I cared about the issue of poverty, but volunteering in the community made me care about the people experiencing poverty. And at this personal scale, I could understand their experiences, find out how public policy actually affected them, and make a real difference in their lives and our community.

I've stood on the sidelines of political and public debate all of my adult life because I convinced myself that's what a good journalist does. In my case, it's also been a cop out. My work, however, has been dedicated to helping others "better citizens, kinder neighbors and more effective advocates." Finally, I decided to take my own advice.