Blog Post #2 -Changemakers Reflection - by Giselle Iskandarani

 My last reflection focused on communication through public speaking, but this project also made me think about the people who use communication and the impact they can have.

I always thought of Changemaker as referring to heads of state, revolutionaries and people of that sort. I have come to appreciate through the project that a Changemaker can be virtually anyone, and the impact can be far and wide. From the presentations, I have learned a lot about how one persons actions can have a lasting impact.

This is the second post in a series reflecting on the presentations in my Introduction to Speech class. In my last post, I discussed the chapter presentations and public speaking. That project got me thinking about the about public speaking mechanics and techniques, This project helped me think about the people who influence change in society, many of whom use communication to create that change in the world.

Before to this assignment, I thought changemakers only referred to people who start or lead movements. Now, I understand that someone can change the world for the better by teaching, doing outreach, or even conducting research. Because of this assignment, I have a better idea of what true change entails.

For this project we kept our old groups. Each of the four groups covering a different time period. Group 1 studied the 1700s, Group 2 the 1800s, I was in Group 3, which focused on the 2000s to current time and Group 4 covered the 1900s. Each presentation helped us understand different kinds of leadership and social progress.

Group 1 covered the American founding period and spoke aboutGeorge Washington, Benjamin Franklin, Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, Roger Sherman, and George Mason. Most of these leaders, along with many others, helped create a framework for American governance and helped draft the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. I saw that many of them had similar goals but different means of achieving them. I was most impressive how they valued collaboration. While it was true these leaders often disagreed with each other, they worked together to create a system of checks and balances that continues to protect the rights of individuals.

Group 2 focused to the 1800s, highlighting individuals who brought about change in a variety of different ways. Some of the names mentioned were Frederick Douglass, John Brown, Florence Nightingale, Clara Barton, Andrew Carnegie, and John D. Rockefeller.. What stood out to me about the change makers in this group was how vastly different the methods in which they brought about change were. Douglass fought against slavery and advocacy for equal rights through writing. On the other hand, Florence Nightingale and Clara Barton were engaged in societal transformation through their work in the health care and humanitarian space. Nightingale's change came from transforming hospital practices and emphasized sanitation, while Barton came from founding the American Red Cross. Hearing about the impact of their work despite not creating change in law illustrated to me that change agents do not always have to hold a political position.

Group 3 was my group. We centered our focus on changemakers of the 2000s and current day, which included Barack Obama, Vivek Murthy, Ketanji Brown Jackson, Stacey Abrams, Alejandro Mayorkas, Sonia Sotomayor, and George W. Bush. I was in charge of the research for our presentation on Sonia Sotomayor, who is the first Latina woman to serve on the Supreme Court. Her impact does stem from a political side through her impact on the constitution, but I had no idea she also was an advocate for many issues outside of the court. For example, she works with non-profits dedicated to improving education. This showed again that change does not have to come from the expected route.

Group 4 covered the change makers of the 20th century. Some of the people highlighted include Martin Luther King Jr., Nelson Mandela, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Alice Paul, Jonas Salk, and Betty Friedan. One example that impressed me was Martin Luther King Jr. and his role as a leader in the Civil Rights Movement. His commitment to nonviolent protest was a source of inspiration to millions. He was another person who took a route different than what was expected. If people had an issue with the government, most would have rebelled violently, but Martin Luther King Jr. managed to convince millions that peaceful protest was the way to go. While he was alive, he was able to facilitate substantial legislative reforms in the country. Another remarkable example was Jonas Salk, the man who invented the polio vaccine. He decided not to patent the vaccine and instead, chose to let the vaccine be used as a free resource which led to the saving of millions of people. Another example that showed me that changemakers can emerge from science and medicine as well.

I have learned that changemakers start off by finding problems that others do not see. Be it problems with the inequities, the healthcare system, or the political system, these people decide to do something instead of remaining passive. Their work shows us that for change to be worthwhile, it takes the desire to be active for the long haul. 

 

The presentations were informative, and the speakers were story changers of America. The project taught me about different people of influence throughout the ages and helped me develop an appreciation of leadership and social change. I have a new perspective on changemakers. Changemakers aren't people from the past who made political decisions, they are people who notice a problem and try to fix it.