The following poem was created by poet, creative writer, and University of Indianapolis professor Kevin McKelvey. McKelvey created this collaborative poem using keywords and questions gathered from IPA members by Indiana Humanities and Big Car Collaborative at IPA's 2018 conference, Inspiring Excellence in Philanthropy, held June 7-8 in Indianapolis.
This video features poet Kevin McKelvey, as well as Samantha Alarie-Leca of the West Foundation, Erica Fizer of Legacy Foundation, and Clayton Boyles of Dubois County Community Foundation.
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Indiana Philanthropy
Philanthropy
a love of people
of humans
being and staving off
entropy
Inspire
Find kindness.
Find nature.
Find art, words, music.
Find creative and courageous people.
Find beer and a summer breeze.
Turn ideas into words.
Listen to kids. Give them a seat
at the table. Feed them
food and knowledge and empathy.
Let their ideas sustain you
and become the bell you listen for.
Connect
Wave to your neighbors.
More than a nod,
more than two fingers raised from the steering wheel.
Say hi.
Stop in the middle of the road if you have to
and make yourself vulnerable.
Talk like neighbors
to find common ground.
*
Go out and meet them where they are.
Important work, new work is hard.
Be open, reach out.
Make it new.
Don’t give up.
Just ask them!
Give
Give empathy
Give encouragement
Give voice
Give by asking
Give by example
Give by listening
*
The best gift:
my children
acceptance
a free education
unconditional love
encouragement
self-expression.
The best gift.
*
I give to encourage
I give because it’s needed
I give to create a better world
I give to experience happiness in others
I give because that’s the way I was raised
I give to help our fellow man
I give because I have much more than I need
Lead
I want to make things happen,
not sit on the sidelines.
I am a visioneer.
Get things done right
and right now.
Preserve our future,
a future of equality.
Give back to the community that raised me.
Give others the opportunities I did not receive as a child.
*
Difference-makers
Difference-acceptors
Change-creators
Future-makers
Failure-learners
Passion-followers
Results-makers
Challenge-acceptors
Storytellers
Doer-talkers
Learn
Let our hands learn sign language.
Let our brocas learn to move our tongues and lips
in the Spanish of Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador.
Let our hands learn new motions
to make macaroons, to surf a wave,
to knit a cable row, to can green beans.
Transform
A chrysalis is found
under a leaf or on a branch,
a space in which to grow
that everything respects.
Inclusive of larvae,
Nurturing butterflies.
*
Start small and don’t give up.
Take risks. Get involved.
Take action. Just do it.
Transform yourself.
Change starts at home.
Allow new ideas to form.
Spend more time with youth.
Catalyze
Catalyze means to speed up
or to start something
and comes from the Greek word
for loosen or dissolve.
How do we dissolve disrespect and inequality?
How do we dissolve unfair situations?
Maybe the best way to speed things up
is to loosen opportunity
and happiness and agency.
Give hard workers the capacity to keep up.
Loosen the convenings.
Loosen the ways that needs can be met.
Loosen experience and what others experiences can be.
The great stories will then be even more compelling.
Innovate
Innovation starts with failing,
a failure we can only laugh at,
laughter that gives us
courage for new ideas
and frees us to start over again.
*
Talk Sustained Try
Now Tomorrow Now
You Our future Everyone
Because It’s crucial Because the alternative is going backward
Challenge
How can we be more humble?
Who can we love more?
When will economic mobility return?
Where can I get to know you?
Why do you have a personal agenda?
What have you thought of outside your box?
How can we be more progressive?
*
Recipe for overcoming a challenge
People, as many as you can include
One vision (formed from everyone’s ideas and creativity; add water and coffee,
sometimes wine)
Data, when you need to know what you don’t know
Equal parts patience and persistence
Equal parts tools and passion
Mix with determination in a transparent bowl
Energize
Energy is good stories
Energy is a gathering space
Energy is fun
Energy is excitement
Energy is synergy
*
Think of everyone you know
as a particle of energy
connected by the center of your town.
These particle-friends can bypass any barrier
and connect their energy with anyone.
Each connection becomes stronger
with more connections and turns into a story.
Creating energy for art, leaders, places,
celebrations for big and small victories.
Soon, your whole town is full of stories,
aware and buzzing.