(Causecast Vice President Levi Felix is still on the road with Invisible Children's Rescue Riders. This is his second dispatch from the road. Don't know the whole story? Check out Invisible Children's The Rescue on Causecast)
My pocket vibrates...
#therescue isn't on the trend topics anymore. Tweet up
I wake up at 4:42 a.m. and find myself somewhere in Missouri. I'm tired. It's been 5 days. Balancing office work, protest, outreach, health and coalition building can get tiring especially when your sitting on the floor between isles of sleeping roadies. It's like being a camp counselor and executive all at once, combining minimal showers, conference calls, e-mails and announcements.
But this is necessary. When your goal in life is to help others change the world, there is a point when you must take it into your own hands and join the movement. You can't sleep through a revolution, especially when we've got the digital on our side.
Its 5 a.m. The bus driver needs a break and it's about time we get out to stretch our legs. We know the routine. One by one, the sleepy eyes open and make their way off the bus; iPhone, Sigg, and toothbrush in hand, our voices are finally silent but we definitely stay loud and clear--we must be heard.
#therescue isn't over its only just begun
I couldn't stop dreaming about #therescue last night
#therescue taught me how to spell Wichita
#rescueriders are on our way to #therescue chicago - we are not giving up
I retweet, brush my teeth, and get back on the bus.
Our crew has grown from 30 to 45 Rescue Riders over the past four days. From Los Angeles to San Francisco, Frisco to Vegas, and now Vegas to Chicago-- together we ride. As we pick up activists and revolutionary-minded millennials, musicians, students and even recently laid-off hard workers--we see our vision solidify as an issue that has been long ignored is finally coming to the forefront. Our once birthed bus from LA now consists of enthusiastic modern day freedom fighters from around the country and with each stop--we seem to have new additions to the mix.
last tweet for a while-'injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere' MLK #therescue
Standing on the shoulders of the great leaders before us, we ride because power lies in numbers and strength builds with solidarity. It's working. With each city awareness is building, the press is paying attention, and more moguls are coming out to use their voice for good. Common folk who last week would have thought the LRA was a sports league and Joseph Kony a well known MVP, are now discussing global politics and what needs to be done to turn things around over coffee or lunch breaks. As we walked through a rest stop last night, folks recognized our Rescue Rider shirts and asked, "Where next? Thank you! Good luck and don't give up! We need your generation to change the world!" Having successfully collaborated to bring out Willie Brown in San Francisco, and Harry Reid (through an official written statement) and Mel B in Vegas, we are off to meet the other buses and caravans of Rescue Riders to free Chicago.
@CBS2chicago abductess will not give up until @Oprah comes to #therescue of Joseph Kony's child soldiers
@theEllenShow You want to cover this story: 100's of volunteers have been in Chicago for 5 days to end the war in Uganda
@michaelphelps do you have any connections in chi - help invisible children #the rescue
The messages build while most wouldn't have expected it to take over Twitter for almost five days when such topics as the swine flu, Wolverine or American idol permeate the news. But CNN is following us and senators are showing their support. Coalitions are building, a family is forming and we won't give up until we know things will change.
The bar has been raised and, with one city remaining, we're holding out for a mogul who will confirm our cries. The children of Uganda and Congo need us; distance does not justify disinterest. We must invest in our global youth so we'll never seize this lobby for change.
@oprah @joebiden @barackobama come to #therescue of the thousands of child soldiers
100 days of @Barackobama presidency. 100 cities of #therescue down to 1. 100 hrs they've waited in Chicago... Your move Mr. President
Les Miserables blares from the sound system as the microphone is held up to a beaten iPhone. We board the bus and edge closer to change, 3g is down but we mobilize as one. The sun, it rises and the wheels begin to turn yet again.
#therescue is back to trending
We breathe- A sense of momentary relief fills the hearts of our Rescue Riders and those fighting for freedom today and every day past.
Chicago see you soon!! Come to #therescue of Joseph Kony's child soldiers because together we are free' Please retweet!
Peace and freedom,
Levi
Written with my thumbs, through the edge, on my iPhone.
Follow @levifelix and @Causecast on Twitter.