This is Who We Are

Over the last few days, the staff at 99problems.org has been pouring over video and pictures from our time at the Power Shift Youth Energy Summit in D.C. last weekend, as well as interviews we’ve conducted. This footage, from Lauren London, brought everything back home for me.

Watching the passionate appeals I witnessed last week– for brotherhood, for unity– I couldn’t help but be reminded of Kanye West’s emotional, awesome honesty on live T.V. after the devastation of Hurricane Katrina. His heart was open. He appeared on T.V. because he is famous, but the words he spoke were ordinarily, extraordinarily, human.

I am from Mississippi. I was in New York City working on a Bollywood film production when Katrina happened. The first people who approached me about the tragedy were members of the Indian film crew; before I even got a call from my parents, and my friends on the coast, I was embraced and comforted by these people from the other side of the world. It was less than a year after the devastating tsunami that killed more than 225,000 people on the coasts of Asia. For them, Katrina hit close to home, and they reached out to me.

In the absence of existing leaders, we must become the guardians of our people. With an incredible President like Barack Obama, we must support him, guide him, and –above all– enable him to be our keeper. The great man he is capable of being.

The Youth Energy movement must be a celebration of our world; a recognition of our human fragility, and a confirmation of our ability to transcend race, transcend culture, and see the joy and sorrow that unites our journeys through life, no matter the particular roads we walk.

Posted by:

Sam Patton

Power Shift 2009

We’re getting psyched about this.

In 2007, the Energy Action Coalition put together the original Power Shift. Thousands of kids from around the country descended on Washington for 3 days in November, and the energy they brought to the green jobs movement was 100% renewable.

In 2009, we’re going back to D.C. for Power Shift 09. Our government made us a promise, and we’re gonna make sure it’s kept. Power Shift is going down February 27th through March 2nd. 99problems.org is going to be all over the scene, bringing you exclusive video, blogs, and photos of America’s brightest activists and artists.

Looking to learn a bit more about Powershift?
We got the info for you!
Got a Facebook? BAM!
How ’bout a Myspace? POW!
Thinking about attending AND JOINING THE 99PROBLEMS TEAM AT THE CONFERENCE IN DC? KACHOW!

Today’s Artist: Guster

Adam Gardner from Guster is a huge green energy advocate. Today’s Artist post isn’t a music one, but instead, it’s an artist giving testimony about his actions in the environmental awareness community. Fun fact: Adam Gardner and Guster will be speaking at the Keynote at Powershift!

Posted by:

Sam Patton