Channeling Energy for Change: Thoughts on the Tragedies of Tuesday, September 11, 2001

Channeling Energy for Change:
Thoughts on the Tragedies of Tuesday, September 11, 2001

At this tragic and grievous time, EduChange® would like to extend to all of our clients and to the community at large the very sincerest of condolences and most genuine hopes for peace around the world.

For those of you not familiar with the geography of New York City, EduChange® is located seventeen blocks north of the collapsed WTC Twin Towers. I was on my way out of the office a few minutes before 9:00 a.m. on Tuesday, September 11, 2001 when I looked up to see the flames and black smoke engulfing the north tower. Shortly after, I witnessed the second crash and subsequent collapse of the south tower. Those horrific images are branded in my mind; those emotions will ferment in my heart forever.

Today I mourn with my New York City community, with our national community, and indeed with the global human community. As I try to create a new normalcy that will somehow be satisfying, I focus on my life's work: the incredibly important and necessary work on behalf of our children. I now share with you my initial responses to recent tragedies, responses guiding the upcoming work of EduChange Inc.

There is a scientific law stating that energy cannot be created or destroyed, it only changes form. Indeed, the tremendous amount of energy released in the hateful suicide massacres has been transformed into an unimaginable outpouring of generosity, collaboration, and kindness from points around the globe. But these positive energies parallel deep-seated angers, vengeances, and fears that were also transformed by Tuesday's events. What this massive amount of energy will change into next is unclear at best. What is clear is our need to harness the energy, and channel its tremendous power toward rebuilding what has crumbled in our communities throughout recent decades of greed and self-indulgence.

Many people have wondered what they can possibly do to help ease the pain of so many. Let me make a suggestion about how to catalyze the next transformation of energy. Let us channel it into our local communities to make them safer, more compassionate places worthy of calling "home." Let us make concerted efforts to care for our children, understanding that the future of the world rests on their growing shoulders. Together, let us act aggressively to empower our children with the mental and emotional strength that their future will require. Let us fortify our local and national schools.

As I stood at the police barricade closest to the downtown area today, I caught a smoky glimpse of the leaning girder skeletons of what were once the grandest towers of our city. Somehow that image fit with my recent visions of our public education system. Though it has not crashed to the ground with the same cataclysmic force, the towers of our educational system have been crumbling for decades. We are now left with a skeleton of a system that is not grand, is not powerful, and is looked upon with horror and disgust.

If we are to rebuild the girders that will uphold our local and world community in the days to come, we must not shake our heads in disbelief and shrug our shoulders irresponsibly, looking for someone to blame. We do not fault the firefighters and police officers for trying to save citizens in the face of enormous falling buildings. Similarly, we must not criticize teachers and administrators for being unable to bolster our educational system in the face of the social apathy and blame undermining their work. Together we must restructure our school system and buttress the community services that support it.

In the words of pacifist Mahatma Gandhi, you must "be the change you wish to see in the world". The energy for this change has been released. We must now ensure that we channel it into fervent community collaboration on behalf of our children. As work at EduChange® moves forward, I remain committed to the work of our schools and all educational organizations. I hope you will join me in these efforts.

Catherine Saldutti
President, EduChange Inc.
September 14, 2001