It’s Getting Hot In Here

Cross-posted from the Project Slingshot Blog

This summer has certainly been an interesting one. We have seen the first black nominee for president from a major party, an enormous shift in public attitudes over oil and the economy, floods of epic proportion, and virtually the entire political establishment of Alaska indicted for corruption.  On a more movement level, we have seen the Energy Action Coalition launch its first major political campaign, Power Vote, have welcomed new initiatives like the Summer of Solutions and the awesome projects at Graze the Roof and NICE.

Personally, it has been a summer of trials, one that has been incredibly difficult. My father passed this summer and it was simply devastating. I admired my father more than anybody else on this earth and he taught me my love of nature, dedication to humanity and freedom, and that you need practice and dedication to achieve your desires. As a family we finally revealed to the world some of our secrets, such as my father’s role as “Mr. X” or Reagan’s real position towards the Soviet Union.

Other trials were more trivial, but perhaps more related to the issues at hand. The house I grew up in was surrounded by majestic trees and beautiful flowers. This year, our trees started dying and dropping limbs on our house. The tree caretakers said that our trees were dying from the rapid climactic shifts and we had to remove them. Likewise, the massive rainstorms we have seen this summer repeatedly flooded out the house, even after repeated repair efforts. It is eerie to see the first hints of climate change coming home to impact our lives.

With Fired Up Media, I have been blessed by some incredible people who have taken on so much while I have occupied with my family situation. Jennie Hatch worked on developing partnerships and projects in Africa with 350.org and OneWorld, Raisa Scriabine took on the video production of our footage, and Madeline Gardner provided archival research and support. I am just starting to get back into the game, but I have decided to give it my all with a renewed dedication of purpose.

My father asked me what my ambition was and if it would help people. He told me to do good but never forget not to do harm at the same time, something I think many people in this field struggle with, and to go out and do what I believed in. So that is what I will do and I am so appreciative of the support and patience that Focus the Nation and Clif Bar has shown me during this time.

Now all I need to do is see that poster of me with a cape and suit up. It is time to make something great.