One person on the panel, Dr. Takuya Minami, suggested that we ask ourselves two questions:
- Do I feel like a member of the community?
- Am I comfortable inviting others to the community?
A yes answer to the second question relies upon a yes answer to the first question. The struggles of others won't become my struggles until I can answer, "Yes," to both of these questions.
Pondering the first question caused me to reflect upon the work of Dr. Robert Putnam concerning social capital. To feel like a member of the community I must expand my circle of influence beyond my own small world--I must become actively involved. Although voting is important, actively involved requires more than casting a vote. It demands stepping out of a comfort zone and getting into the arena. It means speaking up and doing about what's right even when it is unpopular.
