spilling over into school essays and homework assignments.

The Atlantic article, however, adds an entirely new complaint that this quick-paced, convenient tool is changing the way we all think, read and write. The author begins with an anecdote that he can no longer sit down with a long article or book and dedicate the amount of time and brain power necessary to digest the information properly.

Indeed, I’m not sure I’ll finish writing this article in one sitting and certainly I insist on checking my e-mail(s) numerous times while I read, work, or write.
With the rise of attention deficit disorder, not only in children but also in adults, I wonder, like the author, if technology is changing our brains, making us more distracted and destroying our ability to focus on any one task.

On the other side, experts claim that social networking and other technology like chatting can actually improve children’s writing and creativity skills. We also cannot deny the power of this phenomenal tool to search for and gain knowledge previously unavailable. People have more control over the information they receive and can even contribute to the collective knowledge of our world, an empowering and liberating ability.

Needless to say, much like the printing press changed society, so will the Internet in ways unforeseen but ultimately positive. It’s the growing pains that we’ve got to muddle through, just as all societies have. Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to check my e-mail.

There's hope for us after all....

2008-06-05T11:42:00.000-07:00

http://www.fastcompany.com/blog-post/leadership-defined-generation-y-women

Format change

2008-05-30T07:32:00.000-07:00

We found an interesting article about the social network pages of young teachers. Should teachers be held to a higher level public scrutiny? What does this say about the future generation of teachers? How will they be different from our teachers?

On another note, we're going to change the format of our blog to reflect more "blog-like" activities. We'll keep writing the articles as often as we can, but we'll also post interesting information from wherever we can find it that deals with our generation in one way or another. Please comment on these, too. Remember, dialogue (or diablogue if you're feeling witty) is our goal.

It's been a while, we know...

2008-05-27T12:51:00.001-07:00

Anyone interested in a career with government? More jobs coming our way!

What do you think?

More articles coming soon, we promise!!!

Close to home??

2008-04-30T12:52:00.000-07:00

We'd love to hear your thoughts on this article from The Baylor Lariat.

http://www.baylor.edu/Lariat/news.php?action=story&story=50768

In Honor of Earth Day

2008-04-22T12:32:00.000-07:00

Have you changed your lifestyle to make it more "green"? What kind of changes have you made?

2008-04-16T17:41:00.000-07:00

I wanted to add that since I’ve written the article about green trends, I’ve noticed even more companies advertising their “greenness.” WalMart launched a green campaign, as did David Weekley Homes, a Texas homebuilder. Because this month hosts Earth Day in a couple of days, even radio stations have picked up on the trend. All of this reinforces the idea that this trendiness of green permeates all aspects of our culture. Do you have any plans for Earth Day?

Rebekah

Studying Foreign Language: ¿Vale la pena? (Is is worth it?)

2008-04-15T06:48:00.000-07:00

by Faith Rice-Mills

Every semester when I teach beginning Spanish, I am curious about my students’ reasons for taking the class. On the index cards I pass out at the start of the semester, the students tell me their names, age, birthdays and what they hope to take away from the class. While many write “I want to be able to talk to people from other countries,” many responses still indicate the only reason the student is taking the class is because it is required for his or her degree.

My class is not necessarily always a fun class. Yes, I try to hold their interest by piling bizarre clothing on top of my outfit and teaching them that my Turkish belly dancing skirt is “una falda azul {a blue skirt} and my rain boots are “mis botas feas” {my ugly boots}. But an infinite number of workbook pages and hours upon hours of watching the Spanish language soap opera Destinos does not always endear me to my students.

I do not expect my students to love my class or even like it. What is disappointing is the lack of interest in learning a subject that could eventually prove to be valuable. Many of these students have been taught to believe that if an individual immigrates to the United States, he or she should learn English. While I will not agree or disagree with this opinion, I notice that the same people refuse to acknowledge that one day they may be in a situation where English is not the dominant language and they will not be able to communicate.

It is impossible for me to comprehend this aversion for learning another language. Does it originate from fear? Are we afraid that if we are bilingual we will lose our identity as Americans? Many young French, Danish, German, Japanese and Mexicans have been speaking English since a young age and yet continue to identify with their culture. Or maybe it is because, although we do not express it explicitly, we have an inherent belief that the United States is an empire and everyone should eventually have to learn its dominant language.

I have heard many complaints: “I hate that so many instructions come in both Spanish and English,” “I hate it that I have to wait to listen to the Spanish recording when I want to talk to someone at the bank.” I have heard clerks complain when Spanish speakers come to their lines and only know a few words of English. However, these same people vacation as far as Europe or as close as Mexico and complain because no one can give them directions. It baffles me when they say “I mean, come on, how hard is it to learn a few words of English.”

How hard is it to learn a few words of Spanish? How about a few words of Chinese? German? Arabic? There is no method proven accurate in measuring the difficulty of learning a foreign language being that the capacity to learn language varies from individual to individual. I will not lie; it is not exactly easy. I have studied Spanish for ten years and sometimes still say “la día” instead of “el día.” At the same time, I also know that most Spanish speakers appreciate any attempt to communicate with them in their native tongue and don't mind “la día.” I assume speakers of many other languages feel the same way.

I am not suggesting we all sit down for an hour every day and conjugate verbs. I am not suggesting everyone be bilingual. I am simply hoping for a change in perspective. The belief that the United States is a powerhouse and therefore everyone must learn to communicate with us instead of vice versa is ignorant. Since I graduated from college my peers (who mostly did not remember much from their foreign language classes) have gone on to teach in Japan and complete their medical school rotations in hospitals located on the Texas border. As a history teacher, my sister was assigned three ESL classes and most of her students do not communicate in English. Even Brad Paisley sings, “I wish you would study Spanish” to his former self in the song “Letter to Me.”

In our changing world it is necessary that we see other languages as tools rather than use our lack of knowledge about them as an excuse to fuel ignorance and prejudice. Whether the United States remains a major world power or not, it is imperative that we recognize our need for communication, even if we are communicating with very few words. I will help you get started; Hola. ¿Cómo te llamas? [Hi. What is your name}. Now repeat. Next word: Mucho gusto {Nice to meet you}. Now repeat and then repeat it to someone you have just met.

Question of the Week: 4/15/08

2008-04-15T06:47:00.000-07:00

Tell us about your 2007 income tax experience. Will it affect the way you vote in 2008?

Synonyms: Green and Trendy?

2008-04-15T06:45:00.001-07:00

Does anyone remember last fall when NBC went "Green" for a week? They included infomercials with NBC celebs spouting tips and facts about how to live "greener," and the kicker: a "Green" wedding on the soap opera Days of Our Lives, equipped with a "How To" guide to have the "green" wedding of your dreams (never mind this is the character's tenth time to wed.)

Yes, folks, being "green" is now equivalent to being the cool kid in school. Green has gone mainstream.

If you watch television on a semi-regular basis you've seen the commercials for old brands with new outlooks. Chlorox offers an "all natural" line now, as do almost all major brands and, even if you don't shop at Whole Foods, you can still buy "green," and you can still BYOB (Bring Your Own Bag.)

There are new brands on the market, too. Seventh Generation, for example, whose newsletter the Non-Toxic Times also instructs and informs consumers about all things healthy and natural, recently made a cameo in the romantic comedy "27 Dresses" with big-name celebrities Katherine Heigl, James Marsden and Edward Burns. Consequently Edward Burns' character is also very green. He drives a hybrid and is a vegetarian.

It's not just cleaning products either. General Electric, a company with a history of promoting its stewardship of Mother Earth, recently aired an ad with a house-hugging tree, a play on the popular phrase 'tree hugger.'

Even more fascinating is a recent New York Times piece, which innocently poked fun at the trendiness of "green" in an article called "For ‘EcoMoms,’ Saving Earth Begins at Home." This article looked particularly at women in one of the wealthiest parts of the United States and captured the guilt they feel for their 4,000 plus square-foot homes and four-car garages. They sit around contemplating how to remove dry-erase markers from their children's schools and reading the "Green and Clean Mom" blog, all the while lessening their carbon footprint.

It's a conundrum indeed.

If media is ultimately a reflection of society, then we're living in a relatively green society, where a majority of Americans make a conscious effort to conserve, reuse and recycle, great news for the earth and its most fastidious proponents. Trends circulate ideas to mass amounts of people, who may otherwise never understand the need to go green or the current environmental problems we face. Trends, indeed, change the world.

The problem with trends is that they are just that: they change, they fade, and you look back in ten years and ask, "What were we thinking?" Trends may also lead to "fake" advertising and gimmicks. Companies may label their products "natural" or "organic" just to make an extra buck. Without any sort of regulation, anything can be "green."

Recently a woman asked Yahoo! Answers "How long do you think this 'green' trend will last?" It's a question on a lot of people's minds, despite where you might fall on the political spectrum. Sadly, the most popular answer on Yahoo! was "When it stops making companies money," and for all of our sakes, I hope that proves untrue.

Rebekah Sills

Thoughts on Relationships

2008-02-14T11:37:00.000-08:00

by Rebekah Sills

I visited a new church a few Sundays ago. I was skeptical about whether I would enjoy the service, being that it's one of those giant churches smack dab in the middle of the Austin suburbs. But surprisingly I not only enjoyed it, I'm still thinking about the implications of the message almost three weeks later.

Most sermons begin with a question and then attempt to answer that question in three points stretched over the course of three Sundays. This particular sermon asked the question "Where is God, and why won't He show up every once in a while?" I attended church the third Sunday when the pastor honed in on his answer.

Where is God? It's a simple enough question, and the answer is one that might surprise you.

The short answer: God shows up in people. God is in you and me—an answer I find profound, yet amazingly simple.

Relationships. A word that is almost synonymous with people. The word relationship means the state of being connected, whether it's two people or ten. So where is God? God’s right here in our relationships—in people, in our neighbors, friends, coworkers and family. And, God is in strangers, too.

Regardless of what you believe, if anything at all, the message of relationships and connectedness surpasses religion. We're born into relationships, as the product of relationships. Sometimes these relationships break, sometimes they don't last, but just as we're born into them, we're meant to remain in them.

We are not designed to live alone, to live disconnected from each other. We thrive when we have social networks for support. We fall apart when we don't.

I often think about how our world has become more connected with the advancement of technology. We now live in a "global era" and we hear talk about "globalization" and the "international community." But sometimes it seems like these technological advancements only further separate people. It creates a newfound awareness of "us" and "them," the "other," and we're not exactly rushing to overcome the cultural, ideological and socioeconomic barriers. If anything, we continue to support and pay attention to that which reinforces our own beliefs, our own status quo.

I realize it seems idealistic and perhaps a little too simplistic. I know that standing in a circle and holding hands while singing Kum ba yah won't halt the violence in Kenya or Iraq. It won't solve the clash over immigration in the United States. It won't bring redemption or justice. But the simple act of remembering that we humans, ALL humans, need each other in order to survive, to grow, to live is enough.

Look around. Look at people. There's beauty in the way your life is guided by individuals, through conversations and sometimes even through five minute interactions. We live in this world together, and what affects one affects us all.

So stop looking up and start looking around you.

When Did Yogurt Become the Enemy?

2008-02-14T11:21:00.000-08:00

by CKM

“When did yogurt become the enemy?”

My good friend, Liz, asked me this recently when describing her mother’s refrigerator filled to the brim with what Liz calls “fake food.” Instead of eating real yogurt—the kind we grew up on—Liz found some fake substitute in its place with half the fat, half the calories, guaranteed to make you thinner in a week! Liz lamented that this is what it’s come to—that because her mother is so desperate to lose weight, she’ll sacrifice eating real food for food that’s been scientifically modified and put through the processing ringer for hours so this fake form of yogurt is produced with a half the fat guarantee.

This is also an issue Michael Pollan addresses in his new book, In Defense of Food so you might want to check that out, as well.

In bringing up Liz’s frustrations with fake food, though, I wish not to delve into the horrors of the processed food we all partake. Whether it’s the 2%, low-fat cheese or the reduced-fat Wheat Thins, we’ve all become desperate to lose weight and be healthy and to purchase food items (whether they are real or fake, that is the question) that make us feel like we’re eating healthy and taking care of our bodies. However, there’s something lost in this quest to appease our psychological need—enjoyment of eating real, whole foods. It’s also much healthier to eat real, whole foods than the fake, processed foods that claim to be lower in fat, sodium, you name it, because, at the end of the day, you don’t have to worry about the origins of your food. This is also a benefit of eating local foods straight from the farmer who grew it, but that’s a whole other article.

I recently gave up meat (pork, chicken and beef). I’m on a trial run during this season of Lent, but hope to continue the pursuit of becoming a Vegetarian or at least stick to eating only grass-fed beef, free-range chicken, etc. once Lent ends. It’s been quite the challenge for this West Texas girl, born and raised on beef and potatoes; however, it’s also prompted me to return to REAL food. I’ve been trying new recipes and new vegetables and found myself, scrambling at times, to find new sources of protein so my hypoglycemia and headaches don’t spin out of control.

So this morning, in an attempt to load up with protein, I ordered the Progress Coffee “special” recipe of granola and yogurt—real, whole milk, pure and simple yogurt. It was magical. My taste buds leapt for joy, my stomach sang with enjoyment, my palette was perfectly satisfied. And, no head ache is in sight.

Come to find out, yogurt isn’t the enemy, but rather a healthy, sustaining essential to my newly found vegetarian diet. If we all would return to eating real food and simply eat less of it, we’d be a lot better off. The health of not only our bodies, but also the earth and the environment would improve, as well. Additionally, if we all reduced our meat consumption by just 20% it would be as if we all switched from a standard sedan to the ultra-efficient Prius.

In the end, I don’t pretend to have the answers to these complicated issues of food consumption and food ethics. However, I do advocate the return to eating real, whole foods—I think that’s evident here. If you need further evidence, take a look at Eurpoe—how they live, what they eat, how they eat it.

Remember, REAL yogurt isn’t the enemy. But, your processed, fake substitute just may be.

CKM is the Development Director for Sustainable Food Center (SFC) in Austin, TX.

Question of the Week 2/1/2008

2008-02-01T23:25:00.001-08:00

http://www.cnn.com/HEALTH/blogs/paging.dr.gupta/

One of the most pressing issues affecting our generation is healthcare. CNN has a Health Blog that covers both the presidential candidates' views and scary stories about individuals who have lost their healthcare. One such story tells the tale of a seemingly well-off couple who gave birth to a little girl with a lot of health problems. They thought that they were covered, but the medical bills piled up to nearly a million dollar and their daughter died at 18 months. Not only did they have to handle the stress of financial burden but also the death of their baby. The moral of many of the stories on this blog is that it's not just the un-insured or the underinsured that suffer.

That being said, do you know how much you are covered by your insurance? Where would you stand if a health emergency occurred? We'd like your responses.

Question of the Week

2008-01-25T13:41:00.000-08:00

Many fear that the economy is heading for a recession. Therefore, our government has created a plan that would award tax rebates, $600 for singles making less than 75,000 annually and $1200 for couples making less than $150,000 annually. (The rebate checks would be sent in the Spring.) Our question: Would you spend your tax rebate or use it to pay off debt? (Many of our readers are still considered dependents and would not recieve a rebate. Thus, our question may be hypothetical for them. That's ok, everyone can answer it!)

Question of the week

2008-01-17T21:35:00.000-08:00

What is the most pressing problem our generation faces today?

Introduction to Geowareness

2008-01-13T20:42:00.000-08:00

Generation What?

When I get the chance to see my dad, our conversations usually cover all things political; taxes, church and state, the war in Iraq, etc. On one of those visits, while I was looking at my facebook profile and updating my “About me,” my dad asked me “Why do you think people your age aren’t attending church?”

I was ready for this. I hopped out of my desk chair, onto my soapbox and began my sermon on my generation and our beliefs on individual rights. I told my dad that the church as an institution tries to force a collective ideology and morality, rather than respecting individual rights. My dad expressed his agreement over this assertion and I went back to my “About me.”

Later, pondering the conversation, I asked myself, who is this generation that I had described to my father? In a study conducted by the Pew Research Center, “Generation Y,” “Generation Next,” Generation DotNet” “Generation Look at Me,” or whatever you would like to call us, appears to have a greater appreciation of the rights of the individual. In the study “A Portrait of ‘Generation Next,’” released in January 2007, 58% of 18-25-year-olds believe that homosexuality should be accepted and the majority embraces interracial dating. We are also more understanding towards the individual emigrating from a poverty-stricken country; in the same study, 52% believed that immigrants strengthen a nation. In this way, we are leaps and bounds ahead of generations that preceded us, recognizing the beauty of individual identity instead of pursuing a collective mentality.

Yet, in a world promoting a globalized community via technology, we have become isolated. Our interest in the individual has so evolved that we are barely interested in anything else. Websites like MySpace or facebook allow us to publicize our individuality. But, in an effort to keep our profile songs, photo albums and “about me” current, we have little time for such tedious tasks as reading the news. In a culture in which the memoir has become a favorite type of literature, we desperately push for our respective failures and triumphs to be heard by a large audience.

But where will that leave us? Soon enough, our current senators, congressmen, executive branch and Supreme Court will retire or, frankly, die. It will be up to us to make decisions on the current health insurance crisis, international conflict and economic emergency. When that time comes, will we know what to do? The same Pew Research study said that only 33% of this generation ‘follows what’s going on in government/public affairs most of the time” compared with 54% of people ages 26+. When the time comes, will we be step forward and dive headfirst into solving the problems facing our nation with enthusiasm and vigor? Or will we stare at each other and say, “I don’t really know what’s going on. Do you? I was too busy updating my facebook/MySpace/writing my memoir when this first came about.”

Our generation is one in which the cheerleader listens to indie music and is best friends with the punk. The punk occasionally listens to R&B and watches “Grey’s Anatomy.” An evangelical Christian visits a mosque from time to time and people whose daily wardrobe consists of cowboy boots like to go salsa dancing. As every other generation, we have our stereotypes, but we transcend them.

We are the generation that slow-danced to Boyz II Men in junior high, shook it to Ludacris in high school and “walked it out” in college. We made the Real World and American Idol what they are. Fashion trends? Who needs them? Some days, we wear jeans, t-shirts and flip-flops and others we wear dresses over leggings with high heels. We drink coffee and quote philosophy. We play Halo and drink soda. We watch the game with friends and go dancing later. We go to class and then do volunteer work. We like climbing, cycling, boarding, kick-boxing, jogging, spinning, swimming, Pilates and yoga.

We are also the generation that will tell our children, “I remember exactly where I was when the plane crashed into the twin towers.” We are the generation fighting this war. We are the generation that faces a retirement without government aid and possibly health insurance. For that reason, we need a voice. Not a million tiny whispers telling individual stories only to produce a cacophony, but a single, strong voice that will signal unity. We need a voice that is not mine and not yours, but ours.

-Faith Rice-Mills

I sit between two generations conscientiously labeled 'Generation X,' Generation Next,' and most recently, 'Generation Q, the quiet generation.'

I don't know about you, but I don't like labels one bit. However, all labels are founded in truth.

What has been most striking about our coming-of-age journey is the amount of apathy we ingest every day. Are we the spoiled product of consumerism? Are our parents to blame? These questions permeate the dialogue about our generation's identity. Interestingly enough, it's not the current members of said generation participating in the dialogue.

The cause for our apathy no longer matters, because we have reached the crisis point, the proverbial fork in the road. Our habits are almost formed, and we have the ability to choose whether we will step up and account for our actions or continue on our current path of self-destruction.

I watched the Planet in Peril program on CNN a few days ago. Well, about 15 minutes of it anyway. After that I was so depressed I couldn't think straight. And today, I read an article on BBC news website about the U.N.'s Geo-4 report, which presented less than cheerful prospects for our not-so-distant future. I shudder to think about our children's future.

The point?

It is easy to feel helpless, to feel small, overwhelmed by our world and its demons. I feel that way every day. I struggle with my gifts, what are they, how should I use them?

But truthfully people of my generation change the world all the time, in small ways with big consequences. All social change begins with the young. All social change begins with the small stuff.

This blog is a celebration of us, of what we're doing to create awareness, solutions, hope and ultimately change.

We're not all necessarily revolutionary, we can't all bring new insights or win Nobel Peace prizes. We CAN impact our community, our neighborhood, and ourselves.

The ultimate goal of this blog is to inspire others to action in their own communities, schools and hearts.

-Rebekah Sills

The Roosevelt Institution: Where Our Ideas Become Policy

2008-01-13T20:38:00.000-08:00

by Rebekah Sills

Most young adults couldn't tell you the definition of a think tank. For review, it is a body of experts providing advice and ideas on a specific economic, political or social problem.

But the Roosevelt Institution is a new kind of think tank that targets college-age students. No longer are young adults limited to door-to-door canvassing and grass roots politics, though both remain essential forms of political involvement. Now they can play a larger role in the policy-making process on the local, state and federal levels.

For those of us whom may need a refresher course on the policy-making process, it is rather complicated with many sides and many voices influencing it. Though only legislative bodies can implement policy, citizens, non-profits and think tanks with convincing reasons and extensive research can influence policy by presenting their arguments in settings such as city council meetings or senate committee hearings.

The Roosevelt Institution, founded in 2004, recognizes that the university is an ideal setting for solving our country's democratic woes. Will Hollingsworth, Director of Communications says that students spend most of their time at school thinking critically, analyzing problems, and drafting solutions. What's stopping them from applying these skills to a real-world setting?

"Before Roosevelt, students were expected to file away those solutions for their grades, and if they wanted to get involved, they should go out and campaign for a candidate. Policymakers wanted our time, and our energy, but there was no infrastructure with which we could contribute to and enrich the actual policy process," Hollingsworth told Geowareness in an interview.

It's a novel idea and it works like this: The Roosevelt Institution provides two ways for students to participate in policy-making. They have chapter organizations on campuses around the country where members meet, hold conferences, do research, write papers; activities typical of student organizations. On a national level, the Roosevelt Institution comes together every year to vote on three "challenges," or pressing policy priorities. The individual chapters and members spend the year researching, analyzing, and debating these challenges in hopes of reaching a viable solution. The following spring, Roosevelt publishes three journals called "25 Ideas" consisting of the top 25 solutions from the members. The three challenges chosen for the 2007-2008 academic year, for example, are community development, the democratic process, and the criminal justice system.

Hollingsworth says Roosevelt focuses on policy-making because youth are "less likely to become mired with problems and processes and more likely to focus keenly on just why we shape our government’s policy to begin with." In doing so, they are altogether better equipped to approach the process.

We also asked Mr. Hollingsworth to respond to the accusation that today's 18-30-year-olds suffer from a serious case of apathy. He responded that today's youth have felt disconnected from the democratic process for a while now. The Roosevelt Institution simply offers students an "efficient way to contribute."

Lesley Nelson, a member of the chapter at the University of Texas at Austin, also offered insight that was equally perceptive "Ours might be the 'look at me' generation but for Roosevelt members, it’s more about 'look at this idea which could really make a positive difference,” she said.

Roosevelt's successes are few but powerful. Members in New Haven and Washington D.C. testified in front of their city councils and members in Wisconsin presented a healthcare proposal to the state legislature.

So far the Institution has more than 80 chapters throughout the country. The average size of each chapter is 20 members, but a group only needs ten members to be considered an official chapter.

To start a chapter, this group of ten students needs the college or university to recognize it as a student organization.

For Ms. Nelson it's about participating in the process. "Roosevelt has really demonstrated how a good idea, when paired with the right advocate and presented under the right conditions, can develop its own momentum and ultimately bring about real changes."

Long-term goals of the organization include adding more schools and more members, but more importantly, Hollingsworth says, ensuring that Roosevelt remains "motivated and passionate—the way young, politically active people always have been."

Ultimately, no matter the age group targeted by the Roosevelt Institution, the organization reminds us "a society is only free when the people can shape their own lives."

If you'd like to learn more about the Roosevelt Institution or would like to start a chapter at your university, visit their website at www.rooseveltinstitution.org, or e-mail Will Hollingsworth at will.hollingsworth@roosevetinstitution.org.

Q&A with The Western Civilization

2008-01-13T20:35:00.000-08:00

We recently caught up with Reggie O'Farrell from the Houston band The Western Civilization. He talked to us about the band, the struggles of being a young musician today, music genres, and what music says about a generation. Please check out www.myspace.com/thewestercivilization to listen to their latest recordings.

Q. How did you come together as a band?

A. Our band came together in its earliest form in March of 2005. I had met Gretchen at an open-mic night at Fitzgerald’s the month before. Rachel and I had known each other for a while at that point. Rachel came over to my apartment where I had a small recording studio setup between my bedroom, living room, and closet. We hadn’t planned to start a band at this point, but she told me that she had an acoustic song that she needed to record. I really liked what I heard and wanted to add another guitar, piano, and a glockenspiel. Rachel had told Gretchen previously that she wanted her to sing on one of her songs, so we invited her over to check it out. Once Gretchen had added her vocal to the song all we could do was sit back and smile. That song was 'Tie Me Up.' We decided that we should get together again in a week and see what happens. A week later we reassembled and eight hours later 'Love Struck Angel' was born. This one was a little more evolved than its predecessor, sporting an electronic drum loop and electric guitars among many other things. At this point we decided that we had something to pursue. Over the next months we recorded a few more songs together. Finally we decided that we were going to give it a go and we started looking for more members to be able to recreate the songs live with us. We had a few lineup changes over the next year with Gretchen, Rachel, and I remaining the constants before we arrived at our current roster. Our friends Anthony (Drums) and Fred (Bass Guitar) complete the lineup. We’ve released two CD’s so far. One was a self-titled EP that consisted of 4 songs. Three of them were demo versions of songs that were to appear later on our full-length album, and one song remained exclusive to that release. Our first full-length album, Letters of Resignation, was released in March of 2007. After that we started playing regionally around Texas and in October 2007 we set out on a 25 date national tour that covered 18 states in 30 days. We have plans for more tours in the coming year and probably an acoustic EP to be released sometime this summer.

Q. What is each member’s role in the band?

A. Rachel has been the primary songwriter in the band so far. She plays electric and acoustic guitar and sings. She also comes up with some of the electronic drum loop ideas. Gretchen does some of the writing. She also plays acoustic guitar, keyboards, and sings. Fred plays the bass guitar. Anthony plays the drums. I wrote a couple of the songs on the record and co-wrote a couple with Rachel. I also serve as the producer/engineer for the band in the studio. I play electric and acoustic guitars, keys, glockenspiel, harmonica, and sing. I also was responsible for about half of the electronic drum stuff on the album. From the business side, Gretchen and I handle most of the booking and money handling.

Q. How would you describe your music? Do you think it fits into any genre?

A. Our music is a melting pot of sounds. I hate trying to put music into genres because of the multitude of sub-genres that people seem to put bands in these days. If you wanted a general genre it would probably be indie rock. However, if you wanted to break it down it think I would call it indie/electro-acoustic/pop/rock. Lions and tigers and bears, OH MY! We incorporate a lot of different elements into our music and we don’t stick any formula. Whatever feels good at the time. Sometimes that means 12 snare drums, two organs, violins, and a harmonica. Sometimes it means two acoustic guitars and room full of our drunken friends stomping and clapping. Sometimes it means good old-fashioned drums, bass, and guitar. You can call it whatever you want I guess. The one thing that remains constant through all of the songs though is brutally honest lyrics and lots of vocal parts. I think that is the one element that glues all of our musical madness together.

Q. What are some struggles that young musicians face today?

A. Money is definitely the biggest struggle that musicians face today. It is incredibly hard for a new band to go anywhere because everything is so expensive. Instruments are expensive, gas to get to shows is expensive, and promoting is expensive. It seems to me like society is demanding more of our precious time and money every year. If you have a good job it usually sucks too much of your time for you to be able to pay enough serious attention to your music, and if you work part time you don’t make enough money to push the project forward. It’s a vicious cycle. The key is finding other people’s money to spend, but that doesn’t happen for everyone. The other big challenge is getting people to pay attention to your music when they are constantly being bombarded by entertainment of every description 24 hours a day. People are so distracted and jaded by the media industry in this country that it feels like you have to literally grab them by the shoulders and scream at them to get their attention. It’s exhausting just thinking about it. All you can really do is keep playing and keep the faith that in the end good music will prevail.

Q. In the '50s, there was an emergence of rock and doo-wop music. In the '60s, they had Mo-town, in the '70s and early '80s disco, and in the '90s, hip-hop and grunge. Now, in the 21^st Century, it seems that there is a prevalence of many genres. Do you agree with this and do you think this reflects our generation’s culture of the individual?

A. I do think that there is not really one specific genre that stands out at this point in time. I don’t know if I would totally credit that to the nature of our generation though. I think that it has more to do with the Internet. It is a lot easier for people to find new music to listen to these days. It is also a lot easier for a band that is not in the mainstream to be heard due to all of the internet music sites such as myspace. Any band that records their music can release and sell it through the internet. Major record labels and radio stations don’t get to dictate what people listen to as much as they used to because people are realizing that there are better sources for finding good music. I think it is a really exciting time for everyone in music.

Q. What are your goals as artists?

A. Our goals as artists are simple. We just want to create music that we think is good and means something to us. We don’t care if we don’t fit into a genre or model. We want to create music that makes people feel something. Nothing is better than looking at a crowd of people that you are playing to and being able to tell they (or at least some of them) are really getting it. I think that we all make music because it makes us feel good. It gives us all some kind of release that we need and can’t get anywhere else. I think I have strayed away from the question, by my point is that our goal is not to make a lot of money. If that happened it would be great, but I for one would rather play to small crowds of people that I felt like I was connecting with than play to a stadium full of casual listeners.

Q. What have been some of your favorite shows and venues?

A. Our favorite venue in Houston is probably Walter’s on Washington. We played at a place in Champaign, IL called the Canopy Club that was really cool. I think that Emo’s in Austin is my favorite overall though. My favorite show that we have played is a toss up between our CD release show, which was at Walter’s, and a show that we played on tour in Greenville, NC. The Greenville show was at a small DIY club called Sociology. There were probably about 40 people there and every one of them was totally into what we were doing. The energy in the room was amazing. Shows like that make the whole experience of eating sandwiches and sleeping in a van for a month with 4 other people totally worth it.

Q. What other artists have influenced you?

A. I can’t speak for everyone on the subject of influences, but I will try to name some that I have heard everyone talk about from time to time…. The Sundays, Rilo Kiley, Bright Eyes, Broken Social Scene, Arcade Fire, The Moldy Peaches, Counting Crows, Cursive, Smashing Pumpkins, The Postal Service, Feist, Two Gallants, Johnny Cash, the list could go on forever

Q. What would you say the overall message of your music is? Is it hope, pain, cynicism?

A. I don’t think that our music really has a specific message. We try our best to make each song speak as loudly as possible with whatever message that it brings. Sometimes that message is pain or cynicism. Sometimes it is hope. Sometimes we just need to yell about some things and there is no specific message. We want people to take whatever they need to from the songs. Sometimes people find hope and joy in pain.

Q. Why is music such an important part of any culture?

A. Music is important because it eases the pain of life. Sometimes when you are having a shit time there is nothing that can make you feel better than lying in your bed and turning up your favorite record. Music gives people something to identify with when they start to think that they are all alone. I think that music is important to any culture because the great songwriters of every period are the emotional voice of their generation. You can read a history book and learn about the '70s, but if you want to learn about how people were feeling about what was going on, you should probably put on a Bob Dylan record.

In The Time It Takes To...

2008-01-13T20:34:00.000-08:00

For 57 minutes and 26 seconds I browsed the CNN election website. In about the time it takes to watch an episode of Grey's Anatomy, I watched campaign commercials for seven candidates and read two speeches. I learned that Seth Green and Ben Stiller support John Edwards and Adam Sandler supports Rudy Giuliani.

On a more serious note, I looked at every candidate's views on abortion, the Iraq war, gun control, healthcare, same sex marriage and taxes in less than an hour. Interestingly, or perhaps indicative of the current election, there was significantly more information on health care than other issues.

Conveniently, CNN placed a little purple star with the word "out" on the photos of Joe Biden, Chris Dodd, Bill Richardson, and Tom Tancredo, the latest victims of the Iowa Caucus and New Hampshire primary. That way I don't waste my time looking at their political views.

Did I decide after looking at this website who I will vote for in November? No, I won't make a decision based on an overview. But it did give me better insight into the candidates, what they stood for as senators, governors and mayors, and what they'll most likely do if elected president.

The point? The next time you're watching your favorite television show, any given weeknight, check out this website. Educate yourself about the candidates. Think about your own views and prepare to vote intelligently this coming November.

http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2008/issues/issues.healthcare.html

-Rebekah

For the first time, I watched an episode of Grey’s Anatomy. I am sorry to report that it did not hold my attention. I think I will stick to Dr. House’s witty sarcasm versus Dr. Grey’s existential ponderings.

I did not watch Grey’s (as fans call it) on television; I took the shortcut and borrowed the DVDs from a friend. It took me 42 minutes and 22 seconds to finish the episode.

Before watching my first ever episode of Grey’s Anatomy, I browsed the CNN election website. I read summaries of both Republican and Democrat stances on the abortion, guns, health care, immigration, same sex marriage, social security, stem-cell research, taxes and the conflict in Iraq. I also read “Your income taxes: What the candidates Want” and “Tax Breaks: What Candidates are Proposing” by Jeane Sahadi. By reading both the summaries and the articles, I finally decided how to vote in the primary. It only took me 32 minutes and 44 seconds.

I am not saying you should give up your Grey’s time; that time is special. Just keep in mind that you could decide how to vote or learn a little about the presidential candidates in less time than it takes to watch an episode that maybe you have already seen.

-Faith

Opining Away...

2008-01-13T20:33:00.001-08:00

by Faith Rice-Mills

Young adults never fail to form opinions. I hear thoughts over the Iraq conflict in the local coffee shop. I encounter opinions over immigration in the Spanish class I teach. My friends and I often have conversations over religion and social rights in my living room.

I am hopeful when two or more young adults engage in lively debates over current issues, but my balloon of optimism deflates as I hear comments such as “But I’m not going to vote. I don’t know enough to vote” or “It doesn’t matter if I vote anyway.”

According to the Pew Research Center, 54% of the “DotNet” generation or those who were born between 1976 and 1987, “tried to persuade others” to vote or how to vote in 2004. Yet, from the same generation only 24% said they “always vote.”

You have to admit, the generations that preceded us have made life pretty easy. Most of us are fairly capable when it comes to technology, thus making research, paying bills and communicating quick and easy. Because of past generations, many people in this country do not see women, gays and lesbians or minority races and ethnic groups as inferior. We are free to be who we are and perhaps take this freedom for granted.

This freedom and these rights allow us to become adults at our own pace. There are many young adults under thirty who seem to think it is not their time to start a family, buy a house or settle on a career. These same young adults do not feel it is their time to make political decisions or fight for their beliefs. They still do not want to grow up.

There are also many young adults under thirty in the Middle East fighting for, what they understand, is freedom. Someone has told them that freedom means the privilege to live in a democracy which, according to dictionary.com, is “government by the people; a form of government in which the supreme power is vested in the people and exercised directly by them or by their elected agents under a free electoral system.” Basically, they are fighting and, let’s not forget, dying for this democracy.

No matter what you may believe about the conflict in Iraq or the function of the Electoral College, every time a young adult “forgets” to vote or is simply inactive, it is a slap in the face to every person who has so much faith in democracy that he or she is willing to die for it.

What is the solution? Write a letter to your congressman. Volunteer. Vote. Do something other than “try to persuade others” in 2008.

Make your words more than that; make them actions. Let us not be the generation that is remembered as being apathetic or lazy.

Press Release: Read our Blog!

2008-01-12T12:40:00.000-08:00

Contact: Rebekah Sills, Faith Rice-Mills FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Phone: 936-425-6693, 281-593-9445 January 12, 2008

E-mail: Geowareness@gmail.com

LOCAL YOUNG ADULTS FROM 'GENERATION NEXT' WILL LAUNCH NEW BLOG TO COMBAT APATHY

Geowareness.blogspot.com set to launch January 14, 2008

Faith Rice-Mills and Rebekah Sills decided to take a different approach to activism. Instead of simple volunteerism they wanted to write about the triumphs and challenges of their generation and how young people change the world.

"Faith and I were both in need of a little inspiration," said Rebekah Sills, co-founder of the Geowareness blog. "Sometimes it feels like nothing's being solved, but that's really not true. People our age make contributions to the world every day. We want to celebrate these contributions."

Geowareness will include monthly features and editorials centered on the generation of young adults who are currently 18-30 years of age. Readers will have the chance to publicize their comments and opinions, as is the case with most blogs.

"People call our generation the 'Quiet Generation' and 'Generation Look at Me,' and I don't think we necessarily deserve these labels. We want to give our generation a voice, particularly with the up-coming presidential elections in 2008," Faith Rice-Mills said.

The blog's first publication will include articles about a Houston band and a think tank powered entirely by students. Each publication will also feature a segment called "In the Time It Takes to...," which will show young adults how much time it actually takes to do something such as register to vote or volunteer compared to time spent on typical daily activities, such as watching a reality show or updating their Facebook/Myspace profiles.

Geowareness will launch January 14, 2008. Sills and Rice-Mills say their long-term goals include turning the blog into a non-profit organization that gives grants to other organizations. "But we're years away from that," said Rice-Mills.

Geowarness will be hosted at blogspot.com. For more information visit Geowareness.blogspot.com or e-mail Geowareness@gmail.com. Please call Faith Rice-Mills or Rebekah Sills with any questions.