Today, heros fallen but never forgotten

I can’t go to bed tonight without writing this short but meaningful and very dear to my heart note about today’s events.

Catching the procession and memorial live in the Mat Factory on campus...

December 8, 2009. Today, the memorial for the four fallen Lakewood Police Officers was held at the Tacoma Dome. As I watched live news feed of the 20-mile long procession that began at McChord Air-force base this morning, I couldn’t help but feel the despair of this tragedy. I can offer no words that fully explain the gash this tragedy has had on the community and policing institution. I can neither offer any words that fully express my gratitude and sense of awe today watching bits and pieces of the memorial service on the news.

Thiry rows deep and a quarter of half mile long, hundreds to thousands of police and fire vehicles lined up with sirens flashing waiting their turn to join the procession in honor of the fallen officers early this morning. For three and half hours beginning at 10am, this procession line made the 10-mile trek to the Tacoma Dome for the official memorial service. An American flag was hung three-stories high by two firefighter department ladder trucks of which the entire procession line passed beneath. At least 261 different agencies from around the country were represented at today’s honoring of the Lakewood officers including agencies from New York, Chicago, and Boston. Over 1,000 Canadian Mounties marched the street of Tacoma up into the Dome to attend the memorial service.

Thoughts post-ICPNW

Yesterday I was at the Idea Camp Portland Northwest in the beautiful downtown at Portland Foursquare Church. The Idea Camp, a co-collaboration of philanthropy and business to inspire and create change through idea creation and sharing, brings minds of creativity together for love of people. I’m inspired by the excessive raw talent for ideation and overwhelming love for God’s people by the participants and panelists. I’m inspired by the small movements that create huge change in the city. I’m inspired by the average, every day people who are leading this generation under the radar, ultimately leading you and me.

I’m currently ghost-writing a book about our generation as a crucial group of people to change this world for Christ. In the book, the author talks about leading yourself well in a declaration of leadership for the kingdom of God. The idea of “times of refreshing and renewal” is a key concept in working on yourself and adding to your own character and relationship with the Lord. Sitting there, in the sanctuary, listening to panels of spiritual entrepreneurs, I feel refreshed and somewhat renewed. There is something about the presence of great ideas, the kind of presence you know only comes from the working of the Holy Spirit.

This Land Is Your Land: Citizenship- a Political Strategy

Author’s Note: I wrote this paper just yesterday for a Cities and Citizenship class at the University of Washington. Through Anna Secor’s readings and teachings in this class, it is interesting to know that the concept of “citizenship” within the “city” is much more complex (and complicated) than I really prefer to think about it. However, like most things, I am more intelligent (at least I think so) with this knowledge. My understanding of the city as contested urban space has expanded. And my overall insight about the human race and its relationship to others is strengthened and enlightened.

The citizenship ideal is built around the notion that where you stand, so you belong, a sort of this land is your land utopian idea. This idea is referred to as utopian because psychology, geography, and policy refuse to support such a theory leaving it to the entertainment of the mind instead. The real concept of citizenship is much more complex and continues to bring lengthy debate from the left and the right, republicans and democrats, the rich and the poor, the professional and the resident.

However the many perspectives, this discussion will focus on citizenship as a political strategy in which “citizens” publicly appeal to society claiming identity and belonging through discourse and action. The question raised in this discussion is whether or not society returns the persons’ claim thus granting social identity and belonging and if society, as an institution, also appeals to persons’ in granting political ownership. In other words, this city may belong to me, but do I also belong to this city? Following Anna Secor’s notion of spatial stories, this discussion will explore the tactics and strategies of peoples in claiming political belonging and social identity in a quest for citizenship.

Social Media and Charity?

The recent increase in Social Media hype thanks to Facebook, Twitter, Linked In, Vimeo and a number of other microblogging sites has produced a new kind of marketing- Social Media marketing. Studies are showing that Social Media marketers are among the most requested of marketing jobs now available. Companies and businesses are using Social Media to turn a profit. Looking at Skittles and TOMS Shoes, its worked. Of course, its not all just for money. Sometimes its for buzz and conversation, or even “friendship” (hello friend requests). And that’s where Charity comes in. Foundations and not-for-profit organizations are looking to take advantage of the Social Media market as well. Unfortunately, these organizations may not have quite the budget say Nike or another company has to devote itself to Social Media campaigning. But that’s not to say that some organizations are engaging Social Media users, and doing a really good job at it.

With major interest in the growing market of Social Media, I have come across in work or fun of the following charitable organizations that, I believe, give hope and set the bar for how charities and social media can work together for a cause.

• Invisible Children: This 5 year old organization located in San Diego, California has literally taken over the cause-related Social Media market. With a mass following of young people around the country, Invisible Children continues to use Social Media efforts to end Africa’s longest running war and its exploitation of child soldiers. Now with a Roadies Tour coming to a school near you, Invisible Children is known as one of the most inspiring organizations of this generation. You might see Invisible Children in the news, on Facebook, and even… on Oprah.

Thoughts on My Next Life…

I realize, as someone who never “leaves the office” (I suppose this is partly because my office is online which means I never get away from it… Thanks to the iphone) how incredibly important it is to sometimes just stop. Pause and think about the things you used to before work took over your mind. That’s how this post came about.

Mostly, my posts seem to focus on some sort of intellectual, academic or spiritual intrigue as a reflection of my life and thoughts, which makes this post very appropriate as a collaboration of “thoughts” on my next life. While it may neither be academically or spiritually fascinating in any way, I find it personally amusing.

As a note: You should not count any part of this post as a theological take on life… Read at your own caution… and amusement If you know me well, you might find that the descriptions below have a sense of hilarity to them, since I apparently lack the capacity for a number of reasons to make any of them reality in this life.

Descriptions of my next life:

• sing the National Anthem at the World Series
• Oprah follows me on twitter
• climb a mountain
• work with extreme makeover: home edition
• write my own cook book