The dream of changing the world begins when we dare to do something!

It is well known that in youth there is an inherent desire to change the world! It is up to young people to discover places, to add new values, to build knowledge and to improve social relations. It is proper for youth to have dreams of transformation of reality and a sincere desire to leave a better world for the next generations. In fact, it was the young people of the past who, through their struggle and their activism in favor of just causes, have bequeathed us a much better present in many respects. However, there is still a lot of injustice that needs to be broken, many suffering people need to be reached and youth must again be protagonist in this process! 

  

I always dreamed of being relevant to my generation. I've always dreamed of leaving a positive mark on the history of the people I go through. I always wanted to be a change agent! And my life of ministerial leadership within the Methodist Church in Brazil proves this. So also, my history of volunteer and social work. I believe that the future reserves places of prominence to those who propose to seek this in favor of the collective. 

  

My internship in Washington DC only shows how much I pursue the idea of doing something to improve people's lives. But I would never have imagined that I would have such a valuable opportunity so early in my life! Working in an institution like Creation Justice Ministries that has a notorious history of fighting for more equality, justice and environmental preservation makes me overflow in gratitude to God! Being in DC, the US capital, developing social projects and learning from people who are passionate about what they do only reinforces my vocation to work for others. 

  

My second week was my first work at the office. I had my first meeting with my supervisor, Shanta Alonso, Bachelor's from the University of Notre Dame and Master's from Eden Theological Seminary. An incredible woman with intense history of social struggle. Shanta has been working for years with environmental issues and has built the bridge between communities of faith - public space. At my first meeting I was introduced to the subject of public lands. Several national parks and public lands in general run the risk of being taken over by private enterprise and have their rich culture, history and values destroyed. Some lands have a direct relationship with indigenous peoples and therefore need to be preserved. 

  

The struggle of Shanta and the whole department of Creation Justice Ministries only shows me how worth the price of fighting for what we believe. So maybe one sentence sums it all up: "Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that". - Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. 

  

Let's be world changers! 

Lucas Toledo

Creation Justice Ministries Intern.