What pisses you off, or breaks your heart, and how are you going to change that?
Educator Lisa Nielsen once asked us this, and it's stuck with us for a long time.
Think about what really gets you heated up. It's probably in conflict with one of
your central interests or beliefs. What do you wish you had the power to change
through your work? Today we're gonna tell you about a bunch of different career
paths you can consider if you want to help make the world a better place.
So, if you've been wondering, 'How can I find work that upholds the causes I
believe in?' or, 'How do I find a job that allows me to fight for justice?' then keep
watching to find out.
Over the years we've interviewed countless individuals who've found careers
related to social, environmental, and economic justice issues. Here are some of
the reasons people have chosen this type of work.
"I want to live in a country
where folks are treated right." "I really found what drove me to work
every day, which was helping people stay out of prison, as opposed to what people
would typically think about prosecutors doing and putting people in prison."
"I really and honestly believe that like we can solve the world problems through
storytelling." "I think that I work very hard to make
sure my work pulls me towards growth... towards examining my own biases."
Going back to Lisa Nielsen's advice, it's a powerful thing to find work that helps
you solve the problems that make you angry, or break your heart. For human
rights attorney Brittan Heller, that "aha" moment came while she was in the eighth grade.
The thing that really gets me riled up is international human rights
law. I went on a field trip with my 8th grade class to the Museum of Tolerance
in Los Angeles, and when you go there they give you these little cards and you
follow the journey of a child through the Holocaust with these cards. And the
card that I ended up receiving had my last name on it. This one moment really
confronted me with the face of one person who
represented the whole enormity of loss, and that stuck with me.
That experience led her to go to law school so she could become a human rights lawyer. But you
don't have to go into law like Brittan Heller to make a difference. There are so
many ways you can combine your interest in fighting for justice with your other
skills and interests to build a career that feels meaningful to you. Find the
thing that pisses you off, or breaks your heart, and then apply your unique skills
to change it. And don't be afraid to think outside the box.
For instance, remember the museum that Brittan mentioned? Her experience there
had a profound impact on her life. And it's someone's job to design what people
see in that museum. A group of designers, curators, fundraisers, and more all had to
be involved. Together, they created an experience that made visitors like
Brittan want to be agents for change. And they were all able to use their unique
skillsets to make that happen. You have the power to do that, too. If you love
spending time outdoors, and are passionate about food justice, you could
become an urban farmer like Will Allen. He started a nonprofit that creates
local food systems in urban communities to improve job growth and public health.
Or, if you love history and science you could follow in Evelyn Hammonds
footsteps and research the underlying issues that lead to inequalities in the
STEM fields. And don't be surprised if following your interest leads you to
some unexpected discoveries. Take it from Elizabeth Clay Roy, whose career path has
allowed her to help cities live up to their potential.
You know I'm passionate about democracy. I'm passionate about eliminating racial
injustice and economic injustice, but I would never have said like, 'What I want
to be when I grow up is, you know, someone who helps communities identify the best
concrete for their sidewalk.' But as I began to do it I felt so passionate. I
mean, I woke up every morning and was like, excited about doing that, because
that's how I felt like my vision and my passion for democracy was able to be
realized in that moment.
Ok, so you've heard about a human rights attorney, a
university professor, a farmer, and a community planner, but the options
don't stop there. You could become a community organizer, a spoken word poet,
or a chef that teaches job skills through cooking. Now that you know your
options, what's next? Evelyn Hammonds perhaps said it best--
"The important thing at this point is simply: find the things that you care about, and
jump in." What pisses you off or breaks your heart? What are some ways you can
work for change? Sound off in the comments below, and as always, make sure
to LIKE and subscribe for more!