Improving Communities. What can we do?

For those that don’t know…

I was in the Chicago Tribune this past Monday.

Here's that link again. http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/columnists/chi-trice-26oct26,0,5353399.column

The personal feedback I've gotten for the story has been largely positive and a lot of people have asked me what they can do. One woman who is from the suburbs of Chicago asked me what she could do to help. This was my response. Hopefully it'll help her and others.


Thank you for your kind words and thoughts. To tell you the truth I'm not sure what you can do. I'm not sure what I can do either. These problems are deep societal woes that are multilayered and multidimensional. It's really hard to say what anyone can do but I think the best strategy I've found at this point is to be an advocate on a micro-level. Wherever you are strive to not only enlighten those people but to also empower them. Especially young people, it's so important that they receive positive enforcement when they do positive things. I think what you can do is use your talents, whatever they may be, to affect your community and communities in need in a positive way. A way that errs on the side of empowerment and not pity. What that means for you is up to you but I think that's all I try to do and I think that's a good place for anyone to start. Thanks.

Hopefully now you know a lil’ something more…

Nate