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View Full Version : Hi, I'm Joshua


jmarland1980
03-21-2007, 10:33 PM
Hello everyone,

Obviously, I am new to the site. I read about it on alternet.org in an article concerning the equality bus.

At any rate, as I near graduation from graduate school, i find myself with more time to devote to the causes I find to be most important to societal change. I have neglected my activist side for educational pursuits, but hope that I can continue through various means such as this.

Feel free to spark up a debate, as I have many interests. Most dear to me is education reform, specifically in urban areas where underprivileged students are often overlooked or left without a decent opportunity.

More recently, I have focused on subverting gay and lesbian stereotypes, as well as advocating awareness of the perpetuation of inequality. Basically, let's think about how we can make a difference through just being aware of the little things (in addition to the big things) and then making the necessary changes. The use of words, gestures, body language to signal discomfort or support of inequality.

I am Buddhist but support all spirituality, at least the choice to practice and believe what you want. If it affects me, obviously I hope it's in a positive way as I hope to do the same in return.

Those are just some general ideas. Throw some out there and I'm bound to discuss more in depth.

Zerbie
03-21-2007, 11:01 PM
What a nice intro!!

What did you graduate-study in graduate school?

scott snedeker
03-21-2007, 11:05 PM
Glad to have you on board!

For an interfaith story search "pagan meets buddhist" a thread I posted a month ago

jmarland1980
03-22-2007, 09:08 PM
I am in a master's of Urban Education Policy. My interest is in supporting urban school districts to make data informed decisions through various means.

A side interest is in access to higher education for underrepresented students, so I'll pursue that through more informal ways.

Zerbie
03-22-2007, 11:39 PM
Wow - sounds like a field with some need for a high-energy individual like you. Great to meet you!!

You seem to have your ducks all in a row, too, so to speak. Like you, I'm in graduate school. Unlike you, I've slowed my progress through the program of study a great deal in order to devote more time to activist pursuits (call me disorganized, I might just agree!). But on the whole, life is balancing out pretty well, and when I get burned out from 'activist-ing,' I have my "real" work to get back to, which is totally unrelated to LGBT advocacy, so it's a nice change of pace. :)

Were you raised by Buddhists yourself? Or did you find the tradition on your own?