Project Kengikat

Baskets of Love…3rd Year

// March 28th, 2010 // Uncategorized

It’s been three years that my organization has been doing its “Baskets of Love” outreach for children from low income families and each year it gets better. This year has been no exception. As I head into the final week of the preparation for the outreach, once again I have exceeded my goal of 25 baskets.

It all started with this idea I had back in 2007 when I was homeless to provide at least 25 Easter Baskets to kids from low income families in the Oakwood are of  Venice, California. Little did I know it would be as well received as it was and I would meet two people who are now my very best friends and huge supporters of my organization…..Tina and Andy.

This year I had the same grand idea to provide at least 25 Easter Baskets to kid from low income families. Last year I reached 32 baskets that were given to children at Shriner’s Hospital for Children here in Los Angeles. However this year with the fear of H1N1 lurking around every corner the option of doing this outreach again for Shriner’s was no longer possible. I wasn’t going to allow this outreach not to happen, so I thought of how I could take the outreach back to its roots and have it help kids from a certain neighborhood. This is when it hit me, there are plenty of kids here in my building that would love an awesome Easter Basket and I know families would really welcome the offer of support.

The idea took shape and today I am a week away from making some pretty special kids very happy. Now it may sound like that I did this all by myself, but this could not be further from the truth. Each outreach I plan my core group of supporters, who all happen to be my friends, are always there to help out in any way they can. This combined with the efforts of friends from Project KengiKat and my YOUTUBE channel all make what I do come together with one thing in mind……”being of service”

I was really looking forward to today, because it was a chance to hang out with my friends, while doing something really cool for others. I have to say that is the sweet reward of doing what I do…I get to do it with my friends. How many people can say that they get to create things and work with people who are truly their friends? People they love and respect?

The added bonus from today was the fact that two of the students from the School of Social Work that I spoke on Tuesday also came by. They wanted to film me and while I was working with my friend putting the baskets together for the outreach. However it was more of my friends working while I was being interviewed. Another sweet bonus was that I had the chance to do a video of them talking about things surrounding homelessness, HIV and AIDS and how they can work or impact the lives of people they will soon be serving. I must say that it is so encouraging to hear from people going into the field of social work who are very clear t what they are getting into and are also eager to embrace new ideas that will foster real change in the lives of their clients.

After the interview we all sat down to have lunch and over lunch it was so cool to get their perspectives and even hear myfriend Tina offer suggestions for ways they can work to change things that are so wrong with the system. It was also cool to hear my friend Eric share the work that he does as well. Recently I had the chance to read a letter Eric wrote for me for the Los Angeles County Commission on HIV and I have to tell you that I was so blown away and humbled by what he wrote. I hear all the time that I am an inspiration, but it is people like Eric, Tina and the rest of my friends who I find so much strength, courage and inspiration from. It is in huge part because of them that I am able to do the awesome work that I do and I am so thankful for people like them in my life.

Christy and Ashley needed to head out and Eric, Tina and I went to work on finishing the remaining baskets. Once again it was so cool to have the chance to do this with friends and also have to time share our thoughts, laughs and insights with each other.

By the end of the day we had put together 34 beautiful Easter Baskets for kids from low income families. My Aunt Emma called me earlier in the day to let me know that she too was going to donate baskets as well and this would bring the total of to 44. How sweet is this?

I recall once when I blogged asking people if a hero could be a homeless person or if a homeless person could inspire people and all of the reply were “no” Little did they know that I was asking this question for really selfish reasons. It is amazing how people will really let you know what they really think about you when they don’t know it is you they are speaking about or have such disregard for.

I am reminded of the story in the bible of the slave in the house of someone who had leprosy and it was this slave who was able to take this man with all his wealth and riches, all his connections to someone who could heal him. Imagine that, a slave…the lowest of the low, someone who is supposed to know nothing, let alone be able to help anyone, someone with no position, no standing being able to take someone to a place where they can be healed.

CHANGE can come from anyone. Any of us have the power within ourselves to bring about positive CHANGE. We don’t need to be in such good standing, held in high esteem in certain areas of society, we don’t need wealth, fame or fortune. All we simply need is a desire and will to make it happen and all that we dream of, all that we want to CHANGE can be done. The power is in us.

People told me that I was stupid for wanting to start this out back in 2007. Others waited for it to fail. Some have called what I do pointless, worthless and not empowering to anyone. Guess what? It is not up to them, they don’t get to decide and they have no say in what I am able to create. Who I am able to inspire or who I am able to help.

They next time someone tells you that you need a position, money, fame, fortune or some big fancy office surrounded by fancy people, wearing fancy clothes, going to fancy parties, doing fancy things for other fancy people who don’t give a fancy care about anyone other then them and their fancyness. You tell them to KICK ROCK, break their their toes kicking them rocks and you keep it pushin.

I want to extend my heart felt thanks to everyone who has made this outreach possible. I am only able to do what I do because of awesome people like you. People who care greater then community, people who think bigger then community, people who are willing to go the distance for people in need, without judgment, guilt or shame. People who still believe in keeping their word because it adds integrity to their character. People who suit up and show up no matter what, without excuse. People who believe in the greatness of mankind. People who believe in “humanity before politics” love for their fellow human beings before religious doctrine or dogma. People who believe in the dream in Dr. King and being the CHANGE that Gandhi spoke of. People who know how to love unconditionally, not because some book says it is the right by some God, but because the soul commands them to.

When I look at the people in life I am so encouraged, so honored, so humbled, so inspired by each of you and it is with all of this that I will fight with all that is within me to KEEP HOPE ALIVE. Not for community, but for humanity.

It is because people like you, who see past my many flaws and see my heart and for this I am so THANKFUL.