Inspiration from pioneers in change

I love those success stories that are obvious to us, but when they began they were far from it.  I keep my eyes opened for stories of people who change their environment, change perspective, or create new opportunity where there was none.

A few weeks ago someone sent me a video on youtube of a young woman in Detroit that is making a big difference.  Born to drug addicted parents, she was afforded an opportunity to go to art school after she graduated high school.  While in art school she was given a assignment to design something that would benefit society, would have social good.   Its a broad topic…. she headed to the homeless shelter to begin a dialog with the residents on what they need.  Detroit also gets brutal winters, and one of the things the homeless expressed need for is a good coat.  She began prototypes of coats, returning to the shelters to test them out, give the coats out.  She soon became known as the crazy coat lady.  But one day the spark hit the flame.  A woman came out of the homeless shelter yelling at her, indicating the greater need is a job.

Today this woman employes 20 formerly homeless women to make the coats that she proposed in her project.  One art project became her purpose… advocate, and employer.  Here is the video in her words:

She is one of my heros.  I love her story, and i love that she has seen the greater good to her own community, and the inspiration to the world.