Although it’s 17 years old, the message hasn’t changed. Severn Suzuki speaks on behalf of the world, especially for those with no voice.
She represents E.C.O., the Environmental Children’s Organization, a group of Canadian 12-13 year olds trying to make a difference. In 1992, Vanessa Suttie, Morgan Geisler, Michelle Quigg and Severn traveled 5,000 miles to emplore the United Nations for change.
She says, “I am only a child yet I know that we are all part of a family, 5 billion strong, in fact 30 million species strong. And borders and governments will never change that. I am only a child yet I know we are all in this together and should act as one single world towards one single goal.”
If you want your heart strings tugged and your sense of responsibility emboldened, watch Severn Suzuki speak to the United Nations in this 6:30 minute video:
Please pass this on and keep the message strong and clear!
When Dee Turner, Do Gooder and friend, forwarded us this video of a sing-along and said it was perfect for the Do Gooder Daily, I was skeptical. But I was so wrong! I couldn’t help but feel the positive vibe and sense of community, and the song’s so good I caught myself singing, too!
If you want a little pick-me-up today, check out this 4 minute video of people gathered at Trafalger Square singing “Hey Jude” by the Beetles, shot two weeks ago on April 30:
A truly moving short film, “Chicken a la Carte” by Ferdinand Dimadura grabbed the honour of “Most Popular Short Film” in a 2006 competition between of 3,600 filmmakers. The film aptly depicts the difference between the lives of the weathly and poor.
While the beginning is slow, your patience will pay off. The short is a total of 6 minutes and it will break your heart:
We think you’ll really like this video, Do Gooders! “Hey World (Don’t Give Up)” by Michael Franti and Spearhead is 4 minutes of inspirational, beautiful music and evocative visuals about social change and civic participation.
Michael’s soulful song paired with reggae rhythms will take you on a road of trust, compassion, optimism, forgiveness and love for the enduring spirit of mankind. Check it out and let us know how it made you feel!
“80% of people are hurt by words. Research shows that only about 20% of children and adults are able to handle put downs without emotional pain and psychological damage.” California Task Force for Personal and Social Responsibility.
Isn’t that an incredible statistic? It was among several in the rolling credits of Who You Are DOES Make a Difference. This 6:30 minutes of goodness is a cross between the movie, Pay-It-Forward, and the video, Validation.
On February 16, 2006, in Rochester, New York, Greece Athena’s basketball coach thought it would be great for their team manager (and autistic teen), Jason McElway, to play in a game. Jason showed everyone how much he could shine with only 4 minutes left before the buzzer went off, Jason shot SIX 3-point shots!
How did this happen? “I was hot as a pistol,” explains Jason.
Check out this 2:45 minute CBS newscast and see how wild the crowd goes with each basket!
An inspiring story of love and strength, this video shows how a father-son team defy the limitations of disability. Team Hoyt has run 85 marathons so far, competed in 212 grueling triathlons (a combination of 26.2 miles running, 112 miles bicycling and 2.4 miles swimming) and 4 Ironman competitions. Together, they’ve tackled mountains and traipsed 3,735 miles across America.
Oh, did we mention that Rick can’t walk or talk?
When Rick could communicate through technology, he said, “Dad, when we were running, it felt like I wasn’t disabled anymore.” That was all the motivation his father, Dick, needed to start Team Hoyt. In 1992, they qualified for the Boston marathon and finished only 35 minutes short of the world record. When someone suggested Dad racing on his own, he replied, “No way.”
Team Hoyt’s message: “Everybody should be included in everyday life.”
Imagine if every leader in the world (which includes bosses, parents, teachers, etc.) measured their success with how many eyes they made shine? This is exactly what Benjamin Zander does!
As conductor of the Boston Philharmonic since 1979, Mr. Zander soon realized that his main role as a conductor, as a leader, is to unlock the potential in others. He says he knows when he’s done this when he sees people’s eyes shine.
Mr. Zander guest conducts and tours around the world using classical music to speak on leadership. Here is an inspirational sneak-peak performance from a TED (technology, entertainment and design) conference last year, guaranteed to leave you appreciating classical music and motivated to be a better person:
Whether you’re a leader or not, how many eyes have you made shine today?
Sometimes we all forget how easy it is to smile and change our mood. Being that today is Friday, I think everyone is a bit more receptive to the idea of simply smiling!
This was posted as one of our challenges. You can click and complete the challenge here: See the challenge!
This is the official blog for Do Gooders. It is the vehicle for the Daily Challenge story and the tool to get you directly involved in the project so you can become part of the story, too.
