Written by Adam Vogal, CNV Action Organizer who is currently planning a march in and around Portland, Oregon for the CNV Actions September 20-27, 2015.
I love baking my great grandma’s banana bread recipe. I have learned that by adding the exact amount of organic ingredients and letting them bake for the proper amount of time, I will get to savor and share a wonderful loaf of perfect banana bread. Many people over the years have told me that my family’s recipe for banana bread is the best they have ever had in their lives. Having eaten countless loafs myself, I agree with them. When I make banana bread, I know that I am bringing something into this world that is tried and true and of immense value because my family’s recipe for banana bread greatness is always unfailing.
For me, creating a march for Campaign Nonviolence that encourages positive social change is like making a perfect loaf of banana bread. Like the perfect loaf, there is also a tried and true and unfailing recipe for doing the things necessary to bring equality, love, peace, and joy to our world. Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr., not to mention countless other inspirational leaders, have devoted their lives to perfecting the recipe for helping to create positive social change. Their recipe is called nonviolent action. It is strategic and loving, powerful, but never harming, and always accessible to anyone willing to use it. Most importantly, the result of nonviolence is that it always works.
To be successful in creating positive change, all we have to do is follow the recipe of nonviolence that has been handed down from these amazing leaders. For me, the first part of organizing the nonviolent march recipe means contacting everyone I can to get buy in. I know intuitively that everyone wants a better world so I just have to let them know that we are doing something to work towards that end. Many people are willing to spend time helping to create a better world, but first I have to find them and then bring them all together.
The second part of the recipe is creating connections between the various groups of people. Life is all about connections with others, right? Everyone wants a better life and I intend on bringing people together so that they can have the life that we all deserve. Between now and June, my goal is to call on 200 organizations to see if they would be willing to help me help them. By August I will have contacted at least 100 more. That is less than 10 personal calls a day to help turn the world toward unfailing greatness.
I have no doubt that all of our events this September will all be successful. Honestly, if only one heart is made more joyful or one person feels more connected to their community we will have succeeded in doing the only thing in this life that really matters; helping others. To that end, I leave you with something that will make your day better!
My Family Banana Bread Recipe
1 ¾ cups Namaste gluten free organic perfect blend flour
1 ½ cups organic cane sugar
1 tsp baking soda (aluminum free)
½ tsp salt
2 eggs
1 tsp organic vanilla (non-organic can be made from beaver)
¼ cup buttermilk
½ cup coconut oil, melted
2 large brown bananas (the more brown the better)
Mix all ingredients together well. Bake at 325° for 1hr 20min in a buttered (so the bread won’t stick) loaf pan. Poke with toothpick and if it comes out clean the bread is ready. Let sit 10 minutes and enjoy.