Humanitarianism Deserves More
Hot take: philanthropy and humanitarianism, to me, doesn't gain the recognition it so well deserves.
In a subtle conversation with my dad, whom I look up to and credit for my upbringing, a light was shed on a topic I find myself not paying attention to like I should. To be frank, I might find myself “sleeping on philanthropy” in my day-to-day. Please, applaud my not-so-good effort of trying to be a younger version of myself.
Anyways, as I do become older and hopefully wiser, I find myself naturally gaining a newfound respect for things in society that I paid little attention to in my younger years.
Philanthropy, charity, humanitarianism, and even simply just good acts; being kind, showing respect, loving others well: can always have room for growth. Here, I will be the first to say, I recognize there will be ways in which I can push and hold myself accountable for these things, as I am in no way perfect. But, in this conversation with my dad, I was quick to realize how society has shifted the narrative and we are quick to focus on the opposite.
Rather than focusing this somewhat unorganized article on the easy topic of what isn’t working, such as tension in the country or anything such as, I’m going to shine the light that philanthropy so well deserves.
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Being local to Northwest Arkansas, the Walton Family Foundation, native to Bentonville, is one of which is well known to not only my hometown, but also throughout society. In summary, the Walton Family Foundation finds root in collaborating and working with communities where we can solve real-world problems. Such as K-12 education, while also protecting our land in the areas surrounding Northwest Arkansas and the Arkansas-Mississippi Delta, the Walton Family takes hold of their opportunity in these areas and communities.
To the naked eye, reading that simple summary paragraph, may lead you to want to exit this screen just as quick as you found it. That’s fine, if you so wish. But I still plan to explain my thinking, so don’t mind if I do!
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These organizations such as the Walton Family Foundation, or it may even be Ronald McDonald House Charities, Rockefeller Foundation, and so on, have so much to offer society, literally. The simple fact that they are willing to give time, energy, even money, to leave society and communities better than they are, is a huge testament to man kind and the areas in which they reside.
I find this fact to be encouraging! Just when I find myself down in the dumps almost every time I turn on national news, there always seems to be a light at the end of the tunnel. There is always that person or group out there that is quick to better the world they live in. Speaking for myself, that gives me hope.
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If you stayed long enough through this extremely biased thought of mine, thank you. All that tells me is that there are others in society that see this small sliver of humanitarianism like me. And if you take anything from this ongoing idea, take what I do: get out there! Help society in a way that you are passionate about. In the end, we are all living in the same world and within the same communities. Collaboration is key. Working together can help ensure happiness for all.
For now, that’s all I have here. I look forward to seeing the ways in which my thinking on this continues to evolve and how society and philanthropy will continue to be ever-changing.
