The Underdog

Confession: I have a serious crush on 'the underdog'

It started surfacing in High School. Well, maybe in middle school; after all, I really liked "God help the outcast" from the Hunchback of Notre Dame... anyways... My friend Kagan and I did our own part in the Iraq War effort by printing off protest signs (at school) and posting them on our lockers. Sure, the "No War for Oil" posters didn't stay up there long, but it was our way of 'sticking it to the man'. In high school I also started seeing the way my classmates treated those that were gay, and that really ticked me off. I'm not really sure why, but it did. Also, I started getting heavy into researching mental health and its effects on belonging.

I decided in college that my major would be sociology/psychology mainly because I wanted a job helping the under-served. I went on 2 work/mission trips and also worked at a day camp for kids in low income families. All of these events increased my passion for the underdog even more. Also, I did a crazy long report on sweatshops in the garment industry. Man, was that an eye opener!

Then Camp Kindle came... Whoa. Words cannot express how much those 10 days affected me.

After college I joined AmeriCorps*VISTA and worked at a day shelter for homeless neighbors. That was one crazy year. I was also on food stamps during that year... and let me tell you this; NO ONE that is on food stamps should be considered lazy. it took me 3 MONTHS... and I had a college education! Not to mention i had to take 1/2 a day off of work to renew them! If someone is willing to endure that humiliation and agony they deserve that money.

After my term was up I eventually found a job working at another day shelter for the homeless in another town. By the grace of God they promoted me in a week to the job I have now, helping those with a severe mental illness. So there that is folks; these are most of the philanthropic issues I am interested in so far... and i'm only 25 (well, I will be in a month)!

Tomorrow I might post about another person who has changed my life; and it's probably not you. :)

Loves!