I was made to do this work:):):)...

After doing my paperwork, last night, for the Eisenhower position...I went downstairs in the same building to Kansas City Kansas's public library:):)...

An amazing collection of movies, books, CD's, etc...

Being in Kansas City had totally brought back all kinds of memories of Kansas City when I would visit Brandi while she was working downtown at the United Way of Wyandotte Country...and similar memories of living in Washington, D.C...mine and Brandi's two big city experiences...two young kids from Wichita, Kansas:):):)...a good sized city...but not a Kansas City:):)...or a Washington, D.C.:):)...

And working at Eisenhower has me totally inspired about working in the inner city:):):)...I forget that it is some of my favorite work in the world:):):)...and I'm honored to be able to do it:):)...

So I picked up some of this really pretty incredible collection of DVD's and movies and CD's:):)...

I picked up two movies about the inner city...Hoop Dreams...the story of William Gates and Arthur Agee...two Chicago grammar school and high school basketball stand-outs...and their journey through life in the inner city and the ranks of competitive basketball in the big city of Chicago...and their growth and learning and maturity through those experiences:)...

And Let the church say amen...a Filmmovement independent documentary about the work of Pastor Bobby Perkins, Dr. JoAnn Perkins (and education doctorate from George Washington University) and their family and church to provide a place of hope and deliverance for the inner city poor of Washington, D.C.:):):)...

Two brilliant documentaries about efforts that take place all over the country to provide hope in communities often far too lost in hopelessness:):):)...

And inspiring as all hell:):):)...

In the summer of 1998, this was the work and the mission of two kids from Wichita, Kansas:):):)...

Brandi and I were totally dedicated to efforts like Brandi's National Days of Dialogue, dedicated to race dialogue...and Americans Discuss Social Security...a dialogue effort directed at including and engaging average citizens on the complexities that surround issues of retirement and social security:):)...

We saw the Reverend Eugene Waters...who did very similar, broader work in Boston, Mass...with Cornell West, the radical philosopher and race thinker who, at the time, was a professor at Princeton:):)...and two folks totally committed to the growth and development of America's inner cities:):):)...

It was a brilliant and eye-opening time for two kids from a relatively quiet, moderate-sized city...exploring the big city...and all the virtues and vices it had to offer:):):)...mostly virtues, though:):)...with two pretty inspired kids looking the change the world:):):)...

And being in Kansas City...and thinking about the really great opportunity to work in a school like Eisenhower...a school with 70% of their kids receiving free or reduced lunches...in a fairly debilitated part of town:):)...

Had me remembering this very inspired time in my life...almost as inspired as today:):)...but not quite:):)...

But I have to admit the prospects of working at Eisenhower have me pretty incredibly inspired, these days:):)...

I'm thinking about showing these movies in my classes...Hoop Dreams, especially...since it's about two teens making it out of the hopelessness that often pervades the inner city:):)...

This is the work I was made for:):):)...

I love all the work I do:):)...the international policy work...the work in economics...the work in psychology:):)...

But this work...education...and, in particular, this inner city education work...

Is the work I was made for:):):)...

I am filled with the spirit of Reverend Eugene Waters, building a Boston that everyone can be proud of:):):)...I am filled with the spirit of my man, Fred, my co-worker who introduced me to the Ninth Street Baptist Church:):)...where I got to get back:):)...I am filled with the spirit of the Hoop Dreams of Steve James, Frederick Marx, Peter Gilbert, Gordon Quinn, William Gates, and Arthur Agee:):):)...

I love this work:):):)...and there is nothing quite like the feeling of knowing that you are doing real, substantial good in the world:):):)...

I got a TB test, a provisional certification, some bills, and other stuff to look into today...it's raining in Lawrence...so, no work for the lawnmowers:):):)...

Hope your day is going great:):):)...

God bless:):)...

Love,
Ben