"From you I receive, to you I give. Together we share, and from this we live."
Those simple words are the lyrics to one of my favorite hymns. As a Unitarian Universalist, each time I hear the words sang, I am brought back to a childhood in which I learned the value of community, compassion and giving back to others. They're the lyrics that have shaped my politics, feminism and commitment to making the world a more equitable place for all people.
In these trying times, where hundreds of thousands of our fellow human beings are unemployed, unable to any longer go to school or get the medical attention they need, to simply get the peace of mind that their illness is not life threatening, we are called to not only show the love and compassion that have fueled us and others to be agents of social change, but also reach out and to the best of each of our individual ability, comfort and heal.
After all, love and compassion might be the spirit of our existence, but they are only measurable through work and action. Today, I am calling on the Feministing community to take action - in addition to all the hard work you've already done, the miles you've walked and the money you given to charity.
One of our community readers and contributors, Alexandria Brown, is in need of our help. A student of political philosophy who wishes to make women her life's calling, Alexandria has to put her dreams on hold because of the recession. While I know that with progress and hard work, Alexandria will one day be able to get back up on her feet - as so many Americans have done, and reach for that dream, a more pressing and immediate concern is at hand.
Currently seeking for work, Alexandria suffers from an abscessed tooth that, if untreated, may become very serious. In speaking with her dentist, she was told the down payment for such treatment is $500. Recently in another thread here on Feministing, a poster charged that the Feministing community, and particularly all feminists, do not know how to take care of our own, and thus challenged all posters to come up with $250, while he will supply the rest.
While I took the challenge and agreed to fund the other $250, it became apparent that the poster's challenge was to feed his own ego and hatred for feminism. As such, the poster has been sent packing, and yet, the problem with Alexandria's tooth still persists - she still needs the additional $250 (that were to have been donated by the poster mentioned) as down payment for the treatment.
Yesterday, I sent the $250-check to Alexandria as promised, and now I need your help as you are able and willing, to band together and come up with the rest for her treatment. In these times of economic challenges, while we all feel its impact, it is most important that we reach out to others. The measure of our kindness, after all, isn't whether or not we're charitable when things are going well, but what we do for one another when we each face troubled times.
I recognize that I am able to contribute, in parts, because of my economic privilege. Because of that, I am not asking that others make a commitment to contributing, or even saying that mark of a good feminist is one who makes charitable donations.
But if you are able, even if for $1, I know we, as a community, can meet the $500-mark that will allow Alexandria to get the peace of mind of health, and go on to continue her life working for women.
With $1-donations, all we'll need is 250 contributors, and I know there are 250 contributors on this site. With $5-donations, with just 50 other contributors, we can bring Alexandria back to good health, and more important, show the world that ours is not just a community that focuses on theories and philosophies, but also the important task of caring for our fellow human beings - that in more than just teaching and learning from one another, we are also committed to giving, receiving, sharing and living in times of need.
I leave the decision, and the mechanics of donating between you and Alexandria. If you are interested in making a donation, please contact Alexandria directly at alexandria.brown@gmail.com
For background information on how this all started, check out the original thread here.
For more information on abscessed teeth, look here.
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I've just sent an email---gulp, I've never done this sort of thing before. Anyway this is in great spirit. I have had horrible teeth issues too, so I can relate...
Me too. Dental procedures are super expensive and often not sufficiently covered by insurance... I know a bunch of people who have gone into debt to pay for essential dental care. So absurd...
MARC! You are amazing. Thank you so much for this post. It has been a lot easier for me to doll myself up and try to be charming on these cocktail waitressing interviews knowing what a large community there is that supports me -- not just my personal friends and family, but people who I've never met.
We as a community obviously are proving doubters wrong. Really the whole argument reminds me of the general attacks against Obama that suggested he himself was all talk, and no action. While his term isn't over yet, I think the similarity makes it clear that this is an issue of human rights, in addition to women's rights. Transgendered people, racial, ethnic, or religious minorities, people with disability, people abroad in economically struggling countries, and people from working-class families all face the same kind of issues that I am facing right now, and worse, every day.
This is why I've decided that, in the event that the donations I receive exceed the initial down payment, I will donate the proceeds to GEMS. Girls Educational and Mentoring Services was founded by Rachel Lloyd, an acquaintance of mine and a former sex worker herself. Her program, which has now grown to have international recognition, began when she gave a safe haven to girls out of her own home, is doing amazing work with young girls in NYC who have been forced into sexual exploitation.
Sometimes girls who have been forced into sexual exploitation -- and are not legally old enough to consent to sex -- are nonetheless prosecuted as adults, for "solicitation of prostitution." GEMS offers them a chance to find meaningful work, finish school, and get back on their feet. Given the resistance we are seeing to Roman Polanski's arrest, I think this is obviously a very pressing issue that is not being taken seriously enough.
I hope we can turn this act of kindness on all of your parts into an event that is about something much greater than just my personal health issues.
Best,
Alexandria Brown
I'm super broke just this second, so I can't help personally with this until after payday, but I wanted to say two things.
First, I'm glad that this is happening, even if what's happening is basically passing the plate. There's a reason humans do this kind of collection: it works. A radiant example of the power of collective action, this!
Second, I, also, love that hymn; I associate it with Flower Communion, and that makes me happy. It's encouraging to see other UUs who are willing to self-identify outside of church and denominational circles. Also, points to you for being a man in what is basically women's space; that takes some serious bravery, and will to risk. I see you take a lot of flak, and I'm not sure how much of it you deserve. I don't live in your head, so I can't really make any kind of judgement about you or your reasons for being here, but on its face, I think it's a good thing.
I'll check back on what's happening with this when payday comes next week. Good luck, Ms. Brown; my thoughts are with you in the coming days.