Taken from Jon's Myspace and the December 2009 Issue of AP Magazine
SWITCHFOOT frontman JON FOREMAN thinks it's important to give back to one's community, so he and his band started Bro-Am, an annual charity event in their hometown, showcasing surfers and bands. Here he offers inspiration and ideas to get started on an event - large or small - in your own city.
Six years ago, we dreamed up the Switchfoot Bro-Am as a way to give back to our community with a day of music and surfing. Since then, it's grown to be much bigger than we had ever dreamed. We've seen some amazing musicians and surfers be a part of the event, but the heart of the Bro-Am is still the same: to give homeless and at-risk youth an incrdible day at the beach, to celebrate these resilient, determined souls.
These kids are my heros in so many ways. They did not choose their circumstances; they are truly the victims of decisions that others have made. And yet, most of them are determined to rise above their situation, to change the world one day at a time. For me their struggle puts life into perspective:
"Each year, more than 1.3 million children are homeless during some point, and that number is increasing. Many homeless youth - in addition to losing their home, community, friends and routines as well as their sense of stability and safety - may be victims of past trauma. While trying to survive on the streets, youth are exposed to countless dangers, with an increased likelihood of substance abuse, early parenthood, impulsivity, depression, post-tramautic stress disorder and a vulnerablity to being trafficked." - The National Child Traumatic Stress Network.
Everyone needs a hand from time to time. It doesn't matter how old you are; we need each other. We're connected, interdependent human souls depending on each other for love and meaning. This becomes incredibly obvious when you take the structures of family and friendship away.
My friend Kim runs StandUp For Kids in Oceanside, California. She's amazing. Maybe her passion comes from past experience: she survived life on the streets herself when she was younger. Or maybe she cares because she sees the true worth and potential in every one of these kids. From time to time, I feel stuck and trapped into living a very small life. Sometimes I need a reminder or the gifts that are all around me. When I go to hang out with Kim and the StandUp kids, all of the drama of being alive in a postmodern world is put into persepctive. The traffic, or the rent or the girl troubles - these feels very small when I see the determination in the eyes of these amazing kids facing troubles I've never seen.
Every day you're alive you change the world. It's true. The things you do and say today will have lasting results. There is a part of you that lives on long after you die. Our cultural obsession with TV and the stage betrays a deeper truth: The things that happen behind closed doors are much more significant. It's easy to say the right thing with a mic in your hand, but it's who you are when no one's watching that defines your character.
Certainly, there is much that is wrong with the world around us. From Darfur to the Dalit, there are human struggles for social justice happening all around the world. It can be overwhelming as you wonder where to begin. Yet these situations of struggle and suffering also offer us the incredible opportunity to join in and be a part of creating the world you want. Whatever your beliefs may be, it's important to be passionate about issues of social justice. If you believe in God, then this is part of your religion. Jewish, Christian, Muslim, Buddhist or Hindu - your fauth urges you to care for the ones around you. From a hardcore Darwinian atheist perspective, the survival of species should definitely be a concern. If you're agnostic, then human kindness might be the only kindness there is. If there is not hope for the intervention of a loving, supernatural diety, then we mortals are alone in making this world a better place. Every one of us has a unique perspective in this life, but let us focus on the things we agree on - like helping homeless kids.
I don't pretend to have these things figured out. I'm just trying my best to live out the grace that has been shown to me; to understand what it means to live in a way of light and love; to give back to the community that has given my band and I so much. I'm just imitating heros like John M. Perkins or Rob Machado. For those of you who do not surf, Machado is one of the most respected and iconic surfers in the world. When I was a kid, Machado was one of my soccer coaches. I was 16, and he was the hometown hero, taking time out of his busy schedule to kick a soccer ball around with a bunch of awkward, postpubescent kids. It made a big impression on me. You give back to your local scene because it's given so much to you.
It seems like it always starts with small, simple acts of love. Find out how you can get involved locally - even just one day a week. Is there a children's hosptial nearby? A homeless shelter? A Habitat for Humanity buid? Try donating time instead of cash. Get to know the community you live in. Call up a few friends, think of a few things you could do together. Start small - that seems to be the way the best things always happen. That's the way the Bro-Am started: a few friends with a small idea. Try to partner up with someone who's already reaching out within your community. You don't have to play savior, that's not your place. We're simply called to love each other. We are pushing for a higher life, a higher purpose. Above the simple fashions and trends, selfless compassion does not go out of style.
The Switchfoot Bro-Am (switchfoot.com/broam) has raised more than $100,000 for local organizations including: StandUp for Kids (standupforkids.org), Casa de Ampar and Care House. Past performers include Switchfoot, Jason Mraz, Chris Shiflett (Foo Fighters) and Dave Kennedy (Angels & Airwaves).
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