TODAY'S TURN: Turn Strangers Into Neighbors

THE ISSUE:
People with just two hands, a thin wallet and arms tired from being pulled in several directions (like myself) can feel helpless in the face of enormous issues. That's why this site exists.

And there's probably no bigger issue than the tens of millions living in makeshift slum communities around the world. That's pretty intimidating for one person to take on.

THE GOOD TURN:
Thankfully, I know someone who's doing just that. His book, Dispossessed: Life in Our World's Urban Slums, is an eye-opening read.

This blog thrives on the idea that small actions and everyday decisions add up to something special. We can do what we can control. But urban slum communities are a bit more to wrap your (tired) arms around than buying fair trade shoes. What can you possibly do?

You can start by simply learning about the people and their reality. This book will introduce you.

The author does a thoughtful job of bringing a human face to displaced "squatter" communities in Manila, Nairobi, Mexico City, Bangkok, and Cairo. He seeks neither pity nor sainthood for the people he profiles. Simply understanding. As you read about their everyday lives and the issues they face, you'll learn that people in these communities are no more noble, shiftless, generous or cruel than anyone else. They're simply people like ourselves doing the best they can with what they have to make a better life for their families.

After reading this book, the world will seem a little smaller and its people a little closer. Seems like a good start.

(You might notice that the author's name - Mark Kramer - is very close to mine. It's because he's my brother. And I coudn't be prouder of the little nose-picker. He's one of the world's truly good guys.)

Click here to do this Good Turn:
Download and read Chapter 2 of Dispossessed (pdf).
Read more about the book.
Order the book today.