Here's the 60 Minutes story I referred to earlier today:
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/05/20/60minutes/main2830058.shtml?source=search_story
Monday, June 25, 2007
Quote
"No pessimist ever discovered the secrets of the stars, or sailed to an unchartered land, or opened a new heaven to the human spirit."
-- Hellen Keller
Immokalee 2020 - more thoughts
Jane and I are still making contacts and collecting information about Immokalee. Jane is leading one mother's & children's family literacy class at Immokalee Non-Profit Housing (INPH) with the help of the talented Miss Sylvia; today I'll be following up with Habitat for Humanity about some of their residents joining us at INPH.
Meanwhile, as I said, we're trying to meet every player out there, and join the discussion on plans to rid Immokalee of poverty in the next 12 years. Here are some of the ideas we've been working on:
Attract more businesses to the trade zone at the airport. Help the airport become all that it can be in terms of flights and trade.
Attract higher-paying skilled-labor types of industries to the area. Immokalee has a sizable and trainable workforce. The problem with the Florida economy in general, though, is that the types of industry we have here are (a) limited in number and (b) much lower-paying than in the northeast and west coast. People in Immokalee don't just need jobs, they need jobs that pay well.
Back to the trade zone: there's a great incubator set up there with $1 per-foot rent, for instance, but it's underutilized. People don't just need jobs; we also have to encourage entrepreneurialism. Owning a business or being a partner in an enterprise means that we benefit more fully from our own labor. I'd rather see two hundred companies of five people each than ten companies with 100 employees each. Few people achieve wealth as employees.
Redefine expectations. Jane and I are passionate about not just making people less poor, but helping them strive for wealth. Why not? There is no reason that the children of Immokalee can't amass fortunes, if they choose, just as we'd expect the kids of Naples to. We have to change the entire conversation.
English and literacy are huge components of that effort. You can't get ahead in this country until you speak the language. We are going to make sure that every person in Immokalee has the same access to ESL and literacy education as the rest of us.
Toward that end, we are working to secure $900,000 to purchase 9,000 laptop computers, one for each child in the Immokalee school system. Yes, you read right: those computers will only cost $100 each. Right now Intel and MIT are test-driving competing versions of these remarkable laptops. I've blogged on this before; 60 Minutes ran a terrific profile on the One Laptop Per Child Innitiative less than a month ago.
Right now there's a 50% dropout rate at Immokalee High. We're going to work closely with the schools and social organizations to bring that to 0%. I've blogged on this before. There is no reason to accept failure.
I have made a number of extremely wealthy friends in my life - decamillionaires, centamillionaires; even a few billionaires. Some of those have agreed to speak to groups of high school kids around town, and to be featured in a high school textbook I am writing, in order to show at-risk kids the way to wealth. The people featured will be completely self-made, from poor or middle class backgrounds, and they will be active donors and volunteers.
Right now, poor workers are wasting their money on substandard housing. We will work with other groups to bring that to an end. We want affordable and humane housing for every resident of Immokalee, both year-round and migrant.
There is still slavery in Immokalee. No joke. In 2007. Just recently, the UN sent a human rights task force down here for three weeks. This slavery will end, well before 2020.
Gangs will be driven from the community.
Poor people deserve microcredit. If you haven't read Muhammad Yunnis' "Banker to the Poor," you need to. Right away. You're not an anti-poverty activist until you are familiar with his work - it's that important.
As I said, these are only a few of the ideas that we are promoting. Immokalee 2020 is going to be a massive effort, with people and groups contributing their time, effort, and treasure in many ways. We hope you join us.
Friday, June 22, 2007
My favorite 2 hours
Every Wednesday night I volunteer my time to teach an ESL (English as a Second Language) class at the East Naples headquarters of Literacy Volunteers of Collier County, on whose board I serve.
It is by far the best two hours of my always-fun week.
Alright, to be fair to Jane and the girls, it is the best two hours of my 100-hour work week. ...And at least 90 of those hours are fun, so this is saying something.
Why do I enjoy teaching ESL so much? Well, for one, I'm a ham, and this is my chance to have a captive audience for 120 minutes. That isn't so bad.
For another, I really enjoy helping people who need it. My students are motivated to learn (they're also there voluntarily), they need to learn to make a life here, and by learning English, their life is improving in every way - careerwise, socially, politically. Helping others is an addictive behavior, and I've been hooked for almost 12 years now.
There's one totally selfish pleasure I take from my ESL classes, though. I get to learn all about the rest of the world, from the people who are natives of the countries I study. I haven't traveled all that much - a lot in the US, but outside of that I've only been to Canada, Mexico, Spain, Portugal, and France (for a day).
But I've taught people from 78 different countries on 5 continents. Seeing their countries through their eyes gives you a perspective you can never get from a book, or even from a visit as a tourist. And, while one native may give you a limited perspective, when you teach 4 or a dozen or two hundred people from the same land, you can form a pretty good view of what life must be like there.
Take this past class as an example. I have students from Argentina, Colombia, and Cuba. I don't think I'd ever taught a Cuban before, so I'm learning about a new country. And while we all hear media reports about how so-called communism isn't very pleasant under the Castro Regime, I think the details can seem a little remote; I had missed them altogether, somehow.
Life in Cuba stinks. Physically, it's the jewel of the Caribbean, one of the most beautiful places on Earth. But if you're a citizen... no thank you. I don't blame anyone for leaving.
For instance, people only make $20 a month there. Their medical needs are 100% free, which is nice. Housing is provided for them, such as it is; schooling, too. But food is rationed such that, playing by the rules, you'd starve. Adults are not allowed access to milk; only kids. You only get a couple of eggs a month - six, if I remember correctly. Even rice and bread are rationed. Playing by the rules, you can't possibly fill your stomach.
If you want to make it - at all - you have to participate in the black market. To get by, you have to be a thief. Employees at a grocery store steal food and sell the excess for a profit. Workers in a clothing factory do the same. Police take bribes to keep you out of jail if they catch you, say, driving drunk. Heaven help you if you can't pay your bribe. Heaven help your family if they're hit by a drunk driver who can afford to pay his bribes.
It is a felony to possess five pounds of coffee. Imagine that. If your cow is hit by a truck and dies, you'll go to jail for using its meat. You have to call the police, who will take it away "for" you.
Here's one that I especially love: a native Cuban on her honeymoon at a hotel will be kicked out of her room if a foreign tourist shows up in need of lodging. There's no recourse, because this is government policy. After all, Cuba's shipwrecked economy would be even worse off without those foreign dollars (or Euros or Pesos or Yen). Oh, and speaking of foreign currency: the government charges 22% to convert it. I got to teach the word racket at this point in our lesson, as in "What a racket!"
Cubans also suffer indignity in line at the store, government offices... anywhere there's a line, which is most places. Tourists are allowed straight to the front of the line, even if it's twenty-Cubans deep. Not bad if you're a tourist, though. At least, if you're a tourist without a conscience.
See why I teach English? You don't get this in a magazine, not even National Geographic. I may be helping my students master an essential life-skill. But the experience I get in return... this is a purely selfish endeavor for me.
If you don't teach ESL now, I hope you consider joining a volunteer program like the one at Literacy Volunteers of Collier County (www.Collierliteracy.org) or the Literacy Council of Bonita Springs (www.bonitaliteracy.org). Do it to help others in need, sure. But even more, do it for yourself.
It is by far the best two hours of my always-fun week.
Alright, to be fair to Jane and the girls, it is the best two hours of my 100-hour work week. ...And at least 90 of those hours are fun, so this is saying something.
Why do I enjoy teaching ESL so much? Well, for one, I'm a ham, and this is my chance to have a captive audience for 120 minutes. That isn't so bad.
For another, I really enjoy helping people who need it. My students are motivated to learn (they're also there voluntarily), they need to learn to make a life here, and by learning English, their life is improving in every way - careerwise, socially, politically. Helping others is an addictive behavior, and I've been hooked for almost 12 years now.
There's one totally selfish pleasure I take from my ESL classes, though. I get to learn all about the rest of the world, from the people who are natives of the countries I study. I haven't traveled all that much - a lot in the US, but outside of that I've only been to Canada, Mexico, Spain, Portugal, and France (for a day).
But I've taught people from 78 different countries on 5 continents. Seeing their countries through their eyes gives you a perspective you can never get from a book, or even from a visit as a tourist. And, while one native may give you a limited perspective, when you teach 4 or a dozen or two hundred people from the same land, you can form a pretty good view of what life must be like there.
Take this past class as an example. I have students from Argentina, Colombia, and Cuba. I don't think I'd ever taught a Cuban before, so I'm learning about a new country. And while we all hear media reports about how so-called communism isn't very pleasant under the Castro Regime, I think the details can seem a little remote; I had missed them altogether, somehow.
Life in Cuba stinks. Physically, it's the jewel of the Caribbean, one of the most beautiful places on Earth. But if you're a citizen... no thank you. I don't blame anyone for leaving.
For instance, people only make $20 a month there. Their medical needs are 100% free, which is nice. Housing is provided for them, such as it is; schooling, too. But food is rationed such that, playing by the rules, you'd starve. Adults are not allowed access to milk; only kids. You only get a couple of eggs a month - six, if I remember correctly. Even rice and bread are rationed. Playing by the rules, you can't possibly fill your stomach.
If you want to make it - at all - you have to participate in the black market. To get by, you have to be a thief. Employees at a grocery store steal food and sell the excess for a profit. Workers in a clothing factory do the same. Police take bribes to keep you out of jail if they catch you, say, driving drunk. Heaven help you if you can't pay your bribe. Heaven help your family if they're hit by a drunk driver who can afford to pay his bribes.
It is a felony to possess five pounds of coffee. Imagine that. If your cow is hit by a truck and dies, you'll go to jail for using its meat. You have to call the police, who will take it away "for" you.
Here's one that I especially love: a native Cuban on her honeymoon at a hotel will be kicked out of her room if a foreign tourist shows up in need of lodging. There's no recourse, because this is government policy. After all, Cuba's shipwrecked economy would be even worse off without those foreign dollars (or Euros or Pesos or Yen). Oh, and speaking of foreign currency: the government charges 22% to convert it. I got to teach the word racket at this point in our lesson, as in "What a racket!"
Cubans also suffer indignity in line at the store, government offices... anywhere there's a line, which is most places. Tourists are allowed straight to the front of the line, even if it's twenty-Cubans deep. Not bad if you're a tourist, though. At least, if you're a tourist without a conscience.
See why I teach English? You don't get this in a magazine, not even National Geographic. I may be helping my students master an essential life-skill. But the experience I get in return... this is a purely selfish endeavor for me.
If you don't teach ESL now, I hope you consider joining a volunteer program like the one at Literacy Volunteers of Collier County (www.Collierliteracy.org) or the Literacy Council of Bonita Springs (www.bonitaliteracy.org). Do it to help others in need, sure. But even more, do it for yourself.
Monday, June 18, 2007
Nonprofit Websites
Alright, guys, here's the deal: if you run a nonprofit and your website's latest news is from 2004, or even January 2007, you're dropping the ball. There are plenty of potential donors and volunteers out there who are Internet savvy, and who will pass on helping you because your website lets them down.
A website is a really cool brochure. It is an arm of your sales force. It's pretty cheap compared to other types of marketing (paying sales pros, buying ads; mass mailings). As a business consultant - and don't kid yourself, a nonprofit is very much a business - I am here to tell you, invest your energy in your online presence.
It doesn't have to be fancy. Sharp looking, yes, but frilly graphics can actually distract from your message, and they can also frustrate people who still use DSL or, Heaven forbid, dial up.
If you run the local branch of a national organization, CREATE YOUR OWN WEBSITE! I'll use the following two links as examples.
This one I find incredibly frustrating: www.americanheart.org. How do I find out about my local chapter? I can call, write them a letter, or drop by, sure. But if I want to find out about goings on of my local chapter of the American Heart Association on, say, Sunday evening, I'll have to wait. As far as I can tell, they have no local website.
Note: this is a cause Coine has given to in the past, and we will again in the future. The Heart Association does great work.
Now here's another pair of links that are dead-on: www.bgca.org - on the Boys & Girls' Club's national site, you can look up your chapter and follow the link to your local club's site.
www.bgccc.com - and here is said local site. The local guys clearly said, "Hey, we've got important work to do, and we're going to get it done. Let's make a site of our own."
A website is a really cool brochure. It is an arm of your sales force. It's pretty cheap compared to other types of marketing (paying sales pros, buying ads; mass mailings). As a business consultant - and don't kid yourself, a nonprofit is very much a business - I am here to tell you, invest your energy in your online presence.
It doesn't have to be fancy. Sharp looking, yes, but frilly graphics can actually distract from your message, and they can also frustrate people who still use DSL or, Heaven forbid, dial up.
If you run the local branch of a national organization, CREATE YOUR OWN WEBSITE! I'll use the following two links as examples.
This one I find incredibly frustrating: www.americanheart.org. How do I find out about my local chapter? I can call, write them a letter, or drop by, sure. But if I want to find out about goings on of my local chapter of the American Heart Association on, say, Sunday evening, I'll have to wait. As far as I can tell, they have no local website.
Note: this is a cause Coine has given to in the past, and we will again in the future. The Heart Association does great work.
Now here's another pair of links that are dead-on: www.bgca.org - on the Boys & Girls' Club's national site, you can look up your chapter and follow the link to your local club's site.
www.bgccc.com - and here is said local site. The local guys clearly said, "Hey, we've got important work to do, and we're going to get it done. Let's make a site of our own."
2007-8 Season
We've gotten a lot of inquiries lately, so here's the story: very few organizations have chosen dates for their fundraisers for the coming season.
Unfortunately, quite a number of groups are waiting for their peers to commit, so that they can schedule their fundraisers accordingly. This is a chicken-and-egg scenario, and the chickens aren't laying.
What can I say? Stay tuned.
Unfortunately, quite a number of groups are waiting for their peers to commit, so that they can schedule their fundraisers accordingly. This is a chicken-and-egg scenario, and the chickens aren't laying.
What can I say? Stay tuned.
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
Some of our projects
As you read over the things we've been up to, I hope you keep in mind that this isn't all one guy or one couple running around town trying to do everything at once. There are a lot of people involved in these endeavors. After all, collaboration is what we're all about.
3rd Annual CAN Ride. I've been putting this fun fundraiser together for about 3 weeks now. We now have a list of about a dozen volunteers pitching in, and we'll be adding to that list from now through the day of.
This is vitally important to the success of NSA. I'm getting an education in how to run an event, starting almost from scratch. This is how I have to do things: I master a particular area of endeavor, and then I can coach those who take over for me. Call it Six Sigma if you like.
I'm also getting to know folks around town. I'll know which sponsors to tap first for future events.
For more information on the CAN Ride, held July 14, visit http://www.naplessocialaction.org/. You can print up the registration form from the home page, or register via http://www.active.com/.
1st Annual Animal Lovers' Parade. We've already started putting this together. I'm focused on the CAN Ride, but there's even some overlap here (riders for CAN and participants in the Animal Lovers' Parade will in many cases be the same people.)
To get all the goods on the Parade, go to Sept. 15th on our calendar: http://www.naplessocialaction.org/.
Naples Social Action is about to be spun off of the Coine Foundation - stay tuned for that. As an independent entity, NSA will have two main functions: its calendar, and raising money for other nonprofits. We will host a fundraiser every month toward that end, starting in September with the Animal Lovers' Parade.
NSA will raise funds for the Coine Foundation, and will provide the administrative support it needs. In this way, 100% of the funding our public foundation receives will go directly to those who need our help, through the employment of teachers.
You can't compete with a nonprofit that has a terrific mission and is 100% cost-effective.
E-Newsletter. The first issue of the Naples Social Action e-newsletter was very well received by the 150 people on our emailing list. Issue #2 is due out later this week. You can access our archive on the NSA website.
The newsletter consists of a calendar of events for the next two weeks, general announcements, and our favorite section, "Neapolitans of Note," an interview with one special member of our community.
To get on our email list, contact me directly: ted.coine@coineinc.com.
Immokalee 2020. This is a huge and very compelling project. At the moment, we're developing the concept and involving many of the key players. Once NSA is humming along smoothly, this is where Jane and I will be putting most of our effort.
The Coine Foundation. Currently, Jane is teaching at Immokalee Non-Profit Housing (INPH). She leads the English as a Second Language (ESL) class for mothers while an INPH staffer teaches their pre-preschool children.
This is our pilot class; we've never held a free ESL class, so we're tweeking the model. Our biggest issue seems to be student commitment: we humans don't value what we don't have to struggle for. When you offer a free class, students don't seem to value it as much as when you charge them. Once we get this figured out, we'll expand the program. We have several other nonprofits that are on the wait list for these classes.
I'll write more about the mission and function of the Coine Foundation in a future entry. http://www.coinefoundation.org/.
The Naples English-Language Council (NELC). The theme of everything we at Coine do in our nonprofit endeavors is collaboration. Toward that end, we have formed NELC in order to bring together all of the groups and teachers of ESL in our community. We will share lessons, coordinate efforts among different ESL providers, and serve as an advocate for the needs of the immigrant community. This week or next, we will set the date and location for the first monthly NELC meeting.
NELC has ten member-groups and counting.
Professional Development Seminars. Jane and I travel the country teaching businesses how to become more successful through leadership, culture-building, and customer service. So why not share our expertise here at home, and serve good causes while we do it? Toward that end, we will soon unveil our monthly training schedule. All proceeds will benefit charity.
To learn more about what we do, visit http://www.coinetraining.com/.
Social Enterprise League. This one is currently nothing more than a conversation we're having with some other friends who also own businesses. The gist is that a Social Enterprise is a for-profit business that dedicates all or a significant portion of its profits (minimum 10%) to charity. Coine, Inc. is a social enterprise. Currently, 100% of our profits are dedicated to Naples Social Action and the Coine Foundation. Yes, we pay ourselves a decent salary first. We're not saints, just philanthropists.
The Coine Foundation is working on an annual certification process. Social Entrepreneurs will sign a contract for the coming year, in which they pledge a certain portion of their profits to charity. For that they will be awarded a Social Enterprise certificate, which they can use in all of their literature and on their websites. We will audit those companies at the end of each year to make sure that they have complied. Those that do will be given Social Enterprise status for the following year.
Think this is nuts? Are you saying to yourself, "Who on earth would agree to participate?" Plenty of business owners will not. But some already give over 10%, and some give close to it. There is a lot of random giving - maybe this year, 9%, last year 23%, next year 4%. If we guide that giving through a conscious commitment, then everybody wins.
...And this is how the business owner wins, even if he isn't motivated by altruism: he will attract and keep the best workers. Once their basic needs are met, people immediately seek meaning in their work. Employment with a social enterprise will be more desirable to the vast majority of workers, and so those companies that show their commitment to the community (local and global) will attract the best people.
Companies will be pressured by their employees and customers to do business with peer organizations, rather than non-philanthropic for-profits. Buyers will say, "I can shop at this store or this store. I can buy this product or that product. All other things being equal" - and in the case of mature businesses that sell commodities, all other things are usually equal - "I'm going to patronize the social enterprise."
I wish I'd made this up myself - what a genius I'd be! But I'm just building on the ideas of two visionaries. The first is Paul Newman; Newman's own is a for-profit, because of tax laws: you can't sell salad dressing as a nonprofit, because it competes with the private sector. But they give all of their profits to charity. They've raised hundreds of millions of dollars for just that purpose over the years.
The second visionary is Muhammad Yunnis, author of "Banker to the Poor" and winner of the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize for his work with microlending. Toward the end of that book, Dr. Yunnis describes his Socially-Conscious Entrepreneur, which I've shortened to Social Enterprise for reasons of catchiness. I can't do his work justice in a few lines. I highly recommend you buy - and read - his book. Click on the Amazon link at www.naplessocialaction.org and a portion of your sale will go to a great cause.
3rd Annual CAN Ride. I've been putting this fun fundraiser together for about 3 weeks now. We now have a list of about a dozen volunteers pitching in, and we'll be adding to that list from now through the day of.
This is vitally important to the success of NSA. I'm getting an education in how to run an event, starting almost from scratch. This is how I have to do things: I master a particular area of endeavor, and then I can coach those who take over for me. Call it Six Sigma if you like.
I'm also getting to know folks around town. I'll know which sponsors to tap first for future events.
For more information on the CAN Ride, held July 14, visit http://www.naplessocialaction.org/. You can print up the registration form from the home page, or register via http://www.active.com/.
1st Annual Animal Lovers' Parade. We've already started putting this together. I'm focused on the CAN Ride, but there's even some overlap here (riders for CAN and participants in the Animal Lovers' Parade will in many cases be the same people.)
To get all the goods on the Parade, go to Sept. 15th on our calendar: http://www.naplessocialaction.org/.
Naples Social Action is about to be spun off of the Coine Foundation - stay tuned for that. As an independent entity, NSA will have two main functions: its calendar, and raising money for other nonprofits. We will host a fundraiser every month toward that end, starting in September with the Animal Lovers' Parade.
NSA will raise funds for the Coine Foundation, and will provide the administrative support it needs. In this way, 100% of the funding our public foundation receives will go directly to those who need our help, through the employment of teachers.
You can't compete with a nonprofit that has a terrific mission and is 100% cost-effective.
E-Newsletter. The first issue of the Naples Social Action e-newsletter was very well received by the 150 people on our emailing list. Issue #2 is due out later this week. You can access our archive on the NSA website.
The newsletter consists of a calendar of events for the next two weeks, general announcements, and our favorite section, "Neapolitans of Note," an interview with one special member of our community.
To get on our email list, contact me directly: ted.coine@coineinc.com.
Immokalee 2020. This is a huge and very compelling project. At the moment, we're developing the concept and involving many of the key players. Once NSA is humming along smoothly, this is where Jane and I will be putting most of our effort.
The Coine Foundation. Currently, Jane is teaching at Immokalee Non-Profit Housing (INPH). She leads the English as a Second Language (ESL) class for mothers while an INPH staffer teaches their pre-preschool children.
This is our pilot class; we've never held a free ESL class, so we're tweeking the model. Our biggest issue seems to be student commitment: we humans don't value what we don't have to struggle for. When you offer a free class, students don't seem to value it as much as when you charge them. Once we get this figured out, we'll expand the program. We have several other nonprofits that are on the wait list for these classes.
I'll write more about the mission and function of the Coine Foundation in a future entry. http://www.coinefoundation.org/.
The Naples English-Language Council (NELC). The theme of everything we at Coine do in our nonprofit endeavors is collaboration. Toward that end, we have formed NELC in order to bring together all of the groups and teachers of ESL in our community. We will share lessons, coordinate efforts among different ESL providers, and serve as an advocate for the needs of the immigrant community. This week or next, we will set the date and location for the first monthly NELC meeting.
NELC has ten member-groups and counting.
Professional Development Seminars. Jane and I travel the country teaching businesses how to become more successful through leadership, culture-building, and customer service. So why not share our expertise here at home, and serve good causes while we do it? Toward that end, we will soon unveil our monthly training schedule. All proceeds will benefit charity.
To learn more about what we do, visit http://www.coinetraining.com/.
Social Enterprise League. This one is currently nothing more than a conversation we're having with some other friends who also own businesses. The gist is that a Social Enterprise is a for-profit business that dedicates all or a significant portion of its profits (minimum 10%) to charity. Coine, Inc. is a social enterprise. Currently, 100% of our profits are dedicated to Naples Social Action and the Coine Foundation. Yes, we pay ourselves a decent salary first. We're not saints, just philanthropists.
The Coine Foundation is working on an annual certification process. Social Entrepreneurs will sign a contract for the coming year, in which they pledge a certain portion of their profits to charity. For that they will be awarded a Social Enterprise certificate, which they can use in all of their literature and on their websites. We will audit those companies at the end of each year to make sure that they have complied. Those that do will be given Social Enterprise status for the following year.
Think this is nuts? Are you saying to yourself, "Who on earth would agree to participate?" Plenty of business owners will not. But some already give over 10%, and some give close to it. There is a lot of random giving - maybe this year, 9%, last year 23%, next year 4%. If we guide that giving through a conscious commitment, then everybody wins.
...And this is how the business owner wins, even if he isn't motivated by altruism: he will attract and keep the best workers. Once their basic needs are met, people immediately seek meaning in their work. Employment with a social enterprise will be more desirable to the vast majority of workers, and so those companies that show their commitment to the community (local and global) will attract the best people.
Companies will be pressured by their employees and customers to do business with peer organizations, rather than non-philanthropic for-profits. Buyers will say, "I can shop at this store or this store. I can buy this product or that product. All other things being equal" - and in the case of mature businesses that sell commodities, all other things are usually equal - "I'm going to patronize the social enterprise."
I wish I'd made this up myself - what a genius I'd be! But I'm just building on the ideas of two visionaries. The first is Paul Newman; Newman's own is a for-profit, because of tax laws: you can't sell salad dressing as a nonprofit, because it competes with the private sector. But they give all of their profits to charity. They've raised hundreds of millions of dollars for just that purpose over the years.
The second visionary is Muhammad Yunnis, author of "Banker to the Poor" and winner of the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize for his work with microlending. Toward the end of that book, Dr. Yunnis describes his Socially-Conscious Entrepreneur, which I've shortened to Social Enterprise for reasons of catchiness. I can't do his work justice in a few lines. I highly recommend you buy - and read - his book. Click on the Amazon link at www.naplessocialaction.org and a portion of your sale will go to a great cause.
Sunday, June 10, 2007
Compassion, purely for our own sake
The following is my reply to a piece in today's Naples Daily News by Jeff Lytle, editor of the editorial page. This refers to a cover story that ran in the Daily News a week ago, and about which I have blogged previously this week.
Hi Jeff,
I disagree with your stand on the Cynthia Lopez article. While I could try to convince you that we should be compassionate, I’m going to try a different tack instead: we legals need to protect our own interests in cases like Cynthia’s.
The dropout rate of Hispanics (legal and otherwise) in this country, and this area, is huge. Immokalee has a 50% dropout rate, for instance.
Hispanics are disproportionately poor. They are below average in college matriculation as well.
Dropouts, Hispanics, and poor people commit more crimes than the average population. Poor people, legal and illegal alike, are also a drag on our economy.*
For all of these reasons, it is in our very selfish interest to help good, ambitious students such as Cynthia attend college and enter the middle- and upper- economic classes. We need her example. Paying for a few Cynthias to go to school as in-state students is going to return the investment many times over through the inspiration and hope it gives those who follow her.
To fight crime and poverty, we need to treat Cynthia just like she is a legal resident of this state. That’s it. That’s my pitch. Call it Enlightened Self-Interest.
It is often the case that our gut reaction to a problem is less effective than a carefully thought-through solution. Acting in moral indignation may make us feel good, but it only rarely gets the results we really want.
Thanks for making me think, Ted
[Note: I think that Hispanics are over-represented in jail and under-represented in college because many children fail to see opportunity for themselves; they lack hope. I do not think that they are culturally, mentally, or genetically inferior in any way. They're people, neither better nor worse than the rest of us.]
Hi Jeff,
I disagree with your stand on the Cynthia Lopez article. While I could try to convince you that we should be compassionate, I’m going to try a different tack instead: we legals need to protect our own interests in cases like Cynthia’s.
The dropout rate of Hispanics (legal and otherwise) in this country, and this area, is huge. Immokalee has a 50% dropout rate, for instance.
Hispanics are disproportionately poor. They are below average in college matriculation as well.
Dropouts, Hispanics, and poor people commit more crimes than the average population. Poor people, legal and illegal alike, are also a drag on our economy.*
For all of these reasons, it is in our very selfish interest to help good, ambitious students such as Cynthia attend college and enter the middle- and upper- economic classes. We need her example. Paying for a few Cynthias to go to school as in-state students is going to return the investment many times over through the inspiration and hope it gives those who follow her.
To fight crime and poverty, we need to treat Cynthia just like she is a legal resident of this state. That’s it. That’s my pitch. Call it Enlightened Self-Interest.
It is often the case that our gut reaction to a problem is less effective than a carefully thought-through solution. Acting in moral indignation may make us feel good, but it only rarely gets the results we really want.
Thanks for making me think, Ted
[Note: I think that Hispanics are over-represented in jail and under-represented in college because many children fail to see opportunity for themselves; they lack hope. I do not think that they are culturally, mentally, or genetically inferior in any way. They're people, neither better nor worse than the rest of us.]
Friday, June 8, 2007
Immokalee 20/20
Introducing Immokalee 2020.
The mission of Immokalee 2020 is to completely end poverty in Immokalee by the year 2020, creating a model for the elimination of poverty throughout the United States and the world.
We've got twelve and a half years. People have built billion-dollar companies in less time. Here's my question to doubting Thomases out there: "Why the hell not?"
We will begin exporting our model and effort immediately. I see no need to wait even a week before we bring Golden Gate and East Naples into the fold. But Jane and I have settled on the name Immokalee to focus attention on the single greatest need in our area - perhaps in the entire country. We've traveled extensively within the US, and we've never seen a place like Immokalee.
Fortunately, the organizations and the will are both already in place to fix whatever needs fixing there. All we lack is a clear vision, seamless coordination, and the money to fund it.
A number of groups are already coming to the table to create solutions for this community. I joined one such junta-in-the-making three weeks ago; it was inspiring! I'm happy to say that the Coine Foundation is coming late to this party. We're glad to be invited.
We're going to join the group of players to help create a clear vision for Immokalee by 2020 (get the play on words? Too bad the TV news journal already coined it decades ago. We'd love to take credit.) And we're going to fight tooth & nail to make that vision a reality.
I hope you join us. It's going to be fun.
The mission of Immokalee 2020 is to completely end poverty in Immokalee by the year 2020, creating a model for the elimination of poverty throughout the United States and the world.
We've got twelve and a half years. People have built billion-dollar companies in less time. Here's my question to doubting Thomases out there: "Why the hell not?"
We will begin exporting our model and effort immediately. I see no need to wait even a week before we bring Golden Gate and East Naples into the fold. But Jane and I have settled on the name Immokalee to focus attention on the single greatest need in our area - perhaps in the entire country. We've traveled extensively within the US, and we've never seen a place like Immokalee.
Fortunately, the organizations and the will are both already in place to fix whatever needs fixing there. All we lack is a clear vision, seamless coordination, and the money to fund it.
A number of groups are already coming to the table to create solutions for this community. I joined one such junta-in-the-making three weeks ago; it was inspiring! I'm happy to say that the Coine Foundation is coming late to this party. We're glad to be invited.
We're going to join the group of players to help create a clear vision for Immokalee by 2020 (get the play on words? Too bad the TV news journal already coined it decades ago. We'd love to take credit.) And we're going to fight tooth & nail to make that vision a reality.
I hope you join us. It's going to be fun.
College-Bound?
Our daughters will go to college, almost certainly top-tier schools.
I say this with certainty because that is who we are, as a family. Coines are smart, we're hard-working, and we go to college. All of us, for generations. We have Harvard, William & Mary, Yale, MIT, and other elite schools in our pedigree. Success and failure in our family is measured not by college versus no college, but by the reputation of the college. Even the less-motivated students among our clan go to pretty good schools.
Note I wrote "less-motivated," rather than stupid or lazy. We're all smart, even those of us who don't achieve as actively as the rest. That's who we are.
That isn't just our family, either. It is our class. Though few in my family line have ever been even financially comfortable, not to mention well-off, we view ourselves as upper middle class. Upper middle class people go to college. They live in towns like Westport, Connecticut and Naples, Florida. They are teachers and professors, doctors, lawyers, business executives, entrepreneurs, and artists. Their kids go to college.
Do you see where I'm going with this? Ayla and Maryn are college-bound because they are growing up in the right family for such things. They live in the right neighborhood. Their friends and role models are all of the class that assumes college.
There's nothing wrong with this - au contraire! There's everything right about it. We Coines, we upper-middle-class types, assume success. It isn't even a question. So guess what follows, by default?
When I was a kid, no one ever asked me if I would go to college. Not once, not ever. I was asked where I would go, all the time; what I would be when I grew up. My first answer was architect, until I realized it involved more math than art. I moved on to "Psychologist (Ph.D., of course) if I fail; novelist if I succeed." I was eight when I made this career change. I didn't change my mind again until my fifth year of college, when I substituted entrepreneur for psychologist as my fall-back position.
When I was in high school, every last kid in my graduating class went on to college. 443 out of 443. And I never knew of one pregnancy among my peers. I'm sure they happened - what are the chances they wouldn't? But not one girl in my high school had a baby. Not one, out of almost 2,000 kids. I didn't meet anyone who knew of a teen mother until I left for college: not every one of my college friends came from an affluent town.
See what I'm getting at?
Our daughters are destined for college, and for an upper-middle-class (UMC) life. No matter what happens to them along the way, UMC will be their expectation, and it will be their default position. If they fail for a while, they will surely rise, because UMC is their level of comfort. It is where they experience equilibrium. It is in their DNA.
...Except that it isn't in their DNA, not at all. Imagine if they were born in Immokalee, or Golden Gate, or East Naples - still white, still beautiful, with quick brains full of potential, but poor, surrounded by poverty, their life-models, peers, and every expectation poor. UMC? They wouldn't even identify with the lower-middle-class.
In that case, what would we say about them? That they will go to college? That they may go to college? That they can go to college?
I'll tell you exactly what we'd say, because this is what my peers and I discuss when we talk about transforming lives in the poor areas of our community.
We'd say that they will probably get pregnant and go on welfare while still a teen. That they'll most likely drop out of high school. That if we can just keep them out of gangs and off the streets, that will be a great success. That we'd like to provide them with a trade, so that they can do better than just picking tomatoes or cleaning toilets at the Holiday Inn.
We would expect them to fail. Mitigating failure is seen as a great success.
My colleagues and I rarely talk about bridging the gap between Immokalee and Port Royal. Mostly, we talk about helping poor kids bridge the gap between their current expectation and a living wage.
How can we even talk about kids now living in Mexico, or Nigeria, or Bangladesh? It's too overwhelming. For half of the people on earth, eating every day is more of a goal than college may ever be. Just getting to Immokalee so they can live twenty to a dilapidated trailer is what they live their lives for. How can we even talk about helping these people go to a top-tier college, or move to Port Royal?
I hate this. I hate it so badly, it wakes me up at 4 am. I hate it so badly that I've all but stopped working on my businesses. I can't stand the thought that we'd all be happy just to help people waste their lives less than they are now; that no one's even discussing making the socio-economic scale equally accessible to all.
I'm eternally grateful that Jane and I were raised with the expectation of success, and that our girls are being raised the same way. I love Port Royal. I love it so much, I want everyone to live in a neighborhood just like it.
...Or to fail so miserably that they're forced to settle for Pelican Bay.
Why aren't we having that discussion for the poor kids in Immokalee, and Golden Gate, and East Naples, and Nepal?
I say this with certainty because that is who we are, as a family. Coines are smart, we're hard-working, and we go to college. All of us, for generations. We have Harvard, William & Mary, Yale, MIT, and other elite schools in our pedigree. Success and failure in our family is measured not by college versus no college, but by the reputation of the college. Even the less-motivated students among our clan go to pretty good schools.
Note I wrote "less-motivated," rather than stupid or lazy. We're all smart, even those of us who don't achieve as actively as the rest. That's who we are.
That isn't just our family, either. It is our class. Though few in my family line have ever been even financially comfortable, not to mention well-off, we view ourselves as upper middle class. Upper middle class people go to college. They live in towns like Westport, Connecticut and Naples, Florida. They are teachers and professors, doctors, lawyers, business executives, entrepreneurs, and artists. Their kids go to college.
Do you see where I'm going with this? Ayla and Maryn are college-bound because they are growing up in the right family for such things. They live in the right neighborhood. Their friends and role models are all of the class that assumes college.
There's nothing wrong with this - au contraire! There's everything right about it. We Coines, we upper-middle-class types, assume success. It isn't even a question. So guess what follows, by default?
When I was a kid, no one ever asked me if I would go to college. Not once, not ever. I was asked where I would go, all the time; what I would be when I grew up. My first answer was architect, until I realized it involved more math than art. I moved on to "Psychologist (Ph.D., of course) if I fail; novelist if I succeed." I was eight when I made this career change. I didn't change my mind again until my fifth year of college, when I substituted entrepreneur for psychologist as my fall-back position.
When I was in high school, every last kid in my graduating class went on to college. 443 out of 443. And I never knew of one pregnancy among my peers. I'm sure they happened - what are the chances they wouldn't? But not one girl in my high school had a baby. Not one, out of almost 2,000 kids. I didn't meet anyone who knew of a teen mother until I left for college: not every one of my college friends came from an affluent town.
See what I'm getting at?
Our daughters are destined for college, and for an upper-middle-class (UMC) life. No matter what happens to them along the way, UMC will be their expectation, and it will be their default position. If they fail for a while, they will surely rise, because UMC is their level of comfort. It is where they experience equilibrium. It is in their DNA.
...Except that it isn't in their DNA, not at all. Imagine if they were born in Immokalee, or Golden Gate, or East Naples - still white, still beautiful, with quick brains full of potential, but poor, surrounded by poverty, their life-models, peers, and every expectation poor. UMC? They wouldn't even identify with the lower-middle-class.
In that case, what would we say about them? That they will go to college? That they may go to college? That they can go to college?
I'll tell you exactly what we'd say, because this is what my peers and I discuss when we talk about transforming lives in the poor areas of our community.
We'd say that they will probably get pregnant and go on welfare while still a teen. That they'll most likely drop out of high school. That if we can just keep them out of gangs and off the streets, that will be a great success. That we'd like to provide them with a trade, so that they can do better than just picking tomatoes or cleaning toilets at the Holiday Inn.
We would expect them to fail. Mitigating failure is seen as a great success.
My colleagues and I rarely talk about bridging the gap between Immokalee and Port Royal. Mostly, we talk about helping poor kids bridge the gap between their current expectation and a living wage.
How can we even talk about kids now living in Mexico, or Nigeria, or Bangladesh? It's too overwhelming. For half of the people on earth, eating every day is more of a goal than college may ever be. Just getting to Immokalee so they can live twenty to a dilapidated trailer is what they live their lives for. How can we even talk about helping these people go to a top-tier college, or move to Port Royal?
I hate this. I hate it so badly, it wakes me up at 4 am. I hate it so badly that I've all but stopped working on my businesses. I can't stand the thought that we'd all be happy just to help people waste their lives less than they are now; that no one's even discussing making the socio-economic scale equally accessible to all.
I'm eternally grateful that Jane and I were raised with the expectation of success, and that our girls are being raised the same way. I love Port Royal. I love it so much, I want everyone to live in a neighborhood just like it.
...Or to fail so miserably that they're forced to settle for Pelican Bay.
Why aren't we having that discussion for the poor kids in Immokalee, and Golden Gate, and East Naples, and Nepal?
Wednesday, June 6, 2007
The need for our calendar hits close to home
How frustrating.
We created our online calendar to help nonprofits schedule their fundraising events so as not to conflict with each other. So it's ironic to find that the very first fundraiser hosted by Naples Social Action is now competing with the Naples Zoo's event.
As Homer Simpson would say, "Dou!"
July 14th, our bicyclists will leave Cambier Park at 7 am.
At 8 am, members of the zoo will be given a pre-opening look at the new Jaguar exhibit.
At 9 am, our Tykes Bike around Cambier Park takes off.
Around that same time, the general public is welcome to enter the zoo for this huge media sensation.
The Cancer Alliance of Naples and the Coine Foundation/Naples Social Action are competing for the very same demographic - families - as the Naples Zoo. Both events, and all three groups, lose.
Well, if it makes us feel any better, we set our date first. If we want to feel morally superior, the zoo already had their password to our calendar, so they certainly knew to check the calendar.
But what are you going to do? What would you do?
Our answer? Suck it up. We're listing their event on our calendar anyway, because that is in keeping with the mission of Naples Social Action. We've also invited them to participate in our next fundraiser, the "Animal Lovers' Parade," to be held on Sept 15th. One-time competitors or not, we love animals and we love the Naples Zoo. If they win, how can we lose?
At least we learned empathy from this experience. Now we know first-hand what all of the other nonprofits around town have been living with for generations: the frustration of overlapping fundraisers.
Once we've cleaned up Cambier Park after our event, Jane and I are going to take the girls to the zoo to see the jaguars. We hope you'll ride with us, and then join us at the zoo. That way, everyone wins!
We created our online calendar to help nonprofits schedule their fundraising events so as not to conflict with each other. So it's ironic to find that the very first fundraiser hosted by Naples Social Action is now competing with the Naples Zoo's event.
As Homer Simpson would say, "Dou!"
July 14th, our bicyclists will leave Cambier Park at 7 am.
At 8 am, members of the zoo will be given a pre-opening look at the new Jaguar exhibit.
At 9 am, our Tykes Bike around Cambier Park takes off.
Around that same time, the general public is welcome to enter the zoo for this huge media sensation.
The Cancer Alliance of Naples and the Coine Foundation/Naples Social Action are competing for the very same demographic - families - as the Naples Zoo. Both events, and all three groups, lose.
Well, if it makes us feel any better, we set our date first. If we want to feel morally superior, the zoo already had their password to our calendar, so they certainly knew to check the calendar.
But what are you going to do? What would you do?
Our answer? Suck it up. We're listing their event on our calendar anyway, because that is in keeping with the mission of Naples Social Action. We've also invited them to participate in our next fundraiser, the "Animal Lovers' Parade," to be held on Sept 15th. One-time competitors or not, we love animals and we love the Naples Zoo. If they win, how can we lose?
At least we learned empathy from this experience. Now we know first-hand what all of the other nonprofits around town have been living with for generations: the frustration of overlapping fundraisers.
Once we've cleaned up Cambier Park after our event, Jane and I are going to take the girls to the zoo to see the jaguars. We hope you'll ride with us, and then join us at the zoo. That way, everyone wins!
Monday, June 4, 2007
Poverty Sucks
My sister Ahndi had a poster that said that when we were kids. On it was a picture of a guy all decked out in a three-piece suit and top hat, one foot propped up on the fender of his Rolls Royce, raising a glass of champagne.
Brilliant!
...And true. Poverty sucks. A lot.
Let me begin this by explaining that we have a company up in Boston, Coine Language School, that has been valued at $10 million. We assessed its value about eighteen months ago, when we were considering selling stock in order to grow more quickly. We backed away, at least for the time being, but that's another story. The bottom line is, between the income we receive from our school in Boston and our speaking fees when we travel (my fee is five figures per day), Jane and I are not in actual danger of being poor in the foreseeable future.
I say that because, in the real-life experiment I'm about to share, I don't want to mislead you into thinking that we're "walking the talk" all the way. No matter our temporary situation, in the backs of our minds we are both well aware that we can bail ourselves out at any moment.
Psychologically, the fact that one has no resources to fall back on, no safety net, can be crippling. We are subjecting ourselves to a tight budget, as you're about to read, but we have not taken away our financial parachute.
Having said all that.... Jane and I decided a few months ago that we were spoiled by our lifestyle, and that we ran the risk of losing empathy with the people we are most dedicated to helping.
Yes, we were struggling just five years ago, and true, our companies have had their ups and downs all along - that's business, after all. But in the last two or three years we haven't really denied ourselves anything. I wanted a red European convertible, so I bought one. When we felt like going to dinner, we would, and never worried about the bill. 40 hours of daytime babysitting per week plus occasional nights, maid service once or twice a week, a full-time personal assistant, a book keeper for our personal income, a "you want it, you buy it" policy toward shopping, expensive clothes... we were living the affluent lifestyle of the upper middle class.
So we stopped. We've put ourselves on a budget that is, well, stifling. We don't go out to eat anymore. The last time we did was for Jane's birthday a month ago. We ate at Bice on Fifth Avenue. All we had was one appetizer, two salads, and two glasses of wine. It was still about $1 million, and it pained us to pay that bill - even though my Mom was paying half as her present to Jane. Our cousins were babysitting, or else it never would have happened.
We've gone from two babysitters to one babysitter to haven't had a sitter in weeks now. Master's swim team or Rotary? - which is basically a choice between health or business. I haven't made that kind of choice in years. Jane's bargain shopping for all of our groceries, and so each week she visits four or more stores in order to piece together the cheapest options, and we're going without a lot of our favorite food.
We have basic basic cable, and only have it at all because it's cheaper to bundle phone, Internet (a business necessity), and cable than to just have two. We've changed our cell phone calling plan, another luxury we never thought twice about. Jane and I are sharing her car, the Honda CRV, because (a) my Saab needs a repair which we haven't budgeted right now, and (b) its "turbo sport" mechanics sure use an awful lot of gas. At $3.10 or more per gallon, we had to draw the line. My sister lives across the county; because of the gas, we're visiting her less.
No more Starbucks. Library, not book store - and if you knew how much I read...! We canceled Netflicks, and have stopped our visits to Blockbuster, too. Neither of us has bought one article of clothing since we started this project; not even a pair of socks at Marshall's. Random gifts for the girls when we're out and about? Not anymore. Ice cream? Publix brand, not Ben & Jerry's at the shop.
There are dozens of activities we wanted to sign Ayla and Maryn up for this summer. Instead, their big outing is the beach, which is free. Once we're there, no more hot dogs at the concession stand; Jane packs a snack now. No more Coppertone sport; No-Ad all the way - and if we go later in the day, we won't have to reapply. If we shower there, our water bill will be lower. If we take the carriage instead of drive, we'll save even more gas money.
As much as we tighten our belts, we find it needs more tightening if we're to stick to the original income we committed ourselves to.
Being poor is hard. But like I said, for us it's an exercise - a really unpleasant exercise, but we know it will end. What if you've never known anything else? What if no one in your family has, either? What if none of your friends, or neighbors, or teachers have ever been more than lower-middle class, and even that is something special in your circle?
We don't suggest that you give all your money to charity and live like a pauper. That's a little hard-core, even for us. But when was the last time you really had to scrimp and save? When did you last deny yourself something you consider basic, like your gym membership, or coffee out, or HBO?
Just food for thought.
Brilliant!
...And true. Poverty sucks. A lot.
Let me begin this by explaining that we have a company up in Boston, Coine Language School, that has been valued at $10 million. We assessed its value about eighteen months ago, when we were considering selling stock in order to grow more quickly. We backed away, at least for the time being, but that's another story. The bottom line is, between the income we receive from our school in Boston and our speaking fees when we travel (my fee is five figures per day), Jane and I are not in actual danger of being poor in the foreseeable future.
I say that because, in the real-life experiment I'm about to share, I don't want to mislead you into thinking that we're "walking the talk" all the way. No matter our temporary situation, in the backs of our minds we are both well aware that we can bail ourselves out at any moment.
Psychologically, the fact that one has no resources to fall back on, no safety net, can be crippling. We are subjecting ourselves to a tight budget, as you're about to read, but we have not taken away our financial parachute.
Having said all that.... Jane and I decided a few months ago that we were spoiled by our lifestyle, and that we ran the risk of losing empathy with the people we are most dedicated to helping.
Yes, we were struggling just five years ago, and true, our companies have had their ups and downs all along - that's business, after all. But in the last two or three years we haven't really denied ourselves anything. I wanted a red European convertible, so I bought one. When we felt like going to dinner, we would, and never worried about the bill. 40 hours of daytime babysitting per week plus occasional nights, maid service once or twice a week, a full-time personal assistant, a book keeper for our personal income, a "you want it, you buy it" policy toward shopping, expensive clothes... we were living the affluent lifestyle of the upper middle class.
So we stopped. We've put ourselves on a budget that is, well, stifling. We don't go out to eat anymore. The last time we did was for Jane's birthday a month ago. We ate at Bice on Fifth Avenue. All we had was one appetizer, two salads, and two glasses of wine. It was still about $1 million, and it pained us to pay that bill - even though my Mom was paying half as her present to Jane. Our cousins were babysitting, or else it never would have happened.
We've gone from two babysitters to one babysitter to haven't had a sitter in weeks now. Master's swim team or Rotary? - which is basically a choice between health or business. I haven't made that kind of choice in years. Jane's bargain shopping for all of our groceries, and so each week she visits four or more stores in order to piece together the cheapest options, and we're going without a lot of our favorite food.
We have basic basic cable, and only have it at all because it's cheaper to bundle phone, Internet (a business necessity), and cable than to just have two. We've changed our cell phone calling plan, another luxury we never thought twice about. Jane and I are sharing her car, the Honda CRV, because (a) my Saab needs a repair which we haven't budgeted right now, and (b) its "turbo sport" mechanics sure use an awful lot of gas. At $3.10 or more per gallon, we had to draw the line. My sister lives across the county; because of the gas, we're visiting her less.
No more Starbucks. Library, not book store - and if you knew how much I read...! We canceled Netflicks, and have stopped our visits to Blockbuster, too. Neither of us has bought one article of clothing since we started this project; not even a pair of socks at Marshall's. Random gifts for the girls when we're out and about? Not anymore. Ice cream? Publix brand, not Ben & Jerry's at the shop.
There are dozens of activities we wanted to sign Ayla and Maryn up for this summer. Instead, their big outing is the beach, which is free. Once we're there, no more hot dogs at the concession stand; Jane packs a snack now. No more Coppertone sport; No-Ad all the way - and if we go later in the day, we won't have to reapply. If we shower there, our water bill will be lower. If we take the carriage instead of drive, we'll save even more gas money.
As much as we tighten our belts, we find it needs more tightening if we're to stick to the original income we committed ourselves to.
Being poor is hard. But like I said, for us it's an exercise - a really unpleasant exercise, but we know it will end. What if you've never known anything else? What if no one in your family has, either? What if none of your friends, or neighbors, or teachers have ever been more than lower-middle class, and even that is something special in your circle?
We don't suggest that you give all your money to charity and live like a pauper. That's a little hard-core, even for us. But when was the last time you really had to scrimp and save? When did you last deny yourself something you consider basic, like your gym membership, or coffee out, or HBO?
Just food for thought.
Poor is Poor
More on hard-working students who, due to their status as illegal aliens, are having a tough time breaking the cycle of poverty: http://www.naplesnews.com/news/2007/jun/03/their_dreams_filled_uncertainty/
While most of the readers' comments I've read are from hateful rednecks, I found one worthy of comment: a poor white kid (now adult) from Immokalee whose classmates were given scholarships based on ethnicity. He was not given these same opportunities.
Poor is poor. A poor white kid deserves a break just as much as a poor minority. Is this a controversial idea in 2007?
There are projects on 10th Street in the city of Naples, one block from 41, so right across the Tamiami Trail from some of the richest people in the world. Drive down there and check out the chickens running around the street. Jane, the girls, and I have driven down there to see the chickens and talk to the smiley Haitians who seem to own them. Are these chickens there for the eggs? Fresh meat? Cock fighting? In the broken English/French/Creole of our dialogue, it isn't clear.
Grace Place and the Boys & Girls Club are both in Golden Gate, another poor area only a few miles from there. 40,000 people, the "working poor," live within four miles of these two properties. 85% of the students in the local public schools qualify for free or reduced-price lunches. Poverty isn't just "over there," in Immokalee.
I don't care what color you are, or what language you speak at home, or how legal or illegal you and your parents are. If you're a kid, you deserve the same chance as everyone else to join the middle class or, better yet, to get rich. Brown, black, white, red, yellow: who cares? All of our brains are the same color, and none of them should be squandered due to lack of opportunity.
And if you're an adult? You deserve a chance, too. This is America, after all. Nobody is entitled to a free ride, but everyone is entitled to freedom - including the economic freedom we need to pull ourselves up by our bootstraps.
While most of the readers' comments I've read are from hateful rednecks, I found one worthy of comment: a poor white kid (now adult) from Immokalee whose classmates were given scholarships based on ethnicity. He was not given these same opportunities.
Poor is poor. A poor white kid deserves a break just as much as a poor minority. Is this a controversial idea in 2007?
There are projects on 10th Street in the city of Naples, one block from 41, so right across the Tamiami Trail from some of the richest people in the world. Drive down there and check out the chickens running around the street. Jane, the girls, and I have driven down there to see the chickens and talk to the smiley Haitians who seem to own them. Are these chickens there for the eggs? Fresh meat? Cock fighting? In the broken English/French/Creole of our dialogue, it isn't clear.
Grace Place and the Boys & Girls Club are both in Golden Gate, another poor area only a few miles from there. 40,000 people, the "working poor," live within four miles of these two properties. 85% of the students in the local public schools qualify for free or reduced-price lunches. Poverty isn't just "over there," in Immokalee.
I don't care what color you are, or what language you speak at home, or how legal or illegal you and your parents are. If you're a kid, you deserve the same chance as everyone else to join the middle class or, better yet, to get rich. Brown, black, white, red, yellow: who cares? All of our brains are the same color, and none of them should be squandered due to lack of opportunity.
And if you're an adult? You deserve a chance, too. This is America, after all. Nobody is entitled to a free ride, but everyone is entitled to freedom - including the economic freedom we need to pull ourselves up by our bootstraps.
Sunday, June 3, 2007
Sins of the fathers
I recommend you read this article: http://www.naplesnews.com/news/2007/jun/02/im_floridian_i_grew_here/
The story is about a girl who graduated from a local high school with a 4.3 GPA, but who does not qualify for in-state tuition of financial aid because of her illegal status.
Here's my take. You don't have to agree.
1. She was 7 or 8 when her parents brought her here illegally. So yes, she's more Floridian than Mexican. I'd wager she's not very Mexican at all. Imagine if your parents had brought you here from another country at that age. How much identity would you have with your native country?
2. This girl is everything anti-immigrants are for: she's totally assimilated, identifying with her new country rather than her own. She speaks English as well as any of us. She's a talented, hardworking student who wants to go to college. She wants desperately to live her life legally. She aspires to a respectable middle class career.
If you're interested in solving the problems of non-assimilation, poor performance in school, crime, and economic unproductivity that plague immigrant Hispanics in this country, wouldn't you want people like her to set a great example for her peers?
Even rednecks should support this girl.
3. As for the sins of her fathers.... There are some pretty hateful comments posted on the Naples Daily News website from its readers. One thread that pervades these comments is, "Why doesn't she ask her parents why they came over here and put her in this position in the first place?" Why do some Americans think the parents came here from another country? Perhaps crushing poverty, no opportunity, political and governmental corruption, and questionable human rights might explain that decision. Would you try to improve your family's lot and seek the Land of the Free if you lived in such conditions? I know we would.
4. As for student aid... As I stated previously, I'm all for Florida granting her in-state status - again, to reward her hard work and to set an example that her peers can emulate, helping to keep crime and other immigration problems at bay. But financial aid is another matter. I'm all for her getting it, and I'm also all for middle-class students getting it, too.
Right now, the odds are stacked solidly against the middle class when it comes to financial aid. I know this first hand: Twenty years ago, I often did not qualify for financial aid, or qualified for much less than I needed, because my parents weren't dirt poor. How about "making ends meet?" How about "Middle class, and not awash in the kind of money that college requires?"
Our financial aid system is atrocious in this country. Yes, this girl needs help paying her way in school. But so do millions of families. Let's fix the system, and make college affordable to all kids who work hard enough to get in. Why is that even a problem in 2007?
The story is about a girl who graduated from a local high school with a 4.3 GPA, but who does not qualify for in-state tuition of financial aid because of her illegal status.
Here's my take. You don't have to agree.
1. She was 7 or 8 when her parents brought her here illegally. So yes, she's more Floridian than Mexican. I'd wager she's not very Mexican at all. Imagine if your parents had brought you here from another country at that age. How much identity would you have with your native country?
2. This girl is everything anti-immigrants are for: she's totally assimilated, identifying with her new country rather than her own. She speaks English as well as any of us. She's a talented, hardworking student who wants to go to college. She wants desperately to live her life legally. She aspires to a respectable middle class career.
If you're interested in solving the problems of non-assimilation, poor performance in school, crime, and economic unproductivity that plague immigrant Hispanics in this country, wouldn't you want people like her to set a great example for her peers?
Even rednecks should support this girl.
3. As for the sins of her fathers.... There are some pretty hateful comments posted on the Naples Daily News website from its readers. One thread that pervades these comments is, "Why doesn't she ask her parents why they came over here and put her in this position in the first place?" Why do some Americans think the parents came here from another country? Perhaps crushing poverty, no opportunity, political and governmental corruption, and questionable human rights might explain that decision. Would you try to improve your family's lot and seek the Land of the Free if you lived in such conditions? I know we would.
4. As for student aid... As I stated previously, I'm all for Florida granting her in-state status - again, to reward her hard work and to set an example that her peers can emulate, helping to keep crime and other immigration problems at bay. But financial aid is another matter. I'm all for her getting it, and I'm also all for middle-class students getting it, too.
Right now, the odds are stacked solidly against the middle class when it comes to financial aid. I know this first hand: Twenty years ago, I often did not qualify for financial aid, or qualified for much less than I needed, because my parents weren't dirt poor. How about "making ends meet?" How about "Middle class, and not awash in the kind of money that college requires?"
Our financial aid system is atrocious in this country. Yes, this girl needs help paying her way in school. But so do millions of families. Let's fix the system, and make college affordable to all kids who work hard enough to get in. Why is that even a problem in 2007?
Friday, June 1, 2007
Fixing American Education
I just read a headline about teacher-pay negotiations starting. It got me to thinking....
Jane and I have taught people from around the world. Ours is the only culture - and I'm not exaggerating when I say this - ours is the only culture that does not hold its teachers in high esteem. Some countries pay their teachers handsomely, like Switzerland. Many do not. But in every country, educators are at the top of the social heap, right up there with political leaders, doctors, and wealthy capitalists.
So why not here? Why is the US so unique in this regard?
I think that first and foremost, we Americans equate social class with economic class. "How much do you make?" is the standard by which we judge each other. It's shallow and lame, but that's how we work - even those of us who eschew this consciously have this perspective below the surface.
Teachers get paid very, very little. If they value themselves so little, and if their employers (the school system) value them so little, then clearly they have little value. That is the cultural undercurrent in our society.
Then there's all that vacation time, and the way they end the work day in the early afternoon. No one else on earth has tenure. What is that, anyway? Teachers have a cushy job, we think.
Finally, look at the discipline problems that teachers have to face every day. Lack of support from the administration and school board means that kids are practically encouraged to mistreat their teachers. How are we supposed to respect these people if their own bosses, and little children, don't respect them?
Despite all that's right with American education - for instance, the fact that we have a practical monopoly on excellent colleges; the fact that it truly is the best system in the world - there's an awful lot wrong with it, too.
Here is my modest proposal to turn that around:
1. Double teacher pay. Seriously. If we want the cream of the employment pool crop, we have to pay for it.
2. Limit class size to 12 students. Better to have 6 & 7 in a class than 13. Nothing else is half as important as this one factor.
3. Limit school size to 150 students. That is the size at which groups fragment, cliques form, and alienation sets in. Sports teams and other extracurriculars can involve groups of schools practicing and competing as one.
4. Eliminate education departments and majors from colleges. Teachers must know content - a math teacher should be a math major, a history teacher a history major, etc. Masters can be in psychology, but not education.
5. Administrations must exist solely to support teachers, rather than vice-verse. That means that classroom discipline is taken seriously.
6. Teachers should be judged on performance and enthusiasm! Burnout in most private-sector jobs is not tolerated. Why would it be in our most important profession of all?
"What will all this cost?!?" many will howl about items 1 & 2, and possibly 3 as well. But this is my reply: if you think education is expensive, try ignorance.
I know I lost an entire community of support with items #4 & 6. About four-fifths of the teachers I've ever met - the talented ones - will love these suggestions. But there are vested interests out there who will see this as a threat to their jobs. Sorry, guys.
All sorts of administrators will have trouble with #5 - that's the principle of the inverted pyramid that Coine teaches our corporate clients, and even in the private sector this is a hard sell. A lot of people seek management positions for status, not service. It's just human nature.
You know what's funny in all this (or sad, depending on your outlook)? Private schools already do all of this, with the unfortunate exception of #1. And if you're completely honest with yourself, you'll have to admit that most private, non-parochial schools give an education that is far superior to public schools. I am the product of both, and I'm living proof that this is true. But I'll spare you that for another day.
I am not going to hold my breath for any of this to happen in the public sector - there are too many entrenched interests out there. But I think the dialog is worth having anyway. After all, our nation's future is at stake.
Jane and I have taught people from around the world. Ours is the only culture - and I'm not exaggerating when I say this - ours is the only culture that does not hold its teachers in high esteem. Some countries pay their teachers handsomely, like Switzerland. Many do not. But in every country, educators are at the top of the social heap, right up there with political leaders, doctors, and wealthy capitalists.
So why not here? Why is the US so unique in this regard?
I think that first and foremost, we Americans equate social class with economic class. "How much do you make?" is the standard by which we judge each other. It's shallow and lame, but that's how we work - even those of us who eschew this consciously have this perspective below the surface.
Teachers get paid very, very little. If they value themselves so little, and if their employers (the school system) value them so little, then clearly they have little value. That is the cultural undercurrent in our society.
Then there's all that vacation time, and the way they end the work day in the early afternoon. No one else on earth has tenure. What is that, anyway? Teachers have a cushy job, we think.
Finally, look at the discipline problems that teachers have to face every day. Lack of support from the administration and school board means that kids are practically encouraged to mistreat their teachers. How are we supposed to respect these people if their own bosses, and little children, don't respect them?
Despite all that's right with American education - for instance, the fact that we have a practical monopoly on excellent colleges; the fact that it truly is the best system in the world - there's an awful lot wrong with it, too.
Here is my modest proposal to turn that around:
1. Double teacher pay. Seriously. If we want the cream of the employment pool crop, we have to pay for it.
2. Limit class size to 12 students. Better to have 6 & 7 in a class than 13. Nothing else is half as important as this one factor.
3. Limit school size to 150 students. That is the size at which groups fragment, cliques form, and alienation sets in. Sports teams and other extracurriculars can involve groups of schools practicing and competing as one.
4. Eliminate education departments and majors from colleges. Teachers must know content - a math teacher should be a math major, a history teacher a history major, etc. Masters can be in psychology, but not education.
5. Administrations must exist solely to support teachers, rather than vice-verse. That means that classroom discipline is taken seriously.
6. Teachers should be judged on performance and enthusiasm! Burnout in most private-sector jobs is not tolerated. Why would it be in our most important profession of all?
"What will all this cost?!?" many will howl about items 1 & 2, and possibly 3 as well. But this is my reply: if you think education is expensive, try ignorance.
I know I lost an entire community of support with items #4 & 6. About four-fifths of the teachers I've ever met - the talented ones - will love these suggestions. But there are vested interests out there who will see this as a threat to their jobs. Sorry, guys.
All sorts of administrators will have trouble with #5 - that's the principle of the inverted pyramid that Coine teaches our corporate clients, and even in the private sector this is a hard sell. A lot of people seek management positions for status, not service. It's just human nature.
You know what's funny in all this (or sad, depending on your outlook)? Private schools already do all of this, with the unfortunate exception of #1. And if you're completely honest with yourself, you'll have to admit that most private, non-parochial schools give an education that is far superior to public schools. I am the product of both, and I'm living proof that this is true. But I'll spare you that for another day.
I am not going to hold my breath for any of this to happen in the public sector - there are too many entrenched interests out there. But I think the dialog is worth having anyway. After all, our nation's future is at stake.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)