EQUALITY

As I write these pages, a young man, maybe fourteen years old leans against the wall five feet from the window of the café I’m writing in. his air matted down with dirt, and his faded red sweater torn. He appears to be one of the thousands of children who live on the streets of this city. Again, I return to me being well fed and stable enough and economically privileged enough to have the tools to be writing a book… this is our reality. And inequality slaps with the back of its hand. I never deny its existence, but like most of us, I pass moments when I’m not thinking about it. But its always close by. And as it makes me sad, I remind myself, I will accomplish nothing for no one if I get stuck in cynicism and say ‘Aww, this is how it is, I can’t change it,’ Or if I feel ashamed of my privileges and renounce all of them and go live in the streets in solidarity. (Of course, time spent in pain and danger is one of the most precious tools to live and act in solidarity and should be practiced in an honest way when necessary and practical) And so, I think not of an ideal world with total equality, but instead of a world where everyone has dignity and basic human rights. This is my dream. And this is the vision that will guide my pen, my feet and design all the days I’m lucky enough to live.