The new year isn't here and already I have signed on for five reading challenges. This is the final one for me though. It requires real commitment and the payoff is huge from where I sit. If you're a member here, you might want to join. At the very least, you'll want to follow those who do participate.From the organizers of Social Justice Challenge:
Reading opens new worlds to us and can sometimes expose the injustice in our own. We have all been powerfully moved by the injustice we have learned about in books and decided we wanted to host a reading project that would encourage us to learn more about these issues in the world.
We have chosen to focus each month on a different area of social injustice in the world. During that month, we are asking that you read something from the list of resources or watch something suggested by that month’s host.
This challenge is very different than others. This requires serious commitment. You’re asked to read to learn and follow up with an action step. There are multiple participation levels. Your level may change month to month. You are asked to commit to the Activist level 3 out of the 12 months.
Activist–At this level you are agreeing to participate fully in the activities of the month. You will read at least one full length book as well as choosing something from the other media list. You will also complete an action step.
Intern–You agree to either read something from the reading resources (it can be an essay or children’s book) or choose to do something from the other media list. You will complete an action step.
Volunteer– You agree to read at least one of the recommended blog posts, essays or shorter novels. You will complete an action step.
Observer — Need a break? Just follow along with the blog for the month. This month has no commitment level. You can only do a maximum of three months at this level.
A different topic will be covered each month:
· Religious Freedom
· Water
· Domestic Violence & Child Abuse
· Hunger
· AIDS Crisis
· Genocide
· Poverty
· Illiteracy and Education
· Modern Day Slavery
· Homelessness & Refugees
· Women’s Rights
· Child Soldiers & Children in War
Sidebar: My life has changed radically with a new job and raising a teen in high school. It's become clear that I cannot take the lead (and that's fine because every good cause deserves and needs followers) on any new projects, and in fact I've had to scale back on what I do do so for me this final challenge will help me define and focus what I want to happen here.
I hope some of you will opt to participate. Here's to making things happen in 2010.
6 comments:
Oh, oh, oh, I am definitely up for this one! Do we get to pick our own books, I wonder? I just finished one that's amazing--Zeitoun, by Dave Eggers. It would probably go in the category of religious freedom. Eggers presents the true story of a Syrian-born Muslim American man who stayed behind when his family fled Hurricane Katrina. He rescued countless people in a flooded New Orleans, only to disappear for nearly a month in a FEMA prison under suspicion of being a terrorist.
The book is told from his perspective as well as that of his wife whose family refused to take her and her children in because she had converted to Islam; for nearly three weeks she didn't know if her husband was alive or dead.
Lyn,
That sounds amazing. Each category has a reading list. Participants are encouraged to make recommendations in the comment section for each topic and the books will be added.
Do sign up and add the book. Sounds amazing.
It looks like 'each one reach one'! That in itself is a sense of social justice!
Ain't that the truth. When I saw you were in, that was endorsement enough. I'm so glad you posted about it. I'm not online as much as I used to be so big thanks to you.
Now it's my turn to ask you:"Why do you do this to me?" lol!
I'm joining this one too. We are some challenge junkies. I've even been thinking of starting one and I know you'd want in it... :)
Alright, I'll bite. Will be joining, probably on the volunteer level.
Post a Comment