Your Carter letter is a great and meaningful story. About six-eight years ago, my students wrote letters to Hakeem Jeffries (their Congressman) about the Flint Water Crisis. I picked the ten best and mailed them off to his office. Each student received a signed letter from Congressman Jeffries with a short hand-written note, and I remember the looks on their faces (and the feeling I had handing them out) that day. I think your Carter letter in 1980 required much more effort than Jeffries' in 2016-18, but it still held meaning - for them and for me.
It'll be sad to see those types of moments "disappear," if it does indeed happen. But I find myself also wondering if a new type of "meaningful engagement" will take its place. I don't know and frankly can't imagine what it would or might be -- but it's interesting to consider, for better or for worse. Thanks for this post!
Thank you, Mike! That's so cool about your students and Hakeem Jeffries. I share your hope that there is some new type of meaningful engagement--hard to imagine what that looks like right now...
I loved reading about your correspondence with the President, Jane, and can’t wait to sink into The Important Work (great title!)
Thanks, Allan! Happy New Year!
So enjoyed your piece about thinking and writing. I look forward to reading more of your work.
Thank you so much!
Your Carter letter is a great and meaningful story. About six-eight years ago, my students wrote letters to Hakeem Jeffries (their Congressman) about the Flint Water Crisis. I picked the ten best and mailed them off to his office. Each student received a signed letter from Congressman Jeffries with a short hand-written note, and I remember the looks on their faces (and the feeling I had handing them out) that day. I think your Carter letter in 1980 required much more effort than Jeffries' in 2016-18, but it still held meaning - for them and for me.
It'll be sad to see those types of moments "disappear," if it does indeed happen. But I find myself also wondering if a new type of "meaningful engagement" will take its place. I don't know and frankly can't imagine what it would or might be -- but it's interesting to consider, for better or for worse. Thanks for this post!
Thank you, Mike! That's so cool about your students and Hakeem Jeffries. I share your hope that there is some new type of meaningful engagement--hard to imagine what that looks like right now...