Chris Markl: Pedaling for the Millennium Development Goals
Chris Markl, a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Colorado in Bolder is organizing a bicycle ride across the entire continental United States to raise money and awareness for organizations that support the millennium Development Goals. Following is our interview with Chris.
What inspired you to create this ride?
One night I was thinking about the largest thing that I could do now to help people in the developing world and the idea of an insanely large bike ride developed. I asked my girlfriend Kelley and friend Eamon what they thought of the idea and they are amazing enough to believe in and help plan this ride. This event will show the world that a small group of young men and women have the ability to effectively tackle global poverty.
Why the name The Yes Ride?
We are asking people to say yes to humanity. We are asking people to say yes to the forgotten poor of the world. We are asking people to say yes to helping the over 1.1 billion people who live on less than one dollar a day. By supporting this event, children in Kenya will receive free secondary education; families in Russia, Rwanda, and Haiti will receive the same level of health care that is available in the first world; families in Sub Sahara Africa will receive income generating renewable assets such as animals and seedlings and because of this ride a vaccine will be found for malaria and AIDS, diseases that claim over 4 million lives each year.
What websites, magazines, books, etc. do you look to for inspiration?
Danpallotta.com, The End of Poverty by Jeffery Sachs, Robert Muller's daily emails. Most importantly I look for my every day surroundings for inspiration.
How has your advanced degree impacted your life?
One of the largest influences on my life was my undergraduate degree in philosophy. Studying philosophy forced me to reevaluate my entire belief system and it reminded me the importance of compassion, virtue, peace, humility, and justice.
What was your last book read?
Our Endangered Values: America's Moral Crisis by Jimmy Carter
Favorite music you've been listening to recently?
Rufus Wainwright, Aimee Mann, Indigo Girls, Jennifer Knapp, Nicole Nordeman.
Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
Teaching political science at a small college while working on policy in the developing world. Or working for cool organization like the Carter Center in Atlanta. Honestly there are so many amazing things to accomplish in this world, I have no idea where I will be led.
What one thing do you wish the whole world would know?
The importance of our actions is not defined by their magnitude. An individual who cheers for a rider on this event is just as influential as an individual who writes a 10,000 dollar check to our organization. Without both of these individuals this event would not be possible. My father always reminded me about the quote from mother Teresa that "We can't do great things, but only small things with great love." I hope we remember that even if we are not recognized by Time magazine, our actions are still truly remarkable.
(Interview by CThings Editor, Paul Horne)
1 Comments:
I applaud your idea, and wish you the best, I don't live on $1.00 a day, but towards the end of each month, I have very little money. We here in the USA living at the 150% below poverty level have some assistance, but they are being squeezed each year, making it harder and harder. I live with HIV and BiPolar.
I volunteer at an AIDS SERVIVE ORGANIZATION (ASO) that has gone from a Staff of 24 to 5, and many in this Country are being forced to slash their services, even close their doors.
I also volunteer with senior's and visit their homes, and witness first hand how poor they exist, yes they have roofs over their heads, yes they have meals, but they struggle. Not all seniors and people on disability have money, actually you can't or you lose your benefits, it's a system that keep you down, keeps you in poverty.
Your ride, the visions you have are wonderful, Here in the States we have many Charitable Organizations, we have many volunteers, but with the decision makers today, people aren't giving like they used to. I volunteer because I can't give money.
POVERTY is everywhere, I see homeless individuals and famlies all across our country. I read about it about it all over the World and again applaud your efforts in helping combat POVERTY.
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