Causecast

by MELISSA JUN ROWLEY, Contributing Writer

Sam Cooke’s “A Change is Gonna Come” echoed in my ears, as I giddily listened to Michelle Obama speak at the National Conference on Volunteering and Service this past Monday. After kicking off the Obama administration’s summer of service initiative, United We Serve, and teaming up with California First Lady Maria Shriver in helping build a public elementary school playground in San Francisco, Mrs. Obama addressed more than 4,500 nonprofit, volunteer, and service leaders from all across the country.

With the steady grace, easy manner, compassion and conviction that have become her signature speaking trademarks, she shared her views on action and progress. During her remarks, the First Lady referenced the career transition she made years ago when she left her high-paying law firm job to work in public service. She recalled how her mother worried that her daughter had taken her advice to “follow her heart too far,” and how her friends thought she was “throwing away a lucrative paycheck and a prestigious career.” She then talked about how her husband had a similar experience when he decided after college to help struggling neighborhoods in Chicago, instead of going to law school as his family wished.

“While everyone thought our hearts were in the right place, a lot of people wondered if our heads were on straight,” she said. (Given their current positions in society, I venture to say that they definitely knew what they were doing.)

The core of Mrs. Obama’s message was that the “story of progress in this nation has always been the story of people who chose – in times of trial and struggle – to serve it,” and that “real change comes from the bottom up”.

It’s starting to happen before our very eyes. Mrs. Obama highlighted the strides in service that have recently come to fruition. Applications for AmericaCorps have quadrupled. The Peace Corps received three applications for each position last year. 35,000 young people have applied for 4,000 available slots in Teach For America. A Community Solutions Fund to help nonprofits is also in the works.
President Obama’s other half closed her speech by acknowledging the hard work we have ahead of us, and thanking the conference attendees.

“Standing here with all of you—people who love this country and have devoted your lives to helping people share in its promise—I feel nothing but hope for our future.”

The first stage of United We Serve will span from June until September 11th, which will be a National Day of Service and Remembrance.

Find service projects in your community through Serve.gov or get ideas for your own do-it-yourself service projects on Causecast.

Photo by Rusty Darbonne, flickr