like most ADBers i am hungry to go out and “do something” for the world…so, two months ago i decided that i wanted to work with president ellen johnson-sirleaf (aka. one of the smartest, most influential people alive) on re-creating the liberian healthcare infrastructure…i know, it sounds kind of crazy…but i was determined
i used my (not so) little black book to find a way to get in touch with the president, and over the past two months i have directly communicated with the office of the president of liberia (pretty cool right?)–but we have been going back and forth and the responses are a bit slow…but of course johnson-sirleaf and her staff are running a country (and doing a hell of a job of it), and victor is not a priority
most of my close friends know about my ‘dream job’ and have been trying help me figure out how to do this–Dr Marsha Lillie-Blanton (another really smart, and to-do person) offered me an invitation to an Africare gala in DC where the president would be honored…while i dont have a job, and the bank account is soon to be in the RED, i decided that a $40 round trip ticket on the Peter Pan bus would be worth the opportunity to meet the president or a staffer or a guard or SOMEONE that I could try to talk to…just to put a face to the emails they have been getting from me…so this past thursday i took all of the cash that i have (i lost my wallet 2 weeks ago and am still waiting for a replacement card)…and got on Peter Pan
…again, i don’t have a job, which means i dont have a business card…so i (hand)made 25 cards out of notecards…shady i know, but, you gotta do what you gotta do…
…so to make this already long story, only a little longer…i smooth talked my way in the VIP reception where the first lady, robert l. johnson, debra lee, jacques diouf, and michael eskew and president johnson-sirleaf were ‘thrown’ some back…and straight up chilln’…
…the president was outfitted with 8 secret service agents and one staffer…not easy to get to, i kind of hung around (alone…looking/feeling a bit like a pedophil) waiting for the perfect moment to pounce…
…i was freaking out, because suddenly i was feet from the president of liberia, someone that i had been reaching out to (with the help of a really great friend and their family) for two months…my dream was literally within reach…
…and this is what happened…
…what you do not see is when the secret service agent stands in front of me, physically blocking my access to the president and her staffer…
…i went all the way to DC…and i failed……did i really? i have lots of ideas of how else to get in touch with her…i could always email her office AGAIN…but i learned a lot…the most important of which was, with the help of a community you can do almost anything…while you are about to see me get rejected (it REALLY hurts everytime i watch this)…it was a rejection from the president of liberia!!
…i am feeling much hotter than i could have ever imagined…
