Dear reader,

It is 2009 and the winds of change are stirring. We have elected a new president, and it is obvious that the American people are coming to terms with the struggling economy and emerging energy crisis. Lifestyles are changing, as are people’s mindsets. My generation is taking it upon itself to solve the problems of this modern era. Non-profits like Soulbird are emerging that are finding creative ways to address local and international issues of poverty, homelessness, and arts development. Young individuals see these organizations as beacons to which we can come together as a species and take on the challenges of human development.

And while there is a lot of hope in all of this, a certain fear continues to linger. We see Obama taking strides to figure out ways to help our ailing economy, finding ways out of the war in Iraq, and delivering stirring speeches that inspire us. At the same time, we see Obama taking steps in the wrong direction, especially with the issue of rights for LGBTQ people. People have expressed their sentiments on numerous blogs including Montreal Simon, who states: “I’m very disappointed by Obama’s appointment of Rick Warren to deliver his invocation during Obama’s inaugural address…..I understand that Obama is trying to appeal to conservatives and evangelicals, but this move is symbolically a slap in the face to many people. Warren is not a uniter, but a divider… he is intolerant in many of his views.” It is no coincidence that in a society whose ultimate icon for change still ignores this important modern issue, the LGBTQ population is disproportionately represented in the population of America’s homeless youth. Shannon Moriarty states on Change.org that “Gay youth are disproportionately represented among homeless youth, according to a study released this week. Roughly 20 percent of homeless youth self-identify as LGBTQ… and that’s a conservative estimate. Homeless LGBTQ youth are more vulnerable to exploitation and abuse than their heterosexual peers. Even more disconcerting is that the social service safety net to catch these troubled teens is, in many communities, nonexistent.”

It is our duty to address issues of social irresponsibility, and it seems to me that this will be the societal issue that the Obama administration is likely to focus on the least. In 2009, I want to provide opportunities for homeless youth, because many are victims of abusive households, and lack any sort of social network to help keep them afloat. In addition, it seems that education is becoming an increasingly exclusive commodity. Every year, the cost of a college education increases, while the economy suffers and people lose their jobs. It is the mission of the Wunderkind project to provide education in the arts to homeless kids and adults to help solve this obvious injustice.

This past October, I began developing a relationship with the organization Stand Up for Kids in Atlanta and in 2009, I hope it will flourish. This Sunday, I am going to finish my training with the organization so I can start volunteering for them weekly. I want to get to know the kids and the people within the organization so we can start implementing arts courses from the ground up. Anybody who is interested in assisting with the organizational or volunteer needs for this project should sign up on Soulbird’s website and pass along an email to james@soulbird.org. Let’s make this year a year of change for everybody.

Peace,

James Sutherland

Managing Director, Wunderkind

Soulbird – soulbird.org