I called the operator to ask for the address to the White House. She was blatantly suspicious of me, but after I told her I was writing the president a letter, she did give me the address. I printed off a draft and had my mom review it. She said that it was too long and did not have much hope that such a busy man would read the letter. Discouraged, I said I wouldn't send the letter.
Surreptitiously, my grandfather intercepted the letter and mailed it off. A little while later, as I was in a bowling lesson, a family member showed up at the bowling ally with a letter from the White House. President Clinton had written back!
Granted, it was most likely a form letter, but was tailored pretty well for my letter. In response to my invitation to a spaghetti dinner with my family, President Clinton nicely declined, with something like: "At this time, I am very busy."
Who knew that over 15 years later, I would be mentioned--by name--by President Clinton at the Opening Plenary to the 3rd annual meeting of the Clinton Global Initiative University? I am still scouring the web to find a recording, if only to confirm what my ears heard. It was something to the affect of:
"How about the question of, how do we reduce carbon emissions in congested urban centers? Just ask Mary Jean O'Malley and Zoee Turrill..."
and went on to describe our 2009 CGI U Commitment to bring bike sharing to the University of Denver (the city-wide system is launching Earth Week 2010 in Denver!).
Zoee and I were invited back to CGI U 2010 as a featured commitment in an environmental session, as well as to serve as topic leaders on Bikes and Transportation and table facilitators in both environment and climate change working sessions. We also were asked to participate in "CGI U Stories," a video project about student commitments.
We had know idea, however, that President Clinton himself would mention our project. Zoee was not in the audience as she was still en route to the university from the Miami airport. I sat with John, an executive from GlobalGiving.org I met outside of the Westin Hotel. We discussed the bike project and a major project he works with (Pepsi Refresh...you may have heard of it) on the bus ride to the campus and ended up being good company for many of the plenary sessions throughout the weekend. He also helped verify what I thought I heard from President Clinton during his opening remarks.
In describing that moment during the CGI U Stories interview, I said, "I was floored...I was shocked and completely honored."
I wish I had been more articulate, but that is literally the least of the feelings still swirling in my head about this weekend.
Zoee and I were presented on stage during a working session by Philippe Cousteau, grandson of marine biologist and environmental activist Jacques Cousteau (Philippe is taking on the legacy quite well). We also made connections with a blogger in San Francisco interested in the Denver bike system, a contact in New Orleans who wants some guidance in starting a similar system in her city, and many other fantastic change-makers from around the world.
To boot -- as topic leaders, we took a small-group picture with President Clinton. There were between 20 and 30 of us, and he took the time to shake everyone's hands and even tell us the story behind the bracelet he is always wearing. In that process, I also delivered him some special documents:
"Thank you, President Clinton. I am a Teach for America Teacher and my students in Tulsa sent you some letters. We hope you can read them."
"Thank you! I look forward to reading them,"
It all comes back to words, and letters, and connections. Life trajectories depend on them. What if I never thought I could communicate with a president? What if my grandfather never sent the letter?
I hope that President Clinton does the same for my students as he did for me: gave me the feeling that anything is possible, as long as you take the time to see it through. Even if you can't, connecting with someone who can and will is important.
Literally, it's that work and those connections that have sent me to multiple countries, connected me with amazing individuals and that will see the bike system dream as a reality.
What can I do with all that I have received? Pass it on. It's time for my students to start seeing the impossible as possible and find their life trajectories taking them to amazing places.
They deserve it.
~MJ
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