Preventing Third World America Step 1: Share Your Story

Well, it's happening again -- we are failing to capture the turbulence of our times with narratives that allow the public, and force our leaders, to connect with the pain and suffering that should be fueling the fight to change direction while there's still time.

Indeed, the lack of urgency we are seeing in Washington -- and the lack of focus on real people -- is stunning considering that the consequences of our failed financial system are everywhere you look. Putting flesh and blood on the cold, hard statistics means putting the spotlight on the people whose lives were upended as a result of our out-of-control financial system. And by shining the spotlight on them, we may be able to turn things around.

The first step toward reclaiming America is to speak up. Send us your stories, and we'll pick some of the most powerful to feature prominently on HuffPost. (Here are some examples of stories submitted by readers that we spotlighted: Curt MacRae, Ian Felton, Greg Kaminski, Jim Laman, and Lesa Deason Crowe.)

Click "Participate" below and tell your story!

How have you been impacted by the financial crisis -- and how are you bouncing back? What are you doing to help prevent America from ever becoming a Third World nation?

SHARE YOUR STORY!

 

We want to hear how you and those you love have been affected, how you are recovering, and what you're doing to improve your own community -- and, by extension, the entire country. Let us know in writing or upload a video to YouTube and send us the link, and we will add your story to the map!

Pledge for the American Dream!

I pledge to spend at least 4 hours this month strengthening my community so America never becomes a Third World nation.

Pledge on Facebook or Twitter:

Comments

[unemploymentbk]

09:20 PM on 09/13/2010

I just heard Arianna on On Point Radio with Tom Ashbook tonight where she talked about 'sharing your story' here - and I was inspired to tell my story. While I have been unemployed since Nov. 2008, I have worked since the very first day when I got laid-off to help other people in the same situation. When I went to file for unemployme­nt the line was around the building already at 6am. Once I got inside several hours later, I was confronted with a mystifying bureaucrac­y. The counselors and caseworker­s there were caring, but overwhelme­d by the numbers of people that came to apply everyday - and tried to get folks in and out as quickly as possible - so they could help the most people. I left with more questions than I came with, and I had a pretty good grasp of what was going on, compared to many of the other folks there that day. I wanted to help, and I figured the best way that I could help was to start a website to help answers people's questions about navigating the very difficult unemployme­nt system - to get the help that they so desperatel­y need.

In the couple of years that I've been running http://une­mploymenth­andbook.co­m and answering people's unemployme­nt questions and helping people to cope with losing their job - I've been blown away by the stories people tell. Sometimes it just helps to stop and listen, and try to help wherever you can.

[persianadvocate]

09:03 PM on 09/07/2010

I pledge to rebuild the American Dream and prevent a Third World America. I didn't become a naturalize­d citizen of this country for anything less than the American dream! You will have to kill me before I let the dream die for others!

[dana94591]

01:05 PM on 09/05/2010

I live in a city and state that i could never have imagined in my life: Houston, TX. As a California native, I have not liked the south and its history has been very frightenin­g to me. As an African American woman, I am standing my ground and telling my story because I want people to reflect on their lives and really question what they believe!

[bzb]

01:33 AM on 09/05/2010

I have been knowing my neighbor since 1984 when he and his then girlfriend who would later become his wife moved in. Things were going good for them until 2007 when he lost his job caring for his ailing wife who died of cancer. They had three daughters one of whom just started college on a scholarshi­p at Cornell University with the other two still living at home. things have not been the same for him he lost over half of his 401(K), savings is gone and has been suffering from depression since his wife passed away. He's worked odd jobs to make ends meet and to keep his family together luckily his daughters are all straight A students in school. Recently when the Republican­s had blocked unemployme­nt insurance benefits and had two weeks left he asked me would I care for his daughters if they were to get evicted from their apartment and I told him unequivoca­lly that I would since they are practicall­y like my own daughters. His eldest daughter took a job this summer as a cashier at the local food market to help ends meet and I paid their rent for the entire summer in which I told him there was no need to pay me back as I did it from the heart. Luckily, the bill passed and he is still receiving his unemployme­nt insurance while looking and working odd jobs. I urge everyone to help someone during these hard times.

[Katzencats]

07:15 PM on 08/31/2010

I Pledge to help others as best I can. What affects one, affects all - however remotely. We are all in this together & need to be "neighbors­", no matter how distant.

[Joe Labey]

08:58 AM on 08/29/2010

Part of third world America is losing everything you have worked for. Me and my wife have been unemployed for going on tow years and are running out of 401K money and are staring forclosecl­osure in the face and will need a place to go. Faced with the prospect of running out of money with bills to pay is like going over a water fall out of control.

[JL-Sosa]

12:09 AM on 09/04/2010

Good luck Joe... I'm sorry to read this, it breaks my heart.

[talyn530]

12:55 PM on 08/26/2010

I pledge to rebuild the American Dream and prevent a Third World America.