Rosa Parks

I learned today that she was exactly my age, 42, on the day that she decided it was time to take a stand against injustice. I’m sure she had no idea that she was going to turn the tide of history by refusing to move from her seat. Interestingly, she was not even seated in the wrong place. She had been following the rules -- she was in the “black section.” But the bus got full and the driver wanted her to give up her seat. And she refused.

One small non-violent act that spurred on the Civil Rights Movement. What an incredible story.

Aren’t we all called to stand against injustice in one small way? My choice right now is to stand against the injustices I see and the roadblocks that stand between finding permanency for teens. Maybe it means saying “Yes, this family must be allowed to parent the whole sibling group because they need to stay together.” Maybe it means saying, “I promise to find you a family for that 13 year old if you won’t resign yourself to making his plan permanent foster care.” Maybe it means calling a social worker, and her supervisor, and her supervisor’s supervisor, all the way up the top of the ladder until I get answers. Maybe it means bugging a worker every week for six months until I know a child has a home.

And in the midst of it all I am like Rosa Parks in that I am not doing it because I expect that my name will some day be recognized as a changer of history. I am doing it because it is right. And if each of us would make a commitment to face one injustice and stand strong over the long haul, we could change the world.