"Education itself gives kids a chance for a better life. as a state, we can't deny that"
Retirement is a time for many to enjoy all the fruit’s of one’s labor. A time to reflect and spend time with family. For John, it’s a time to mobilize and get his community involved in the fight for education equity. During his years in the workforce, the harsh reality of job security being manipulated by large corporations was something he experienced firsthand. In spite of excelling in his career in medical tech, John and many of his peers would face layoffs used to excel corporate greed and leave working families without means to provide for their families.
This change in stability encouraged his decision to move to Pennsylvania from California, where he has been a resident since 1994. With adult children out of the house, John enjoys the luxury of time; to plan, strategize and align his community with one of its largest issues; education equity. John’s collegiate education was paid largely thanks to his father’s GI bill benefits, after serving in World War 2. Those benefits not only paid for his education, but allowed him to grow up in his family home; a blessing he fears is unattainable for his nieces and nephews. The growing desire for systemic change in education also grew from John’s siblings, whom many were teachers.
Forging community with those in the faith was the first step, as learning about other’s background helped him better understand himself and his own self-interest. “While praying regularly at my synagogue, and working towards justice, we would host food drives and school supply drives to help kids who would walk into school unprepared, with nothing.This work helped me find people like myself, of different backgrounds working towards the same goals.”
John’s story reminds us that faith and action coexists and work together for the common good; loving our neighbor.
