YOU! HAVE THE POWER | Dr. Ellen Brown

Take the Stage

BY DR. ELLEN BROWN

Definition: to become the center of attention; to become the focus of everyone’s attention.

Think of any topic in the news today that seeks to address life-changing, lifesaving or how we live our everyday lives. Now, think of how often you listen to conversations and commentaries from co-workers or friends, read news stories, or watch your favorite media. Do you sometimes find yourself questioning their positions on a topic? How often do you have the need for more discussion or to express your ideas, opinions, thoughts, and questions?

I am asking because I often find myself experiencing all the above; but this time my mind, (in its attempt to help me satisfy the need for more understanding) offered me a possible option to answer.

There are topics that leave me wondering, questioning, seeking more dialogue and action. There must be other audiences of like minds. No matter how many groups and organizations exist, there will always be interested people with a need for action who are left with questions and wanting more. So, in my own mental place where I need to find like minds for my interests, it occurred to me that instead of looking for a stage that belongs to someone else and convincing them to award me a bit of their time and space, why not create a stage with focus on my interest and wait for others to join me? Examples from the past include the NAACP, followed by the Urban League, the United Negro College Fund and more.

While these illustrious and monumental organizations provided an incredible foundation, think of how their stages expanded with the emergence of other stages: fraternities and sororities, 100 Black Men/Women, Black Lives Matter, Susan G. Komen, LGBTQ, and significantly more who bravely sought to share the stage instead of replacing the existing actors.

It is often said there is nothing new that emerges that has not existed in some form in the past. Questions, topics, solutions, and needs popping up in our daily news and interactions have always existed in some form or another — and may still be viable as they are; however, we see and seek the need for a different direction.

What about sharing your version? TAKE THE STAGE! Think about, define, and build the platform that supports the position you want to see and hear more about.

Create an inviting stage atmosphere — not necessarily for everyone or anyone, but with enough structure that those out there who also have interest will recognize the common focus and join you. In fact, you may find there are others looking for the same direction and are ready to join you on your stage. By sharing your stage for common input and discussions, your view expands through communion with like minds.

Finally, taking this route does not take away from anything which might already be in progress, well-supported and funded. Yours is proactive by seeing a need and filling it, tapping into and expanding new ways to address old challenges. Soon, more like-minded people will find your stage a better fit and join your mission.

There is room. Let’s see some new stages emerge in Las Vegas in 2023. YOU Have the Power!

Dr. Ellen Brown enjoys writing on political topics that encourage and invite discussion leading to action. She is a retired university educator and dean and can be reached at ebrown.nci@gmail.com