Those That Have Ears Let Them Hear

Loeb does talk highly of just listening to others and the stories they have to share. Listening is really the only way one can understand the significance of social injustice. I believe that when a person hears a story that moves them then they become more socially involved whether it be about that specific problem/issue or not. Stories change lives and motivate people to get involved. They paint a bigger picture of what people experience or have experienced. If there was no one to hear these stories then I believe there would be little to no motivation to make a difference. Stories inspire people to create change just as it did to Chris Kim the Businessman Loeb writes about in his book.

I know that what motivated me to get involved in my community is the year I went back to Ethiopia. It was the summer of 2007. I was so excited to go see the country in which my parents and I came from. Although since I was born here I really did not know what to expect. I got there and was shocked to see how some people lived. There where people all over the streets of Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia, just begging for money. Some with children as little as 2 months or so. The living conditions where horrible. This really disturbed me. I really was motivated to create change. So I came back that summer thinking I would become more involved in sending money to Ethiopia or supplies. I was so "pumped." Unfortunately, I started school again, it was my senior year in high school, I was working. I just got to caught up in my own life I forgot about my whole experience in Ethiopia. Now that I am in the SLICE program I have really been changing my way of thinking. Just like we discussed last week, it really does take one step at a time.