"Star Paschal had prayed for 2008 to be a breakthrough year for her. Newly divorced, suddenly the sole support of her three daughters at age 27, in December 2007 she asked for God's help for her family - but not only for her own family. She prayed for an opportunity to give back to her community."
Then Star attended an Equal Voice for America's Families town hall meeting in Montgomery, Alabama:
She watched as people like herself -- single mothers like herself, young adults like herself, African Americans like herself, tenants who knew the constant struggle she knew -- stood up before the microphone and described a community where everyone has health care, where jobs pay enough, where taxes aren't more than a family can afford, and where children thrive. She connected her own frustration with a greater sense of injustice. She suddenly heard all the stories in the room combine into one collective cry that the rest of the world seemed too unconcerned to hear.
Before she fully realized what she was doing, she found herself standing before the microphone. "I want to speak for those who are just stuck. This has been going on for too many years," she said. "It's time to stop just talking and start doing something. Parents come to me and just cry. I tell them there's nothing I can do because I don't make the rules. But here today, seeing my people coming together and supporting each other, speaking up against injustice, it makes me feel like we can set a better path for our children."
Eloquently and powerfully delivered, Star's words were received with excitement. When she reflected back upon the sense of community her grandmother described, when "everyone raised everyone's children," a heartfelt "mmm-hmm" ran through the crowd. People came up to her at the next break to tell her how inspired they were by what she said.
Describing the Town Hall Meeting afterwards, Star said, "I did not know I had it in me. For years I felt that no one understood. But these people had so much passion. You could hear in their voices that they were fed up. My heart was filled with joy, as these were my people. I feel a part of me has come alive, a part I did not know existed.”
Read the entire portrait of star here.
Technorati Tags: activism, economy, politics, poverty, families, working+families, 2008 elections, barack obama, john mccain, social justice, current affairs, current events, immigration, middle class, recession.
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