hello and welcome thank you all for coming out I really really appreciate it
coming out I really really appreciate it
coming out I really really appreciate it and we all do appreciate it here at
and we all do appreciate it here at
and we all do appreciate it here at Seattle you my name is Wil tipping I’m
Seattle you my name is Wil tipping I’m
Seattle you my name is Wil tipping I’m actually a strategic communications
actually a strategic communications
actually a strategic communications major it’s close to marketing but more
major it’s close to marketing but more
major it’s close to marketing but more so deals in communication and rhetoric
so deals in communication and rhetoric
so deals in communication and rhetoric and what I’m here to talk to you about
and what I’m here to talk to you about
and what I’m here to talk to you about today is my experience with public
today is my experience with public
today is my experience with public service and what it’s taught me and also
service and what it’s taught me and also
service and what it’s taught me and also what it showed me about the power of
what it showed me about the power of
what it showed me about the power of youth and so I want to start out by
youth and so I want to start out by
youth and so I want to start out by giving a little story about me and my
giving a little story about me and my
giving a little story about me and my friend specifically my friend Edie and
friend specifically my friend Edie and
friend specifically my friend Edie and so when I was in high school for a long
so when I was in high school for a long
so when I was in high school for a long time I sort of lived my life in this
time I sort of lived my life in this
time I sort of lived my life in this little bubble of privilege this
little bubble of privilege this
little bubble of privilege this comfortable bubble growing up in
comfortable bubble growing up in
comfortable bubble growing up in Minneapolis and I had the chance to meet
Minneapolis and I had the chance to meet
Minneapolis and I had the chance to meet this man while I worked at this grocery
this man while I worked at this grocery
this man while I worked at this grocery store and I opened the grocery store
store and I opened the grocery store
store and I opened the grocery store every morning at 6:00 in the morning and
every morning at 6:00 in the morning and
every morning at 6:00 in the morning and this man was waiting outside for me
this man was waiting outside for me
this man was waiting outside for me every morning because he had slept on
every morning because he had slept on
every morning because he had slept on the street the previous night his name
the street the previous night his name
the street the previous night his name was Edie and Edie was the most amazing
was Edie and Edie was the most amazing
was Edie and Edie was the most amazing man that I’ve ever met Edie took the
man that I’ve ever met Edie took the
man that I’ve ever met Edie took the time with me at 6:00 a.m. when I’m
time with me at 6:00 a.m. when I’m
time with me at 6:00 a.m. when I’m sitting there cashiering at a grocery
sitting there cashiering at a grocery
sitting there cashiering at a grocery store that nobody’s in ed and I sat
store that nobody’s in ed and I sat
store that nobody’s in ed and I sat together and we had conversations about
together and we had conversations about
together and we had conversations about life we talked about goals we talked
life we talked about goals we talked
life we talked about goals we talked about dreams and for a 16 year old
about dreams and for a 16 year old
about dreams and for a 16 year old angsty teen that was the most important
angsty teen that was the most important
angsty teen that was the most important thing for me to have somebody to talk to
thing for me to have somebody to talk to
thing for me to have somebody to talk to to have somebody to work through life
to have somebody to work through life
to have somebody to work through life with and I’ll never forget this the day
with and I’ll never forget this the day
with and I’ll never forget this the day that I left for college I told that that
that I left for college I told that that
that I left for college I told that that I was graduating and the pride that he
I was graduating and the pride that he
I was graduating and the pride that he showed the interest that he showed was
showed the interest that he showed was
showed the interest that he showed was far beyond any sort of interest I had
far beyond any sort of interest I had
far beyond any sort of interest I had ever seen from any member of my family
ever seen from any member of my family
ever seen from any member of my family any member of my friend group he was
any member of my friend group he was
any member of my friend group he was just genuinely proud of me and that
just genuinely proud of me and that
just genuinely proud of me and that touched me so deeply because Edie took
touched me so deeply because Edie took
touched me so deeply because Edie took the time regardless of his situation
the time regardless of his situation
the time regardless of his situation regardless of what he was going through
regardless of what he was going through
regardless of what he was going through he was sleeping on the street every
he was sleeping on the street every
he was sleeping on the street every night he had no home but he took the
night he had no home but he took the
night he had no home but he took the time to get to know me he
time to get to know me he
time to get to know me he the time to take an interest in me a
the time to take an interest in me a
the time to take an interest in me a genuine interest and so from there
genuine interest and so from there
genuine interest and so from there forward I took this very very important
forward I took this very very important
forward I took this very very important stance on helping people who are
stance on helping people who are
stance on helping people who are homeless people who are impoverished and
homeless people who are impoverished and
homeless people who are impoverished and I started to work towards becoming a
I started to work towards becoming a
I started to work towards becoming a community servant and so when I came to
community servant and so when I came to
community servant and so when I came to Seattle I had it in my heart to help as
Seattle I had it in my heart to help as
Seattle I had it in my heart to help as many people as I could circumvent this
many people as I could circumvent this
many people as I could circumvent this situation and so what I’ve seen in
situation and so what I’ve seen in
situation and so what I’ve seen in popular media representation is this
popular media representation is this
popular media representation is this idea that youth are well exactly what I
idea that youth are well exactly what I
idea that youth are well exactly what I was generally unconcerned selfish lazy
was generally unconcerned selfish lazy
was generally unconcerned selfish lazy and that’s what publications talk about
and that’s what publications talk about
and that’s what publications talk about when they talk about our generation
when they talk about our generation
when they talk about our generation Generation X Millennials Generation Y
Generation X Millennials Generation Y
Generation X Millennials Generation Y that’s all they’re saying and this
that’s all they’re saying and this
that’s all they’re saying and this constant repetition of this rhetoric
constant repetition of this rhetoric
constant repetition of this rhetoric causes us to self define and one of the
causes us to self define and one of the
causes us to self define and one of the things we talked about in Communication
things we talked about in Communication
things we talked about in Communication Studies is the idea of the behavioral
Studies is the idea of the behavioral
Studies is the idea of the behavioral theory of communication and one of the
theory of communication and one of the
theory of communication and one of the basic tenets of that is that if you
basic tenets of that is that if you
basic tenets of that is that if you don’t see behavior and if it’s not
don’t see behavior and if it’s not
don’t see behavior and if it’s not validated then that behavior ceases to
validated then that behavior ceases to
validated then that behavior ceases to continue and so I wanted to tell you a
continue and so I wanted to tell you a
continue and so I wanted to tell you a little bit about my career in service as
little bit about my career in service as
little bit about my career in service as I’ve come to Seattle and what that
I’ve come to Seattle and what that
I’ve come to Seattle and what that showed me and it’s been exactly the
showed me and it’s been exactly the
showed me and it’s been exactly the opposite about the youth and so I’ll
opposite about the youth and so I’ll
opposite about the youth and so I’ll start with South South Central Los
start with South South Central Los
start with South South Central Los Angeles and the Sierra service project
Angeles and the Sierra service project
Angeles and the Sierra service project and so when I was a freshman in college
and so when I was a freshman in college
and so when I was a freshman in college my summer was spent down in South Los
my summer was spent down in South Los
my summer was spent down in South Los Angeles helping people to get around the
Angeles helping people to get around the
Angeles helping people to get around the ideas that people were poor but they
ideas that people were poor but they
ideas that people were poor but they were that that was their fault and so I
were that that was their fault and so I
were that that was their fault and so I spent this time working with the Sierra
spent this time working with the Sierra
spent this time working with the Sierra service project which is a nonprofit
service project which is a nonprofit
service project which is a nonprofit that showed that allowed people to have
that showed that allowed people to have
that showed that allowed people to have free renovations and free repairs to
free renovations and free repairs to
free renovations and free repairs to their homes and so from there I worked
their homes and so from there I worked
their homes and so from there I worked with these groups of youth these 10
with these groups of youth these 10
with these groups of youth these 10 groups of youth I was the construction
groups of youth I was the construction
groups of youth I was the construction coordinator up
coordinator up
coordinator up there and so I would go out into the
there and so I would go out into the
there and so I would go out into the community meet these clients have a good
community meet these clients have a good
community meet these clients have a good conversation with them ask them what
conversation with them ask them what
conversation with them ask them what their needs were and these were folks
their needs were and these were folks
their needs were and these were folks who needed desperately home renovations
who needed desperately home renovations
who needed desperately home renovations or business renovations but just
or business renovations but just
or business renovations but just couldn’t afford to get it done and what
couldn’t afford to get it done and what
couldn’t afford to get it done and what we were able to do with the cierra
we were able to do with the cierra
we were able to do with the cierra service project was we brought in ten
service project was we brought in ten
service project was we brought in ten different groups of youth over three
different groups of youth over three
different groups of youth over three months and these youth literally paid a
months and these youth literally paid a
months and these youth literally paid a fee to come out and do service and they
fee to come out and do service and they
fee to come out and do service and they believed so fervently in helping others
believed so fervently in helping others
believed so fervently in helping others they believed so passionately in helping
they believed so passionately in helping
they believed so passionately in helping others that they were willing to spend
others that they were willing to spend
others that they were willing to spend their hard-earned summer money to come
their hard-earned summer money to come
their hard-earned summer money to come down and change the possibilities for
down and change the possibilities for
down and change the possibilities for others living in difficult situations
others living in difficult situations
others living in difficult situations and so over the course of that summer we
and so over the course of that summer we
and so over the course of that summer we were able to get 50-plus projects done
were able to get 50-plus projects done
were able to get 50-plus projects done in South Los Angeles whether this was a
in South Los Angeles whether this was a
in South Los Angeles whether this was a new roof a new coat of paint a
new roof a new coat of paint a
new roof a new coat of paint a wheelchair ramp or somebody who needed a
wheelchair ramp or somebody who needed a
wheelchair ramp or somebody who needed a shed in their back yard these youth
shed in their back yard these youth
shed in their back yard these youth didn’t know these people at all had no
didn’t know these people at all had no
didn’t know these people at all had no prior connection to them came out and
prior connection to them came out and
prior connection to them came out and changed the situation’s for a bunch of
changed the situation’s for a bunch of
changed the situation’s for a bunch of different people over the course of the
different people over the course of the
different people over the course of the summer and so I started to combine and
summer and so I started to combine and
summer and so I started to combine and create this certain passion for working
create this certain passion for working
create this certain passion for working with youth and I started to see the
with youth and I started to see the
with youth and I started to see the selflessness the selflessness but at the
selflessness the selflessness but at the
selflessness the selflessness but at the same time all that I had heard in media
same time all that I had heard in media
same time all that I had heard in media and popular media was oh the youth are
and popular media was oh the youth are
and popular media was oh the youth are selfish the youth are unconcerned the
selfish the youth are unconcerned the
selfish the youth are unconcerned the youth are lazy and so I carried that
youth are lazy and so I carried that
youth are lazy and so I carried that forward and one thing I’ve spent doing
forward and one thing I’ve spent doing
forward and one thing I’ve spent doing in Seattle over the past four years is
in Seattle over the past four years is
in Seattle over the past four years is working at Bailey gasser Elementary and
working at Bailey gasser Elementary and
working at Bailey gasser Elementary and it barely gets to elementary a recent
it barely gets to elementary a recent
it barely gets to elementary a recent study that’s been published about this
study that’s been published about this
study that’s been published about this school is that one in five students are
school is that one in five students are
school is that one in five students are homeless one in five elementary school
homeless one in five elementary school
homeless one in five elementary school students are homeless and many of them
students are homeless and many of them
students are homeless and many of them additionally are dealing with very
additionally are dealing with very
additionally are dealing with very unstable housing situations and great
unstable housing situations and great
unstable housing situations and great levels of poverty and in these
levels of poverty and in these
levels of poverty and in these situations what I’ve been able to do is
situations what I’ve been able to do is
situations what I’ve been able to do is work with these students as a volunteer
work with these students as a volunteer
work with these students as a volunteer tutor for four years now
tutor for four years now
tutor for four years now and I work in the literacy program and
and I work in the literacy program and
and I work in the literacy program and what I’ve seen from these youth has been
what I’ve seen from these youth has been
what I’ve seen from these youth has been for one their unrelenting consistency in
for one their unrelenting consistency in
for one their unrelenting consistency in stretching out their school day what my
stretching out their school day what my
stretching out their school day what my program is is two hours extra at the end
program is is two hours extra at the end
program is is two hours extra at the end of the day so these students are getting
of the day so these students are getting
of the day so these students are getting here at 7:00 in the morning they’re
here at 7:00 in the morning they’re
here at 7:00 in the morning they’re getting to school and they decide to
getting to school and they decide to
getting to school and they decide to stretch their school day till 4:00 p.m.
stretch their school day till 4:00 p.m.
stretch their school day till 4:00 p.m. and sometimes 4:30 or 5:00 and so these
and sometimes 4:30 or 5:00 and so these
and sometimes 4:30 or 5:00 and so these youth are taking into account the fact
youth are taking into account the fact
youth are taking into account the fact that they want to turn their lives
that they want to turn their lives
that they want to turn their lives around they want to make something
around they want to make something
around they want to make something better for their community they want to
better for their community they want to
better for their community they want to make something better for their families
make something better for their families
make something better for their families and they’re willing to stretch their
and they’re willing to stretch their
and they’re willing to stretch their school day to work with me or work with
school day to work with me or work with
school day to work with me or work with any of the other students at the gasur
any of the other students at the gasur
any of the other students at the gasur program to be to have a better chance at
program to be to have a better chance at
program to be to have a better chance at succeeding to have a better chance to go
succeeding to have a better chance to go
succeeding to have a better chance to go forward and make positive community
forward and make positive community
forward and make positive community change and given that that leads me into
change and given that that leads me into
change and given that that leads me into my last story as well and so last summer
my last story as well and so last summer
my last story as well and so last summer I spent working with the United Way of
I spent working with the United Way of
I spent working with the United Way of King County and the AmeriCorps and what
King County and the AmeriCorps and what
King County and the AmeriCorps and what we were able to do in the Central
we were able to do in the Central
we were able to do in the Central District of Seattle was set up programs
District of Seattle was set up programs
District of Seattle was set up programs known as summer meal programs and so
known as summer meal programs and so
known as summer meal programs and so students had the ability to come for one
students had the ability to come for one
students had the ability to come for one or two or even three square meals a day
or two or even three square meals a day
or two or even three square meals a day at these parks during the summer we also
at these parks during the summer we also
at these parks during the summer we also additionally offered academic enrichment
additionally offered academic enrichment
additionally offered academic enrichment for them to combat that summer learning
for them to combat that summer learning
for them to combat that summer learning loss and what really really shocked me
loss and what really really shocked me
loss and what really really shocked me and touched me about this program was
and touched me about this program was
and touched me about this program was though I was completely overwhelmed at
though I was completely overwhelmed at
though I was completely overwhelmed at this drop-in site where there was no
this drop-in site where there was no
this drop-in site where there was no parental supervision these students were
parental supervision these students were
parental supervision these students were coming from wherever they could to get
coming from wherever they could to get
coming from wherever they could to get some food and
some food and
some food and you know have some somebody to look up
you know have some somebody to look up
you know have some somebody to look up to some adults to hang out with the
to some adults to hang out with the
to some adults to hang out with the students that were benefiting from this
students that were benefiting from this
students that were benefiting from this program were additionally helping me
program were additionally helping me
program were additionally helping me around the site and I’ll never I will
around the site and I’ll never I will
around the site and I’ll never I will never forget this because I could not
never forget this because I could not
never forget this because I could not understand the level of selflessness
understand the level of selflessness
understand the level of selflessness that it takes to be benefiting from a
that it takes to be benefiting from a
that it takes to be benefiting from a program and at the same time be so
program and at the same time be so
program and at the same time be so available and ready to help others and
available and ready to help others and
available and ready to help others and help others have a better summer help
help others have a better summer help
help others have a better summer help others have a summer without hunger and
others have a summer without hunger and
others have a summer without hunger and so that’s been all of these experiences
so that’s been all of these experiences
so that’s been all of these experiences have showed me that if we don’t consider
have showed me that if we don’t consider
have showed me that if we don’t consider continue to to challenge this negative
continue to to challenge this negative
continue to to challenge this negative representation that we see about younger
representation that we see about younger
representation that we see about younger generations the youth as well as our
generations the youth as well as our
generations the youth as well as our negative perceptions of how we see the
negative perceptions of how we see the
negative perceptions of how we see the homeless how we see people who are
homeless how we see people who are
homeless how we see people who are impoverished how we see people who are
impoverished how we see people who are
impoverished how we see people who are going through tough situations in life
going through tough situations in life
going through tough situations in life then we’re never going to get around
then we’re never going to get around
then we’re never going to get around that idea and so we have to focus around
that idea and so we have to focus around
that idea and so we have to focus around youth and youth have the most amazing
youth and youth have the most amazing
youth and youth have the most amazing and bright ideas from what I’ve seen
and bright ideas from what I’ve seen
and bright ideas from what I’ve seen it’s completely contrary to what what
it’s completely contrary to what what
it’s completely contrary to what what the media presents about us each and
the media presents about us each and
the media presents about us each and every day and so I asked to my youth to
every day and so I asked to my youth to
every day and so I asked to my youth to my younger generations I want you to
my younger generations I want you to
my younger generations I want you to know you have the power to change the
know you have the power to change the
know you have the power to change the world you have the most fresh idea you
world you have the most fresh idea you
world you have the most fresh idea you have the freshest take on everything you
have the freshest take on everything you
have the freshest take on everything you approach everything with such such life
approach everything with such such life
approach everything with such such life and to my older generations thank you
and to my older generations thank you
and to my older generations thank you thank you thank you for without you we
thank you thank you for without you we
thank you thank you for without you we wouldn’t be here but in addition we need
wouldn’t be here but in addition we need
wouldn’t be here but in addition we need EDS we need those Ed’s
EDS we need those Ed’s
EDS we need those Ed’s we need you to be those ads for other
we need you to be those ads for other
we need you to be those ads for other for other youth and so I guess in
for other youth and so I guess in
for other youth and so I guess in conclusion we need to Center ourselves
conclusion we need to Center ourselves
conclusion we need to Center ourselves around the power of youth and that
around the power of youth and that
around the power of youth and that transitional and that transformative
transitional and that transformative
transitional and that transformative power that we have is the only way that
power that we have is the only way that
power that we have is the only way that we’re going to end the situations that
we’re going to end the situations that
we’re going to end the situations that are have
are have
are have in Seattle and I don’t really need to
in Seattle and I don’t really need to
in Seattle and I don’t really need to explain it I’m sure we’re all aware of
explain it I’m sure we’re all aware of
explain it I’m sure we’re all aware of the situation that’s going on in Seattle
the situation that’s going on in Seattle
the situation that’s going on in Seattle now but people are being pushed out of
now but people are being pushed out of
now but people are being pushed out of their homes people are being evicted in
their homes people are being evicted in
their homes people are being evicted in order to gentrify and build and that
order to gentrify and build and that
order to gentrify and build and that can’t be allowed to continue we need to
can’t be allowed to continue we need to
can’t be allowed to continue we need to focus our attention on bridging this
focus our attention on bridging this
focus our attention on bridging this generational gap that has become this
generational gap that has become this
generational gap that has become this generational gap that has for so long
generational gap that has for so long
generational gap that has for so long divided us old and young and we need to
divided us old and young and we need to
divided us old and young and we need to meet in the middle and once we meet in
meet in the middle and once we meet in
meet in the middle and once we meet in the middle there’s no there’s no
the middle there’s no there’s no
the middle there’s no there’s no possibility there’s no end to the
possibility there’s no end to the
possibility there’s no end to the possibilities that we can create
possibilities that we can create
possibilities that we can create together thank you so much
together thank you so much
together thank you so much [Applause]
”
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