Elena Hilton, RTV
‘Tis the season for commencement speeches!
Shonda Rhimes, creator of Grey’s Anatomy, Scandal and Private Practice, spoke at her alma mater Dartmouth College this past Sunday and she offered her thoughts on activism and making a difference.
“A hashtag is not a movement,” she said. “A hashtag does not change anything.”
Rhimes encouraged the recent grads to volunteer and go out and make an effort to actively change something.
In the past month, #YesAllWomen and #BringBackOurGirls were top trends on Twitter, and yes, they sparked conversation, but did it lead to any tangible change?
Rhimes did not sugarcoat it when she told all the new bright-eyed Dartmouth alums to be doers, not dreamers.
“Dreams do not come true just because you dream them. It’s hard work that makes things happen. It’s hard work that creates change,” Rhimes said. She was adamant that dreams are ultimately worthless unless you find ways to make them tangible.
Arguably the most successful woman in scripted television production told the crowd that talking about your hopes and dreams is nice and lovely, but it will always leave you empty-handed.
The universe will never just hand you something, you have to make the first move.
Rhimes said, “Find a cause you love and devote some time to it every week.”
So what can you do? If you’re passionate about a cause, find a candidate who supports what you do and volunteer for their campaign and vote for them. You can write to your representatives and senators in Congress and urge them to draft legislation on the issues important to you. Find an organization with the same goals as you and help them out either by fundraising or promoting their work.
And you know what the easiest way to actually do something that will create change? Voting!
There is real power in taking your future into your hands. The millennial generation is full of confident optimists and it’s time to take those good vibes and put them to work.
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