I wrote this poem for my daughter Kelly's graduation from Bay Village High School. At the time, I was working as the Public Information Officer for the Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority (as I explain in the video) in inner city Cleveland and living in Bay Village, OH. Everyday was a lesson in a term that is being thrown around a lot these days, but wasn't mentioned much 20 years ago: Income Inequality. My time at the housing authority enriched me more than any other job I have held, except maybe visiting schools all over the world.
This particular video was shot at the International School of Kuala Lumpur while Michael Salinger and I were visiting in the fall of 2012. I was reminded of the poem lately as I watch pictures of new graduates, hopeful and smiling, flash across my Facebook feed. Privileged young people with a responsibility to build bridges across the great and growing divide that is income inequality.
Good luck to you all!
