Initiative Exercise 1: Personal Essay by Evelyn Wallace

In the summer between fifth and sixth grade, I spent a week away from home at a summer camp sponsored by the YMCA but operated by rolling generations of outdoor, dirtball, fun-loving hippy types. There was an unspoken rivalry between two popular summer camps, and I somehow ended up in the group with all the cool kids from school. (For those who know me in my present tense state of being—e.g. impeccable style, erudite yet accessible humor and of course trademark humility—you may be surprised to learn that I was not always so hip. It was actually a big effing deal that I was somehow part of the cool group during those formative summers.) Anyway, one of the important philosophical differences between the cool kid summer camp (aka CJH) and the OTHER summer camp was that CJH incorporated a cornerstone overnight backpacking trip for all campers of all skill levels. That means every single camper participated in a three-day, two-night adventure lead by a few teenagers who somehow managed to get every camper out and back safely season after season, year after year. We were rugged and responsible and proud of it.

My experience as a camper was so influential that I decided at age 15 to return as a leader in training, and eventually as a counselor. One of the phrases CJH used a lot (like, a lot) about how to transition into a leadership role was: take initiative. Notice a camper’s sleeping bag is not gonna cut it for the cold mountain nights? Take initiative and reach out to the Adventure Program Coordinator to organize a loaner. Want to add puff paint to the arts and crafts center? Take initiative and figure out what it would take and make it happen. Camper looking kind of lonely at the weekly camp dance? Take initiative and engage with the wallflower. What I learned is that the whole magical, formative operation depended on kids (teenagers) like us springing to action without being directly asked.

And you know what? The summers I spent at summer camp were more rewarding, more authentically satisfying than anything I’d learned at school hands down no question not even close. At school, the best I could be was like valedictorian or star in the school play or some other opportunity as defined by the adults in charge, even if some of those positions were somewhat fun. At camp, the best I could was actually be responsible for the actual safety of actual children. And not only the safety, but the fun! Because yes we were responsible to get these kids into the wilderness safely—for three days and two nights, mind you, plus the whole rest of the week back at base camp—but we were also responsible for giving these kids the best week of their lives. We took groups of kids hiking up horse-hooved, dusty inclines, slogging up seemingly endless switchbacks while carrying borrowed frame packs, borrowed sleeping bags, and wearing city sneakers that rubbed little blisters into the heels of feet, all to finally arrive at the most glorious mountain lake they’d ever seat and to eat the best peanut butter and jelly sammich they’d ever tasted. As a counselor, it was my job to help the kids find strength in themselves they didn’t know they had, and in doing so I found strength in myself I didn’t know I had. For reference, if I had done the same hike with my family, I would have been the complainiest one of the bunch.

That’s all to say that taking a class like this taps into that same authentic sense of doing something meaningful, authentic, important, and yes, even fun that summer camp tapped into. Sure, it takes some energetic output to get anything done, but my prior experience with these Initiative exercises taught me that whatever work I put into whatever project I land on will be as rewarding as my experience as a camp counselor. And I can’t wait to see what shape that takes this time around.

My Field of Interest: Community organizing, edutainment creators

1. Three people closer to my field of interest (app for music might include app designers, musicians, friends with lots of music apps, etc.)
a. Stephen Broyles (social worker/ community organizing pro)
b. Jeff Forbes (local media/ tech friend)
c. Adam Conover (from Adam Ruins Everything; he knows how to research bummer subjects and turn them into something funny)

2. Three people with high status or value in field:
a. Barack Obama (community organizing is where he got his start, right?)
b. KRS-One (through his hip-hop rapping/ music but also his Temple of Hip Hop spiritual guidance)
c. John Oliver (Last Week Tonight)

3. Three relevant role models:
a. Adam McKay (he produces edutaining content)
b. Lisa Ladendorff (she founded a local organization NEON and knows how to get the funding to do the things)
c. Gloria Allred (dude, she got stuff DONE when the world was against her. Single mama domestic violence survivor putting herself through law school and eventually doing work like prosecuting Bill Cosby? Sign me up)