17-year-old finds her path in advocacy
Lila Schreiber loves tennis, music, playing the guitar and hanging out with her friends. She enjoys philosophy, journalism, math, and learning about the brain. In addition, and perhaps more importantly, Lila is very passionate about her role as a global citizen, and her responsibility as such. Her perspective as a 17-year member of not only the Ashland community, but of the world community as well, is a valuable one.
DT: You have so many interests, what are you most passionate about right now?
Lila: I'd have to say my activism. I've always been taught to be aware, to question things and have a worldly view. In 2006 I became a member of Net Aid's Global Citizen Corps, an interactive online group. Their motto, "Educating, inspiring, and empowering young people to fight global poverty." I am one of 200 student leaders in the country and our assignment is to inform our peers and get them engaged and involved as global citizens. We do this primarily through a series of Global Action Days. To help in the effort, I started a Global Citizen Corps (GCC) club at Ashland High School this year and we currently have about 70 members that meet two or three times a week, planning and organizing events. It is incredibly uplifting to see the excitement that students bring to the club.
DT: Why do you feel drawn to helping out on a global scale?
Lila: I think that helping locally is important, but people on a local level, for the most part, at least have access to help, whereas people living in extreme poverty — in sub-Saharan Africa for example — don't have access to any help, and have no tools to use for help in raising themselves out of the poverty that they were randomly born into.
DT: What projects are you working on right now?
Lila: I'm leaving for Ecuador next week to visit a couple friends. One is working at a kindergarten in a very poor area and asked if I could do a little fundraising. The club agreed to help. Even if we only raise $100, I'll be able to buy a few needed supplies for the school. Our next big GCC focus will be on the need for global access to education.
DT: How do you feel when you compare our consumer culture with the fact that much of the world's population lives on less than two dollars a day? And, how does your awareness of that statistic affect your own spending habits?
Lila: I think it's really a shame ... and annoying. Though, it does help motivate me to try and help inform people in our culture and move them into action.
In terms of my spending habits, I'm a fairly frugal person, but I am still an American teenager! I think that by informing people and being actively involved is a bigger contribution to the world than limiting my own expenses. That's not to say that I should be wasteful, and yes, I probably should be less sucked into our culture than I am, but I think I can make a difference by being an American teen that cares.
DT: Speaking of teens, how do you think our community, both locally and nationally, could support its youth more?
Lila: They could stop closing schools! Small elementary schools were something very unique to Ashland. It was a kind of pride at a young age — Stinkin' Lincoln, Walker Talker, Bellview Smellview, Helman Smellmen, Briscoe Disco. In middle school you could tell where everyone had gone to school because of specific things that each school did. It was cool.
The best way to support youth is through education and other related extracurricular activities. Through asking questions, getting involved, and sharing expertise.
Respecting teachers and students, and giving them the tools they need to do their jobs, is what will really make a brighter future.
2Pac had some great lyrics in his song, "Keep Ya Head Up," "It's funny when it rains it pours, they got money for wars, but can't feed the poor. Said there ain't no hope for the youth, but the truth is, it ain't no hope for the future. And then they wonder why we crazy."
DT: You are obviously very interested in global events, how do you stay informed?
Lila: My parents and I talk about world events (her father, Howard, is Professor of Communications and Video at SOU and her mother, Michele, is a reading specialist at AMS), I check in with Yahoo news, CNN and The New York Times online, and also my government class — Mr. McKinnon keeps me posted.
DT: Even though it's still 20 months away, are there any presidential candidates impressing you? And how do you feel about being able to vote in this election?
Lila: I'm stoked! For voting that is, not so much for the candidates. I really like Dennis Kucinich, but he probably doesn't have a "snowball's chance in hell." Barack Obama is alright. I mean, he's clearly the best out of the viable options, but that being said, he's still a politician. He voted for the Patriot Act the last time around, which is a definite turn off for me. I think I'll have to go "Colbert in '08!" (Incidentally, her brother Luke is an intern on the Colbert Report.) I'm more excited to vote on ballot measures, senators, representatives, and local government.
DT: What do you see yourself doing ten years from now?
Lila: Either getting a Ph.D. in neuroscience, or being a politician, or a civil rights activist, or maybe a writer ...
DT: If you could wave a wand and change three things in the world, what would they be?
Lila: I'd end poverty, which includes giving everyone access to education, I'd end racial and gender inequality, and hmm . I'd either end capitalism — or the negative effects of it — or I'd have myself become one of the best female tennis players in the world and play mixed doubles with Roger Federer!
For more information on Net Aid's Global Citizen Corps, check out their website at www.netaid.org. If you're interested in donating money to the project for the school in Ecuador, please email Lila at fightpoverty@hotmail.com
Debi Smith is an Ashland based freelance writer. You may email her your comments or ideas for future profiles at debi@mind.net.
