Technology Overload

The Information Technology as a Leadership Tool class has been challenging and rewarding in many ways. I am much more comfortable about using different technologies than when I first started the class. There are numerous Productivity Tools that I have attempted to use such as the Google Calendar, Zoho Suite, Google Docs, Skrbl, and Letterpop. I must admit that each are special and interesting in a special way. However, I did not fine personal use for any of the productivity tools in Part 7 of the final project. If I had to make a absolute decision I would choose the Google Calendar because it is easy to use and extremely practical.

Why Are People Poor?

Monica Walker recently asked me and my colleagues, "why are people poor?" As a group we came up with some answers. We suggested that people are poor due to inequity, greed, governmental structures, institutional societies, racism, classism, lack of self-esteem, lack of humility, lack of job control, selfishness, and because people blame society. Monica Walker noted that this short list should be grouped "Global Reasons."

Next, Monica Walker told the group that a woman was in line at a grocery store with a buggy full of groceries and three children and she was using food stamps (EBT card) to pay for the groceries. This is all the information we had. It was amazing how individuals started to give this woman a name, a face, a color, and much more. The group assumed she was poor and gave a variety of reasons. The following reasons were: she is a single parent, she's got too many children, she is cruel, she's got too many baby daddies, she's ignorant and uneducated, she's got famous cuts of meat in her buggy, she's got her hair and nails done, she's black and won't work, she depends on the government, she makes poor choices, and she's lazy. Monica Walker noted that these descriptions would be grouped and called "Deeply Personal and Judgemental."

In the Power Analysis it is amazing how people view themselves and the world around them. Monica Walker noted that communities "are still in recovery." Old habits and old mentalities are hard to break, therefore power and race can only be defeated with education and action.

Race & Power

Monica Walker, Chief Diversity Officer for Guilford County Schools, brought back precious memories as she discussed race and power in a recent presentation. I was quickly taken aback to a time when racism was at its peak.

I read White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack for the first time several years ago. I will never forget how enlightened I felt after reading McIntosh’s article, more specifically the following passage:

"I have come to see white privilege as an invisible package of unearned assets, which I can count on cashing in each day, but about which I was “meant” to remain oblivious. White privilege is like an invisible weightless knapsack of special provisions, assurances, tools, maps, guides, codebooks, passports, visas, clothes, compass, emergency gear, and blank checks."

I remember thinking to myself, what will other white folks think about Peggy McIntosh since she told their secret, which was meant to remain oblivious. I have often wondered what her peers, both white and black, have said to her directly or indirectly as a result of this article.
As a young child I realized that I did not have unearned assets such as, special provisions, assurances, tools, maps, guides, codebooks, passports, visas, clothes, compass, emergency gear, and blank checks like my white counterparts. My parents and grandparents taught me to work hard in life for what I wanted and I naively thought everyone else did as well, regardless of race. Then I started hearing comments from other black relatives and friends stating “you have to work twice as hard as white folks to get ahead in life…”

Since reading this article I have had several conversations with white friends and acquaintances to seek their perspectives. They agreed that white privilege exist and had benefited them over their lives. They also agreed that there was nothing that they did to earn white privilege. Older whites, who lived at a nursing home where I worked, informed me that their parents instilled in them white privilege. The older whites were told that they were better than the rest of society, namely blacks. Ironically, during this same time I asked the same group of older whites if they thought a black man would be president of the United States some day. I was told by a male resident that “if a colored man ever gets elected president he’ll be assassinated before he’ll ever step foot in the White House…” The other older whites did not contest his point of view; therefore I assumed that they were also in agreement with him. Given the current presidential race I would love to engage further with the same gentlemen who told me the results of a black president. I wonder what he would think about a woman president. Unfortunately, he has passed since our last conversation. Sadly, many blacks and whites from older generations will have to die before “black America” and “white America” merges to what Senator Barack Obama calls “The United States of America.”

The Power of Community

The video "Surviving Peak Oil" in Cuba revealed many interesting facts. The lack of fuel created a domino affect of problems. The oil shortage created transportation difficulties, distribution of food challenges and an indirect affect on low birth weight babies. The people of Cuba did not give up. In fact, they united and created a community of support through agriculture education, development, and farming.

One of Cuba's own tells the story of what really happen, "since the early 1990s, an urban agriculture movement has swept through Cuba, putting this capital city of 2.2 million on a path toward sustainability. A small group of Australians assisted in this grass-roots effort, coming to this Caribbean island nation in 1993 to teach permaculture, a system based on sustainable agriculture which uses far less energy. This need to bring agriculture into the city began with the fall of the Soviet Union and the loss of more than 50 percent of Cuba's oil imports, much of its food and 85 percent of its trade economy. Transportation halted, people went hungry and the average Cuban lost 30 pounds." In reality, America could soon face a similar situation if gas prices continue to rise. People will need to start cultivating vegetables wherever they can, again.

According to researchers, Cubans are also replacing petroleum-fed machinery with oxen, and their urban agriculture reduces food transportation distances. Today an estimated 50 percent of Havana's vegetables come from inside the city, while in other Cuban towns and cities urban gardens produce from 80 percent to more than 100 percent of what they need.

Surprisingly, farmers make a good living compared to other professionals like engineers. The video even showed other professionals quiting their careers to become farmers. Could this happen in the United States.

Curitiba, Brazil

What if the the United States was more like Curitiba, Brazil? Can you imagine living in cities where the local government buys your trash from you? Yes, your trash! In an effort to clean up the city of Curitiba the local government pays the citizens with bus tokens and food. Curitiba has earned the title of the world's cleanest city.

Curitiba, Brazil had public transportation problems like many other cities around the world. Today Curitiba is known as the world's most efficient transportation system. The tube-shaped bus stops allow quicker boarding and departing of passengers. This system has brought government officials praise from around the world. Why more cities are not using this system? Could it be that this technology advancement only works well in Curitiba?

Ancient Futures

In the documentary, "Ancient Futures," dimensions of human life, principles, and outcomes are much different when compared to the western world. Property, relationship with land and natural environment, housing, and justice fulfills the principle of land holdings that are passed on to family and friends. The outcome is cooperation instead of competition and planning for the future. What happen to the days when people sustained economic development and lived on the principle of self reliance to local economy and the outcome was strong local economy that was self reliant? The people of ancient times and people in faraway places had meaningful relationships and lived in small remote communities, and shared special bonds with each other. They pride themselves on golden principles like share equal amounts of water for drinking and farming, share resources, work hard, rejoice and grieve with family and friends. The outcome was favorable. People saw the impact of their actions and got involved to make decisions that were in the best interest of the community.

What happen to the days when equity and equality matter among humans? The outcomes use to be contentment, satisfaction, increased engagement, and stewardship. What happen to the days when technologies were only as fast as humans. There was a time we use to have a relationship with the natural environment; we didn't throw anything in the water or pollute the atmosphere.

In western civilization we struggle to involve everyone in decision making (blacks, whites, homeless, disabled, homeowners, blue collars, white collars, etc.) There is no justice and we live in a time of separation and division. Once there was a time of early detection of problems. There was a time when critical issues were really critical issues for the entire community. Where did the sense of community go? What happen to the saying, "it takes a village to raise a child..?"

I can not begin to imagine western civilization practicing the principles of "Ancient Futures." We have more technology than those individuals in the documentary, yet we still live savagely in the 21st century!

Livestock

The video, Meatrix, brought home what is really happening in the food industry. Traditionally, farmers raised healthy livestock on their farms. As shown in the Meatrix this suddenly changed. Now, the small farmer is literally on the chopping block. Large companies have taken over the role of provider. Mass production of farm animals is currently at its best largely due to technological advancements. Recently in the news one company was being investigated for animal cruelty. You can go to http://www.themeatrix1.com/ and see the video that changed the way America does business.

The federal government is very clear as to what is expected regarding laws and regulations regarding food. Check it out on the web at http://www.fda.gov/