EightfoldStrategy, founded by Karen Saverino, includes branding, marketing and communication for non-profits, foundations and socially responsible businesses.

Karen Saverino and Arinderjit (AJ) Singh. I can thank AJ for introducing me to the beauty of the Sikhs.

I first attended a Sikh temple in Washington, D.C., a little over a year ago. I was planning a day of meditation and my friend suggested I attend the Sikh Sunday service. We went to the temple in Upper NW Washington D.C., near the National Cathedral. We arrived very early… maybe at 11 a.m. and the “official service” did not start until 1 p.m. We sat on the floor, he on the left side and I on the right side, as is the tradition, listening to the music and chanting for a few hours and then we stayed through the two-hour service. For the most part, I had no idea what was being said. And it did not matter. There was not a single non-Sikh in the place except for me, and I have never felt more welcomed.

The women sitting next to me coached me on how to receive the sweet bread that was passed around by the men carrying big silver pails of the sweet, buttery circles that serve as a “communion” of sorts and symbolize nourishment from God. When the service ended, the priest thanked me for coming in front of the room of 300-plus people and commented that he was impressed I could sit in a lotus position for four hours. (Embarrassing!) On the way to the dining hall, the questions started coming my way: “Why are you here?” “What are you looking for?” “Can we help you?” “How do you feel?” “Do you have any questions?”   I had so many questions I did not know where to start and before I could really begin, my attention was drawn to the aroma coming from the kitchen and after all that sitting I was hungry. Here  we sat together on the floor, were handed a napkin, a cup and a plate.  One after another the members of the congregation walked around serving rice, dal, naan, the most amazing chickpeas ever and a variety of other traditional Punjabi food. This fueled my body and my spirit, as I learned that no one goes home hungry from the house of God, and that if anyone ever knocked on the temple door with a need for food, money or counseling, they would be welcomed in.

Over the course of the next several months, I began to understand why I value the Sikhs so much. For one, they took away the caste system, gave everyone the same last name (“Singh” for the men, meaning Lion and “Kaur” for the women, meaning Lioness) and determined that everyone is equal in God’s eyes. They also believe in a Universal God or “Ek Onkar” meaning there is only 1 God  whom we can all share despite our different traditions, ethnicities and beliefs. Women are highly respected in the Sikh culture, which is not always the case in India, so they earned many points on that note. They are vegetarian, believe in working hard and in giving back and they are fierce advocates for social justice. If you know me, you know why this religion resonates with me.

So when I heard about the shooting in Wisconsin, I was heartbroken for my Sikh community of friends. I can imagine the women in the kitchen preparing the “lengar” of rice and lentils and the children running around playing while people streamed in to meditate prior to the service and to sit together as one. It could have happened at the community I attend and frankly, it could have been me.

I offered my services to several Sikh organizations when I heard the news. I learned I was one of as many as 200 non-Sikh people who offered their services. My only real contribution was attending a candlelight vigil at  the Guru Nanak Foundation in Silver Spring, MD (Nanak is the man! The first Guru and founder of the Sikhs). As I walked up the driveway, I was greeted again so warmly with a hug from the priest. It meant so much to have people of other faiths come out to support them at this tragic time, she said. I was overwhelmed by the remarks made, one after another by elected officials,  and leaders from the Muslim and Hindu communities.

But the one who brought the temple to tears was the six-foot-plus all American male chief of police who took to the altar with his gun in his holster and without any scripting, told the Sikhs that any crime against them is a crime against every member of a minority community and any crime against any minority community is a crime against our country.  It is not what our nation is about and it is not what the D.C. Metro area is about. And while the shooting is a horrible tragedy it also offered us all the opportunity to stand behind the Sikhs and everyone in this country who faces discrimination or pure hate because of their skin tone, last name or religion. “We will stand behind you through this, and if need be, we will stand in front of you to protect you from hate,” he said, as the tissues came out of purses.

I feel so fortunate to live in a diverse community, to have friends and colleagues of all races and ethnicities, and  from many religious and political beliefs. For me, it makes my world far more interesting and full. I cannot imagine having such hate in my heart, but I also understand that hatred stems from fear. So I am now on a personal mission to better understand other religions and to see how their belief systems intersect with mine, and to represent my own race and ethnicity and make sure that as our country’s diversity continues to grow that people know that most of us are pretty loving and wonderful people who we will not stand for hate. Won’t you join me?

Special thanks to AJ for reviewing cultural accuracy—

Peace be with you all,

Karen

I recall the excitement of preparing for the launch party at The St. Regis this time two years ago. I wanted to keep it a little low key this year and plan a summer client get together at our new offices. So I took myself to the lounge at The St. Regis for a champagne toast and a little reminiscing about how things have shaped up over the past two years. I am thankful for outstanding clients, generous referrals and for a host of colleagues who help bring Eightfold Strategy clients the services of a full-service agency with our special boutique touch.  I am looking ahead to a fantastic year and returning to the St. Regis for an official 3-year celebration.

I’m out in Arizona attending a workshop and I was struck by how geography makes a difference in green values. A few weeks ago I was out in Portland, Oregon  and  in my hotel there were signs about recycling and re-using towels, ceramic coffee cups and local/organic food in the restaurant. In Tucson where I am staying there is a tiny little paper bag that sits next to the waste can and encourages you to recycle. There  is a stack of paper coffee cups and petroleum-based spoons and stirrers and no signs about reusing towels.  One uplifting sight was a waste container outside a little local grocery store called AJ’s. There were no recycling bins however people had carefully lined the entire edge of the can with their empty plastic and glass bottles. So here you have a case of consumes who want to recycle and don’t have many convenient options.  I wonder what happened to those bottles at the end of the day?

To me this put into plain view the findings of a webinar I attended recently.  It was called “Intelligent Insights: The Latest Market Research on Green Attitudes and Behaviors.” This was a deeply enlightening session about green, eco-friendly values.  A few things I picked up:

• It is fairly common knowledge as to what materials are recyclable: paper, plastic, aluminum, and glass. However, there are an array of other materials that can also be recycled, which many people are not aware of. Batteries, ink cartridges, computers, and cell phones can also be recycled. These items are known as “e-waste” and it’s the fastest growing source of waste in the country. I myself have two old IPods and a cell phone that I need to dispose of properly.
• I also found it very interesting that recycling laws are not under federal jurisdiction. State and local governments regulate all laws and guidelines pertaining to recycling. Should there be a federal law?
• I learned that plastic bags make up the highest percentage of ocean waste, and take 1,000 years to decompose. Many plastic shopping bags are printed with “Please Reuse,” or a recycling symbol. But, in reality, only 5% of plastic shopping bags are actually reused. San Francisco has made great strides to help eliminate this problem by banning plastic bags, and by only offering paper bags.
• The presenter placed our population into four different categories:
  • Green to the Core (24%), Conveniently Green (29%), Conflicting Priorities (25%), and Disinterested (9%). Those who are described as being Green to the Core always do green actions, and have many reasons for doing so. The lifestyles led and purchases made are affected by their impact on the environment. These individuals also feel that the government is most responsible for our polluted environment.
  • People who are Conveniently Green almost always take green actions. These individuals live somewhat green lifestyles, and the impact on the environment somewhat affects the person’s purchases. This group of people is most likely to find the population responsible for pollution due to a lack of motivation.
  • If you are categorized as having Conflicting Priorities, you only sometimes abide by green actions. These individuals tend to have been hit hard by the economy, and green purchases and lifestyles do not take top priority. They also blame the poor economy for holding us back from a variety of green improvements.
  • Finally, if someone is Disinterested, they rarely take green actions. Green concerns have little to no effect on lifestyles and purchases.

I’d like to think I’m green to the core. I have a small apartment and work from home. I recycle.  And all of my office paper products are made from recycled materials. I print on two sides of the paper and walk to see clients when I can.  I am mostly vegetarian. I have a car—obviously a big offender—but I rarely drive. But I still could do better. I could be looking at eco-friendly products and make some choices that won’t hurt my budget too much.  I could give up the car and use Flex Car, as many of my friends do.  I also travel by plane quite a bit and while I was in the practice of buying carbon offsets, I seem to have forgotten that practice when the economy tanked. And very occasionally I run into a store without a re-usable bag of my own, however that is something I am going to change right away. Our oceans are too precious to me. This session was a good reminder to take a look at more of my actions and to try to become “greener.” It’s the right thing to do for the earth, for my own health and for future generations.

Which category do you fall under?

With green regards,

Karen

Last night following a very calming session with my meditation group, I met another social justice advocate for some conversation. He asked me how I stay optimistic when the issues I work on continue to lose funding and political support swings from one direction to the other depending on whose running the country. The truth is I don’t know how I stay optimistic: it is just what I have to do to continue fighting for people who have less opportunity than I have enjoyed throughout my life.

I am human and I had spent the weekend stewing about  a young women I have come to know over the past few months. She is a shining example of how life does get better. A survivor of domestic violence and a single mother of two, she has earned a college degree and is studying for her master’s degree in social work.  She is amazingly mature for her young age and she even gave me advice that I have kept close to my heart, and I am 20-plus years older than she.  I am sorry that she’s been dealt a bad hand and was forced to move out of her home into a room with her two children. But I am optimistic she will make it, and so is she.

Please read Lisette’s story:

Last year I turned down a job that offered to pay me very well. I thought to myself, I don’t want to forget I am in this business to help people. Three months ago, I got the slap in the face, and there was no one to help me.

It’s rather funny actually. My welcome to the real world wasn’t as warm and inviting as I would have hoped.  As a young mother, I promised myself I would work so hard not only to make my children proud, but to not depend of public assistance and not be part of those statistics that teen parents are known for. But I needed help to get on my feet and take off to change the world! Was there help? For a little bit. Has the system failed me? Yes. It has, in a rather cruel, strange way.

When I finished school I was able to get a great job and move out on my own. No rental assistance, no utility assistance, no food stamps. Yay! I had broken the mold. Then there was daycare. I tried everything to get my kids to an affordable child care, but being that we were on our own, things were a bit expensive and I needed some help. I thought I would walk myself to the social services office (at 22 years old, my daughter being 7 and my son 5) and finally ask for some aid.  My big reality: “No Ms. Orellana, you don’t qualify for anything. Sorry.” So as was expected I made changes and paid for everything. Sure no fancy movie nights, no big trips with the kids, but hey it was worth it.

The only program we were eligible for was Social Security benefits. And that was for Jeremy only because of his health condition. I then discovered that through Social Security he qualified for daycare assistance. Another big yay! Now I could get Jeremy in a structured licensed facility.  For the next two years that was my only big help. Until three months ago…when my nightmare started and I began to feel like a criminal who was milking “the system.”

I got a letter in the mail stating that I was to pay back all the assistance given to my child within the next 30 days. I tried to appeal it, and their answer “Sorry ma’am. It’s not the government’s job to support your child. Ask their father to step in. You have the resources to make it”

Without going to details of the drama I have been through, and the humiliations from different offices, I can say I’m confused. All I can think of is how my only crime has been to ask for daycare help, and because my son–who has a documented disability– can’t get assistance I have had to give up so much and my life is in shambles. That future I had been working so hard to make stable is all of the sudden shaken. I was not ready. There was no warning, and now I realize how cruel the real world can be with single parents who are treated as if they want things catered to them. I’m speechless.  Do I think it’s a stereotype of single mothers? Maybe. Is it because I have a “good job” and don’t get child support? Could be. Do I understand the economy? You bet I do. Bottom line is this young, single mother of two is moving out of her house this weekend, and has to move in (temporarily) to a room, and after that, we’ll I don’t know. But help is only given to those who “are in worst positions than you ma’am.”  Learning experience? I believe so. Wish me luck; this will be one interesting trip.

The one word I’m living by is “faith.” Things will work out, and I feel so lucky to have the knowledge I have now. But I still can’t help but wonder: “If I were a high school dropout, with no job, then would I get help?” For some reason, the answer I suspect to that question seems disturbing.”