#CommunityDreams
“I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the waters to create many ripples.”
— Mother Teresa
How do you change the world, when the world has you too tired to change yourself?
“Non sibi sed patriae”
“Not for self, but for country” is the United States Navy motto and English translation for the phrase above.
For Megan Powell (women pictured up top) — Non sibi sed patriae — is not just a motto enshrined to her as a U.S. Navy Veteran but emblematic of her soul and spirit. Family, community, and every individual’s power to be a change agent, ambassador, and promoter for universal good are the not just values she represents as a Navy veteran but lives, breaths, and represents as a person.
For Megan Powell , dedication to others, service to community, and relentless persistence to — and fighting for the access to opportunity for — improvement is her rasion d’etre.
This is the real life Megan Powell Story!
(you know like E-True Hollywood story… I’ve always wanted to use that line, so it is now out of my system…maybe!)
Background
Megan Powell was born and raised between Toledo, Ohio and West Palm Beach, Florida. For almost two years after high school Megan Powell struggled to find her place, voice, and purpose in the world; all the while struggling to do more than, well — struggle.
Before I go on a little bit about Toledo, Ohio —
There is a 26.5% poverty rate for all City of Toledo Residents…
The median household income for residents of the City of Toledo is $17.21 an hour ($35,808 annually before taxes)…
Meanwhile,
The cost of living for One adult (no children) in the City of Toledo $10.35 an hour ($21,528 annually)
for [o]ne adult, one child in the City of Toledo is $22.29 an hour ($46,363 annually) [and]
[for] [o]ne adult, three children in the City of Toledo $33.20 an hour ($69,054 annually).
And lets not forget the hourly income of $17.21 is the median — meaning that is simple the middle divider between the upper half of incomes and lower half of incomes in the City of Toledo.
This means at least half of the City is beneath a wage of $17.21 an hour all the while half the City is not single adults with no children.
In turn, this means that up to 50% — half the City of Toledo — is NOT making enough to afford the cost living.
The economic landscape of Toledo, Ohio is not presented to say that Megan was going without meals or missing showers. She made sure to emphasis that was NOT the case. But to contextualize the landscape the Megan Powell’s of the world look out and see before they even have a chance to dream a dream.
So why does this matter to the Megan Powell story?
The Good Book, says:
“As someone thinks within himself, so he is.”
Proverbs 23:7
and what does Proverbs 23:7 have to do with Megan Powell?
Simple enough, it is hard to become somebody when you are surrounded by what feels like a whole lot of nothing. Megan Powell journey was filled with cruise missiles, torpedoes, mines, and hidden dangers as far as the eye could see before she even left port.
Now, back to the regularly scheduled program.
After two years out of el struggle. Megan changed her surrounding, changed her circumstances, and changed her life by joining the U.S. Navy. Megan would go on to do three deployments, see the world, serve her country.
Returning home Megan was greeted with open arms by family and community….and begin to work in a job that allowed her to provide for herself but not allow her to fulfill her greatest life’s calling.
Desiring to not only give neighbors environmental architectural facelifts but create sustainable communities, while molding and helping to develop sustainable mindsets .While working Megan Powell obtained her bachelor of science in environmental science with a concentration in sustainability. Later Megan would go on to obtain a master’s of Science in environmental policy and sustainability management.
Nonetheless, everyday Megan woke up… put on her big girl draws… and went to work with a smile — and not a fake chagrin of a smile, but a God earnest, thank you for the gift to be able to provide smile — every single day.
While smiling and working, it did not stop ask Megan from asking herself the very question that permeated all other thoughts and keeps her up at night —
“Am I living and operating at my full potential?”
When Megan told Our Time, the question that wakes her up, and often keeps her up at night…our only response was “Powerful. Why?”
Her response was as profound as her character,
“ I often feel like I am missing my mark…as hard as I try I always feel like I should give more.”
The thought that keeps a woman who gave her youth — her twenties — to serve her country, while changing her circumstances, is “[I ]always feel like I should give more.”
Intrigued, during the interview Our Time asked Megan Powell why aren’t you able to give proportional to your heart’s desire to give?
Her response was “I have to work a mid-level management job, outside of my field, to take care of myself, pay my students Loans and help my family when I can.”
When Our Time inquired, “would removing the responsibility of helping your family when you can lighten your load and make it easier for you to “give more in the manner you want to give more?…Why do you have to help your family?”
Again, Megan’s response reflected nothing less of her impeccable character,
“ different reasons…I rather not get into them.”
What makes Megan’s response reflect her impeccable character is her response reflects a commitment to respecting the privacy, dignity, and honor of others. What Megan doesn’t recall — when previously asked this question Megan response was —
“That is their story to tell not mine…because I love them.”
Megan Powell’s Purpose
They say — “you’re born, life’s tough, you die.”
(Actually, instead of “tough” the word is rather crude, means female dog; and between having a bible verse in a story; the fact I have a mother; and the current social-cultural climate I replaced the word with “tough”.
Also — as a one aside, the “they” that make the above statement is somebody(-ies) at some point in time, that I did not and do not intend to look up. I feel I needed to address the “they” because anytime I say “they” said growing up — and even to this date — my mother would say, “who are these ‘they’?
Not sure if it was an English lesson or her keeping her investigatory/lawyering skills sharp — which she is not nor ever has been a lawyer or investigator.)
Megan Powell said she feels she is not able to give more because, she is not engaging in her life’s work, when asked what her life’s work is she said,
“I should be working…doing nonprofit work.”
Then, what is preventing her from engaging in her life’s work , aside the everyday struggle for survival?
In Megan’s words,
“I literally know three people outside of work and when I’m off all I wanna do is sleep.”
Megan’s limited network in large part is the result of her others before self mindset. Finding herself again in unfamiliar waters but being dedicated to mission success — self-sustainment, support of others, and advancement of community — relocating from Toledo, Ohio to Virginia to take a middle management position.
More about Megan Powell
(not final like “dearly departed…” neither this story’s author or interviewee have went on to the great beyond at the time of writing or publication)
What Our Time, found simply exquisite about interviewing Megan Powell was she never answered if would removing the responsibility of helping your family when you can lighten your load and make it easier for your to “give more in the manner you want to give more?
Ms. Powell’s response to what is most challenging on her journey — as she boldly marches in her dream’s direction to meet her greatest self at the life’s crossroads, Destiny Way and Highest, Truest, Purpose Boulevard — stands out.
The greatest challenge to Ms. Powell fulfilling her rasion d’etre is NOT her self imposed responsibility to help her family. Nor does Ms. Powell lay claim to even her dogged tiredness after working a 3rd shift job, which she maintains to survive and help others. Instead, the greatest challenge is her inability to network-connect with others and resources because her work schedule and tiredness.
Megan Powell works third shift.
So you may be thinking — and Our Time asked, in the digital age, why not connect [to others] using Facebook communities , Twitter, or instagram?
Megan’s response
“ I could try…”
“ I miss Junction…for real.”
Junction is short for the “Junction Coalition” the Toledo’s neighborhood created, world renowned (actually world renowned) community development corporation started by Alicia Smith. Dedicated to environmental, social, and economic justice. Also, prior to her current employment Junction Coalition is where Megan worked to develop experiential learning environmental education projects for Junction youth and led hands on community installation of environmental projects.
exchange between Our Time and Megan Powell:
Our Time: why not come up with a plan to go back and make it worth your time — in terms of dollars
Megan: “ I would need a position prior to moving back”
Our Time: Why not start applying for grants that cover your salary, and create the position you want?
Megan: “I would need a class lol”
Our Time: For what ?
Megan : “Grant writing”
Our Time: Megan this is the age of YouTube, Khan academy, Coursea…
You did not look that hard…
Megan: “I’ll look into it”
Our Time: When you want something — hell or high water doesn’t stand in your way.
Megan: “I’ve never researched Grant writing but I will now lol”
…
“I’ll look into Khan tonight”
Our Time: Life is important. And time is short! Chase your dreams.
Keep your job. Develop the skills. Get the funding. Create the position you want. Then leave.
Final Words
Megan Powell’s story is the story of millennials!
It is the story of overcoming and upcomance of struggle in every sense — poverty, adversity, lack of professional mentorship, and absence of resources — to still emerge victorious.
It is the story of going from the known horrors of poverty, struggle, and strife to the untold horrors of war and back again.
It is the story of responsibility and commitment to family and community even in light of your own struggle.
It is the story of dogged tiredness but persistent triumph to be victorious.
So to answer the question-How do you change the world, when the world has you too tired to change yourself?
BE LIKE MEGAN POWELL !
Be inspired by Community Dreams. Dreams to give more by doing more. Dreams to be more by helping more.
Dare to dream to change the world by continuously changing yourself and helping those you can help, when you can help, how you can help.
Five days later Our Time received a message from Megan that said when she completed her current class in aquaponics she would be starting a Grant Writing Class.
