Wednesday, August 20, 2014

Guest Writer: Anita Mercer


Hello Valued Readers!

Today, we here The Great Change, are pleased to introduce to you another guest writer Ms. Anita Grace Mercer. She is a skilled and well-rounded professional with an extensive background in Media relations. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Broadcast Communications from the Dallas Baptist University, where she is currently pursuing her Master’s degree in Sports Management. Over her period of training and work experience she has developed her skills of gathering content, conducting interviews, audio and video editing, producing, and script writing where she served as an Intern for the award-winning Top 5 Market Sports Department of NBC5. Other related accomplishments include Sports Intern at NBC Universal, Production Assistant at ABC, Production Intern at TLC, and Production Assistant at ESPN. Ms. Mercer currently works for Parrish & Associates LLC where she performs clerical and administrative duties and for Cumulus Media where she does promotions for ESPN Radio Dallas (KESN). But most of all Anita is a great friend of mine. Below is her piece, enjoy!



This is a challenge. Don’t dump ice water over your head, post photo collages, record a video of yourself singing, or jump in a pool. This challenge is practical, and you should see an immediate impact as a result of your actions. Be dynamic. It’s that simple.

The word dynamic is defined in Webster’s dictionary as the following:
Marked by usually continuous and productive activity or change or something that causes change or growth in something else.

We each have a sphere of influence. And by sphere of influence I’m referring to the people that you do life with. The people you interact with on a daily basis whether in person or on social media. Be dynamic within your sphere of influence.

Three simple ways you can be dynamic everyday:

1. Be Informed
Know what is going on in the world and the lives of those of those around you. You cannot be effective in your effort to be dynamic if you are not informed.

2. Be Intentional and Selfless
When figuring out what it means to be dynamic in relation to your life, take the time to figure out what you can contribute to your sphere of influence. You have unique gifts, resources and talents. Stop to evaluate what they are and how they can be used to help others. Lastly, be selfless and put others first when thinking through how you can contribute.

3. Be About It
Sometimes this means holding your family member or friend accountable when you see them on the path to doing something wrong. Church mission trips and community projects. Sometimes this means dropping off bottled water to your local fire department as a gesture of appreciation. Writing a thank you note to someone who has helped you get where you are. Volunteering and spending time with the youth in your community. These are all practical ways you can be dynamic.

Being dynamic is not difficult. We have to be good stewards of the blessings God has given us. You can make a difference.

We have to challenge each other to grow. Complacency is unacceptable. Be courageous, and do something dynamic today.


*Writers Note: This was originally going to be an Opinion Editorial about the shooting of Michael Brown. But, plenty of those have already been written. People need a plan for action. This challenge gives you step-by-step instructions for how you can change the world around you on a daily basis.*

For any contact information on Anita Grace Mercer visit her website: www.thegracemercer.com



Monday, August 11, 2014

#26

As I leave my friends, I bid them farewell. I tell them "be safe" because I want to see them again before I take in my last inhale.

Be safe, because the world is turning to violence, more die each day because "his shirt wasn't violet".

Or "he isn't from around here".. who gave these people so much power? Just to be clear. I'm not from here nor there. I'm from everywhere.

That's like saying the whole forrest belongs to just a few bears.

So to combat this thinking of those who hold violence in it's clinches, the police forces and others sometimes stereotype a certain group of people, and hunt them down like witches.

Am I the next Mike Brown or Trayvon Martin? Robbed of my life before it even gets started..

I hide my "blackness" and throw on cowboy boots.

I'm not a bad black guy! Don't shoot! Don't shoot!

Deaf to my cries, officers reply with "boom boom boom"

Chaos erupts from the officers' mistake, he was "just doing his job" instead of looking me in my face.

He would've saw himself, a reflection, a mirror. Maybe when I'm seen for my character officers will be slower to pull the trigger.

So I fear for my life from both sides of the spectrum. A gory struggle between law and racism.

Friday, August 8, 2014

#25

A world at peace, is it such a far fetched dream?

As I plot out schemes with members of my team, our conversations about things to come, and goals to achieve often drift to thoughts of a world at peace.

Do know about being so attached to an idea that it keeps you up at night?

Human suffering at this stage in our long history on this planet is plain evidence of greed causing violence, that's hidden out of sight.

I toss and turn at night knowing so many people don't have a place to lay their head down at night.

While others live so lavish.. is it because the poor don't know how to play the game?

Is that humanity's fatal flaw? Are we living out our lives like a character in a play penned by Shakespeare's paw?

All leading up to that final curtain call..

I often awake from dreams where I've solved the fatal flaw. But only to forget it as soon as I get up and yawn with my jaws.

We can write our own script, we just have to learn how... just control the little voice that you're reading with now.