I'm leaving...

On October 16th I'll make the big break with life as I currently know it and move on to new adventures. Where will I go? What will I do? The short answer is this: I'm starting a new career doing environmental activism and social justice work. And that means this web-site will disappear. But of course there is more to the story.

Where am I off to?

When I first leave the lovely shores of Lake Michigan, I'll be headed to Missouri of all places for a three month stint. There I will be joining friends who are undertaking the exciting (and formidable) task of founding a village which will be a demonstration site for ecological living. They have a lovely web-site full of details and pictures and updates of their project, and I recommend that you take a look at it for find our more information. I'll be involved in a great variety of projects while working there, from meeting with visitors and giving tours to helping put finishing touches on the two small homes they just built.

I'll also be involved with doing development work with the Fellowship for Intentional Community, which has its main offices nearby. I've a strong interest in improving my not-for-profit development skills as I expect to use them a lot in the course of my life. I think many people involved in social justice work feel uneasy about doing fund-raising. Personally, I see it as an essential part of not only running organizations, but building connections and legitimizing work that might otherwise be considered a "fringe" concern.

After my three months there, I will return to Evanston and pursue several irons I have in the fire. Time will tell exactly what will happen at that point. My beloved partner, Lauren, will remain in Evanston while I am gone to continue pursuing certification at the Chicago School of Massage Therapy.

Why, pray tell, am I doing this?

Basically, it comes down to this: I believe it is a moral imperative for me to live my life in a way to make it more in synch with my beliefs and convictions. One aspect of this is to create a life for myself that causes much less damage to the environment. Another is to explore and experiment with new ways for people to achieve a high standard of living without furthering the environmental degradation that is currently necessary to maintain the average American lifestyle.

I am motivated to a large degree by the awareness of how precious and glorious our time in this world is. My father died, years ago, quite suddenly at the age of 47. While I myself intend to live a long life, it's a matter I know I have minimal control over. I see no point in delaying work that I want to do and could be doing now.

I am very thankful for having the numerous privileges that I was born into as a middle-class citizen of the USA. I feel it would be a waste, given the bounty and privilege of education and economic stability with which I have been blessed, not to use it for a higher purpose. I also consider myself a committed patriot to the ideals of the USA. However, I feel that we are a long, long way from achieving those ideals, and I am committed to the goal of eradicating the atrocities that are currently part of our nation's work (For example, federal funding for the School of the Americas which is, among other things, a training ground for counterinsurgency forces of Latin America).

And so...

I am hereby embarking on a life-path that will allow me to do the work that I feel is my calling in life. When I first graduated from college, it was my intention to get a PhD and become a professor of Sociology. I have no doubt that I could have accomplished this in good time and made a good life from it. However, I feel there are enough other people who can do this work, while there are not enough people doing the work I now embark on. It has been a difficult decision to leave that much more respected and lauded life course, and sadly I still expect some people to see this move as a waste of my talents and skills. C'est la Vie.

I am very excited about where I am headed and what adventures my future may hold. I hope for strength and perserverence in any difficulties I may face. If anyone has any concerns or questions about all of this, I would be happy to discuss it. Since my NU email account will be disappearing, please use the following for all future correspondance: jacob@ic.org.

Best of luck and goodwill to you,

Jacob Stevens
-- September 1998