What’s Your Calling? What’s Your Response?

This past Thursday, fellow bloggers Evange.List, Spare Change, Pulse and Signal and I checked out the early screening for the rockumentary: Call+Response, about international slavery and the modern abolitionist movement.

The film combined top music artists (Five for Fighting, Switchfoot, Natasha Bedingfield, ImogenHeap and more!), performing a plethora of heart-awakening music to the footage of modern day slavery images and video that evoke a response.

Collecting testimony from modern day activists ranging from Madeleine Albright to Ashley Judd and Nicholas Kristof and many more, the film calls attention to 27 million of the world’s dirtiest secrets. The film culminates and begs the question: How will YOU respond?

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The aspect of the film I find most inspiring is the person behind the film: musician Justin Dillon. According to the film’s website:

“Justin Dillon came across the issue of Human Trafficking while touring in Russia. Justin met scores of girls whose ambition to come west was being preyed upon by traffickers. The young girl assigned to interpret for him would share about the many “opportunities” that were being offered to her to come to west.

Justin looked into the phoney opportunities being offered to these girls and became incensed at how easy it was to trick them. After sharing with them the dangers of these proposals, he vowed to do something about this issue once he returned home.”

And so he did. Justin, with no connections or leverage into the entertainment industry, began on a quest to call attention to the issue. He showed how one man with a strong conviction could inspire a movement. A year and a half later, there is now the film Call+Response with thousands responding to the issue of slavery.

At the live screening, Justin spoke to the crowd and said the sole question he asked himself was: What is he good at, and how could he use that talent to solve the issue? Thus, I ask you. Like Justin, what’s your calling?

What are the talents you have, and how are you being called to respond to the modern day issues plaguing humanity?

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mS-0CHXfyIk&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0&border=1]

Be Moved.

5 thoughts on “What’s Your Calling? What’s Your Response?”

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Jeane Goforth August 4, 2008 at 1:35 am

I’m being called to address the racial and economic divisions in my community, Birimingham, Alabama. I am responding by donating my life savings to create a program similar to Venezuela’s El Sistema. We teach free music lessons to inner city children–and at two locations, to anyone who walks in the door.
And, amazingly and gratifyingly, it is working, although much hard work still needs to be done.

socialbutterfly4change August 4, 2008 at 1:41 am

@Jeane Thank you for sharing your story. Now, that is what I’m talking about. People who use what they know and use it for others. Thank you for your work, and for sharing here. I just read your comment to my fiance, and we are inspired.

crossn81 August 4, 2008 at 2:50 am

I am called to create a better world – around the world – fighting for dignity and worth for everyone. My heart is in Africa specifically. My wife and I feel called to work overseas at some point. We are currently teaching ESL to some of our Somali neighbors and I’m an Americorps*VISTA working in the public schools. I’m also currently raising money for World Vision as part of my marathon training.

What is your calling?

socialbutterfly4change August 4, 2008 at 3:03 am

@crossn81 You have asked the golden question that I was anticipating when I wrote this blog post. =) You too are doing great work, and I love how you are merging your passion for running….with doing good!

For me, I have always loved to write, so I’m writing this blog to hopefully help make the social marketing field (the field for social change) more visible, credible and to encourage others to join its movement. I guess you could say, to help others find their calling. 😉 Also, I have family and friends affected with multiple sclerosis, so as a hobby, I use my marketing know-how to raise funds for MS research. So far, in 4 four years, I’ve been a part of raising over $325k through event planning and sponsorships. However, this is just the tip of the iceberg compared to you, Jeane and others that I hope will respond.

Some days, answering the calling for me, simply means smiling at someone in the metro on the way to work. Or, extending an extra hand or a listening ear. There are more plans that I’m configuring for the future that will hopefully be me answering and responding to my calling, but I don’t yet want to jinx myself. Thank you for asking! =)

Cahya August 9, 2008 at 2:01 am

An interesting article. Thank you.

Comments are closed.

SocialButterfly

Exploring the Art + Science of Social Change.

5 thoughts on “What’s Your Calling? What’s Your Response?”