a love for synergy

In my early adulthood, I have come to discover that things move rather rapidly. There always seems to be something that needs to be done - bills, papers, projects, events, etc.

Time seems to move faster. I'm probably late for something as you read this.

I have also discovered that I have a particular likeness for blending responsibilities, passions and causes. Two birds with one stone, eggs in one basket, call it whatever you want, I love it. Multitasking just seems to work really well for me.

Some less relevant examples include:
-discovering my love for jazz while trolling through the produce section
-catching up with political chat while practicing yoga in my bedroom via youtube
-and learning traditional Catalan while running.

Productive, yes. Embarrassing, slightly.

No other combination has been most rewarding than my work with the Neighborhood Empowerment Network and my graduate thesis project. My passion for citizen civic engagement has been able to work concurrently with the pursuit of a Master's Degree at San Francisco State while also helping an actual organization centered around community involvement.

In the fall of 2009, I was able to work with Daniel Homsey and a think tank of Communication Studies professors and fellow students. Our focus revolved around the ways to instruct leadership to neighborhood representatives. We also brought our own personal interests into the mix, like language barriers, organizational lecturing and incorporating media and activism (me, of course).

Over the winter break, Daniel approached me with a new idea in mind. In order to spread the Neighborhood Empowerment Network's message, Daniel suggested that I front the initiative to build a program that was centered around the historic GLBT community of San Francisco. I immediately said yes, but with a catch. I wanted to have the opportunity to promote my thesis and tap into NEN for survey participants.

SYNERGY AT ITS FINEST!!!

The survey is a perfect addition to the NEN program as it aims to find the relationships between media consumption patterns, interpersonal communication and civic engagement in an effort to promote more diverse activism of people that normally weren't particularly interested/ fearful to engage in politics. The end result will be a guide for marginalized communities to give them the power and tools to become more active for their rights and needs for community improvement and empowerment in case of any natural disasters (THE BIG EARTHQUAKE, DROUGHT, FAMINE, etc.). Studying something of this nature while developing a program for civic engagement and community organizing makes for a perfect combination.

Please feel free to take part in the survey. The larger the survey sample, the better.

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/mediatalkandaction

As far as the resiliency project has gone, we have already met with representatives from the Red Cross to get them on board and help identity the marginalized members within the GLBT community to find out who would be more at risk in case of a major earthquake. The main members of the community at risk would most likely be elderly LGBT seniors with little family ties as well as the HIV/AIDS patients that would also need access to care.

It has also been brought up that the community itself is rather split between age groups and subcultures, so an elaborate scheme is in the works to put together a campaign that encourages community involvement that doesn't revolve around nightlife and separation.

We're on the move and I'm incredibly happy with the progression of both my thesis and my work with the LGBT resiliency coalition.

I'll be sure to keep you updated on both matters.

Love and loyalty... and synergy.