“Da Island Guy”
Sounding Off Social
It’s the holiday season and word on the street is that Santa Claus is coming to town! As the ‘bearded one’ makes his way from yonder, many get into the cheer of the season. Meanwhile, others are excited ‘bout the College Football Playoff line-up, Beyoncé’s Renaissance movie release, Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour film or the remake of the Color Purple movie. Those might keep you cuddled-up by the fireplace or big screen.
But during the Hollywood ‘60s, folks were watching the TV sitcom “Get Smart” featuring Maxwell Smart, aka Agent 86. The theme of the show was built around a secret agent who was often making ‘bumbling moves’ in his undercover work. He had gadgets he didn’t handle well, like the phone in his shoes. The technology on the show then seemed far-fetched, but here we are today dealing with ChatGPT and other high touch devices. What if we could make advancements in civics the way we’ve seen happen in tech?
Well, that was a question that helped give birth to SAIC. Yea, there were my own times of ‘bumbling confusion and frustration’ around a series of national news stories which required getting a better handle of the issues. This experience led to a deep dive to extract moments from America’s best days or worst nightmare. The framework that was developed is based on America’s journey of 7 phases (Settlement, Slavery, Independence, Civil War, Reconstruction, Segregation, Civil Rights); 3 communities (Community 1.0, 2.0, 3.0); and 2 questions: (i) how did they overcome the struggle to get their breakthrough, (ii) how did they build excellence to live their best life.
You may be wondering, does that help us get smart on the issues of our time? How might we go from ‘Best-Life 1.0’ to 2.0 to 3.0? Well, think about how we went from black & white TV to color TV to smart TV. We went from a picture based on the streaming of white light, to a picture with three streams of colored light, to a picture with cutting-edge apps and features. Similarly, SAIC’s model is about doing the same with civics, by looking at history and today’s issues not based on just a stream of ‘white light’ but by combining three streams that involve American history, the ‘Black to America’ story and #HometownStrong comebacks. Sadly, some folks don’t want to move beyond the streaming of ‘white light’ as their preferred way for seeing or handling the issues. Moreover, what we see in some circles of public service is more about attention-seeking and chaos, than honor and civic duty.
So in America and even beyond, we gotta decide whether we want to have the best days or worst nightmare moving forward. That’s what Dr. King and the Civil Rights Movement had to contend with as well here at home. He’s often remembered for saying “the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends towards justice”. These days, it seems we also gotta bend that arc towards Democracy, Public Good and the American Dream. This might require a gameplan for ‘civics in action’ for the next chapter of America’s story. Plus, if we take a page from Dr. King and the movement, apply it to SAIC’s ‘JAM With Us’ (join a movement) initiative, we’ll need to pack:
1. Vision for the Assignment/Journey
Ambassador Andrew Young once shared that Dr. King wasn’t initially gung-ho about being a figure-head for the cause. He saw it as an enormous responsibility. But after self-reflection and divine intervention, he came onboard based on a vision for the assignment/journey. It’s like taking a road trip and punching the destination into your GPS. It gives routes based on traffic patterns and congestion. The direct route is often the way to go but it may also show the by-pass around the city. Civics is a direct route for how we get smart on the issues, but a vision can provide a bypass around roadblocks, power-trips and doubts.
2. Leadership for the Movement
It’s amazing how far we’ve come with computing technology. When computers had Windows and macOS added to the box, it was revolutionary in function and user-friendly in application. This was due in part to tech leaders who heard the frustration cries of consumers for how clunky it was to use the early devices. It took leadership in going from black & white TV to color TV, DOS to Windows and flip phones to smart phones. It took leadership to go from British colony to Independence. And it’ll take a shift in leadership and citizenship by listening to the frustration cries of citizens, to make good on America’s full potential.
3. Message for the Culture
Not only was there leadership with tech advancement, but there was also a message for the culture in the civil rights movement. To hold strong on our freedoms and expand the circle of equity & inclusion we have to be engaged at the ballot box. We gotta turnout for the vote in the same way we wanna ‘turn-up’ at the club or in the stands at an event. Moreover, there’re different lanes we can choose from to level-up our civic engagement game. The civil rights movement was a kinda 4-lane highway where folks would advocate, agitate, negotiate or motivate. SAIC does some of that by weaving through roots & culture.
4. Teamwork for the Players
Any organization that pulls off a major feat is often a model in teamwork. As the saying goes…there’s no ‘I’ in T.E.A.M. because ‘together everyone achieves more’. The added-value isn’t simply linear but moreso monumental. In football, teamwork is built around offense, defense and special team. But there’s also a rhythm/chemistry and team history that get weaved into the organization’s culture. SAIC’s approach to civic engagement and teamwork brings 3Rs: roots to the culture, rhythm to the civic action and realness to the message. This way we can win big for campus, company, community and country.
In the recently released biopic film “Maxine’s Baby”, Tyler Perry shared how he was a loner as a young boy. He’d hide in his house cellar to avoid the emotional abuse he experienced. But then he had an ‘aha’ moment from watching the Oprah Winfrey Show about keeping a journal. This opened up his mind to bigger goals and larger dreams. Sometimes this website reads like a journal too. It’s really a snapshot of SAIC’s vision for the assignment/journey, leadership for the movement, message for the culture and teamwork for the players. And when different colors and cultures come together, beautiful people say yes!
For more on impacting Democracy & Public Good, Education & Community or Entrepreneurship & American Dream, chime-in at the ‘Civic Mondays’ events or “J.A.M. With Us” (join a movement) in civic engagement, social change and community life. Checkout the Signup Center below.
Tracks: Sia – Together – https://youtu.be/vnfGni4_RlI?si=PsbQn-YEl3Vrt_x_
Rihanna – Say Yes – https://youtu.be/XZBk7LZGpJk?si=jjJvMtj6x_Woad2c
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See America In Color 