Community Activism?

I've begun my political career at last! Maybe not quite, but it was kind of interesting. I got a notice this past weekend about a hearing at City Hall exploring the feasability of opening a branch library in Chinatown. It's an issue that I've felt strongly about ever since I began teaching here. I did not hesitate, then, when a chance came to speak up about the issue.

Tuesday afternoon arrived. It took a while, but eventually, the city council chamber was filled with over 100 people who turned out to support the library campaign. Lawrence Joe's youth contingent of Chinese Progressive Association was out in full force. The Josiah Quincy Elementary School also turned out, with principal Lee and several of her young students holding colorful signs. Many Chinese-speaking English students spoke passionately about the need for a library as well. City Counselors Michael Flaherty and Sam Yoon sat for 2 hours, listening to lots of testimony.

Having a library in our neighborhood would make sense on so many levels-- not the least of which is the boost it would provide to literacy efforts, which would, possibly, in turn produce less dropouts and, then, less youth crime in our city. So that was the angle of attack that I took on the issue as I took the stand and read my speech. So maybe it's not the beginning of run for governer, but it provided me a chance to network with CPA folks, as well as a guy from NAAAP.

In the end, it all comes back to bringing greater glory to God. If a few Christians can speak out with truth and grace for issues of social justice-- in a way that brings blessings to the neighborhood in which we live-- and if they know we are Christians-- then, I believe that Jesus gets all the glory.

You can see the video of the hearing here: http://www.cityofboston.gov/citycouncil/cc_video_library.asp?id=208

My testimony is somewhere around the 1:26:00 mark...