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AGENTS OF CHANGE

Beatriz Mendoza
Senior Capstone
Division of Humanities and Communication
Fall 2008
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AGENTS OF CHANGE

Fig. 1 Fairey, Shepard. HOPE. Artists for Obama.

< http://obeygiant.com>

Beatriz Mendoza

Senior Capstone

History, Oral History and New Media & Writing and Rhetoric

Professor Cecilia O’leary

Division of Humanities and Communication

Fall 2008
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Dedication

I would like to dedicate this Capstone to my daughter, Suni. You just turned two,
and I am in awe of you intelligence and your love of life. I even love how you turn
off my computer when you think I’m not looking. Thank you for your patience.
Thank you for the late night hugs and thank you for helping me smile everyday.

Shawn, I love you. This is as much yours as it is mine. I am forever grateful for your
patience, love, and consideration.

Cecilia and Josina, you two are inspirations to me. You have given me the strength to
believe in myself, and for that I cannot thank you enough.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Dedication________________________________________________________________
Agents of Change__________________________________________________________
Appendecies____________________________________________________________20
Appendix A: Literature Review_______________________________________21
Appendix B: Interdisciplinary Essay___________________________________23
Appendix C: Annotated Bibliography__________________________________26
Appendix D: E - Poster______________________________________________35
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INTRODUCTION

Barack Obama will be the first African-American

President of the United States of America. He will

be sworn in on January 20, 2009, and the world

waits with anticipation. As President he will be able

to make changes that will restore hope in the

American dream, and make it an American reality. I

will address the following question: How do

Barack Obama’s characteristics mirror other agents

of social change in his fight for social equality?

Fig. 1 Fairey, Shepard. Change. Artists for Obama. This is important because we are living in an
<http://store.barackobama.com/Artists_for_Obama_s/1
018.htm>
age of self-interest and individual responsibility

that creates divisiveness, inequalities, and harbors resentments that ultimately

undermine our quality of life. Obama, like Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King, Jr.,

Cesar Chavez, the Dalai Lama, and Mahatma Gandhi all share the following

characteristics: Optimism, Passion, Courage, Fair-Mindedness, and Moral Courage.

The scholar, George Lakoff wrote, “The true power of the speech is that it does what it

says. It not only talks about empathy, it creates it.”1 I will use Obama’s speech, “A More

Perfect Union,”2 as a case study to show these relationships.

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CHARECTORISTICS

The President – The Optimist

Obama’s election has been dubbed

a “Mandela Moment.”3 People around the

world celebrated his triumph, as they did

Mandela’s victory in 1994. Obama and

Mandela have become representatives of

change, and hold within them a strong

stance on Optimism. Mandela,

understanding the problems Obama will Fig 1. Dickenson, Sue. Nelson Mandela. Everard Read
Gallery. Johannesburg, South Africa. 15 Dec. 2008
<http://www.suedickinson.co.za/demos/mandela_last.jpg>
face as President sent him a congratulatory

letter on November 5th, 2008 that was published in the New York Times, “Your

victory has demonstrated that no person anywhere in the world should not dare to

dream of wanting to change the world for a better place.”4 Mandela is an agent for

social change because he has a belief that change can happen, and Obama has

become the most current image of change in the 21st century. So after hundreds of

years of racial division in America, Obama, against all odds, was still able to achieve

the most prestigious office in America.

Nelson Mandela, as the first black president of South Africa is regarded as

one of the great moral political figures of our time. He personifies how moral

character can be used to transform a nation in peril into a socially conscious,

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involved society. Obama has shown his optimism by acknowledging that he does

believe and has hope we will one day come together, united, as different as we may

think we are to create a better society. The following is an excerpt from Obama’s ‘A

More Perfect Union’ Speech:

But I have asserted a firm conviction - a conviction rooted in my faith in God

and my faith in the American people - that working together we can move
beyond some of our old racial wounds, and that in fact we have no choice if
we are to continue on the path of a more perfect union.

Both Obama and Mandela have united a country, and have inspired them to work

together to move beyond their differences by understanding their similarities.

The Orator – Passion

Obama, like Reverend Martin

Luther King Jr. are eloquent,

motivating, and truthful. Their

passion for a more equal society has

been transmitted to their audiences.

Fig. 2 Flip, Chulk.Untitled. Time. 15 Dec. 2008 They capture attention through
<http://www.time.com/time/photoessays/mlk/2.html>

their strong oratory and their ability

to inspire empathy through their speeches.

They work their speech as to direct it towards the emotion and capture our

attention by continuously repeating words that inspire us. Mr. King continues to live

on and inspire others because he used his ability to spread knowledge for the greater

good, just as Obama has. According to Jamieson Hall, in his book, Eloquence in an

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Electronic Age : The Transformation of Political Speechmaking, states great speeches tend

to “survive their generative contexts to define the past for us.” (91) We have the

opportunity to look at back at the greatest orators of that time to understand how

they affected and created change. With their passion also comes a sound, reasoned

communication that has the ability to cross cultural borders and spread their words

of wisdom.

Their ability to persuade becomes magnified because they showed great

passion in their speeches, and in their everyday lives. According to the famous

philosopher Quintilian, as quoted in Edward Corbert’s “Classical Rhetoric for the

Modern Student,”5 (80) he linked oratory to moral character, “For he who would

have all men trust his judgment as to what is expedient and honourable, should

possess and be regarded as possessing genuine wisdom and excellence of character.”

Obama and Martin Luther King Jr. not only have the ability to speak effectively to

inspire the masses, they have the passion and the drive to motivate. At the end of

Obama’s speech he spoke about the need, as a country, to talk about and learn about

the many issues facing our country, “This time, we want to talk about the crumbling

schools that are stealing the future of black children and white children and Asian

children and Hispanic children and Native American children.” He spoke with a

focused tone and a look of urgency in his eyes. His passion vibrated through his

microphone onto the hearts of those who listened.

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The ORGANIZER – Courage

Obama began his career as a

community organizer in

Washington D.C, after graduating

from college. Obama focused on

grassroots efforts to build a large

database of supporters, and

Fig. 3 Cesar E. Chavez Foundation. Cesar Chavez-Portrait.. 15 Dec. understood that in order to gain a
2008. www.chavezfoundation.org

better understanding of the needs of the community he would have to deal directly

with them. In his book, “The Audacity of Hope,” Obama wrote about his

experiences with the people of his state while campaigning for a seat as an Illinois

Senator. He wrote about giving speeches in small town halls, farms, and town

squares, and the impact they made to the people of those places. (134) He used a

similar idea, later in his career, while running for president to use a similar tactic of

speaking and receiving input from the community by utilizing online social

networks to build support from all across the nation. Cesar Chavez had the courage

to stand against injustice, and he had the courage to complete his mission of creating

a union that was built using a large database of supporters that believed in their

cause.

Obama too, would muster the strength and courage to stand for his values

and beliefs in order to take charge in gathering support from the ordinary citizen,

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the laborer, the undocumented worker, and the farm workers, students, and even the

wealthy. He had the courage to mobilize a community to look beyond themselves, by

working together, and like the mobilization of the farm worker for the common

good, Obama has instilled this form of conviction to the rest of the American people.

And as he tries to unite a country, he shares his hopes for a better tomorrow, and we

feel his courage. Here is another excerpt from his ‘A More Perfect Union’ speech:

But I have asserted a firm conviction — a conviction rooted in

my faith in God and my faith in the American people — that,
working together, we can move beyond some of our old racial
wounds, and that in fact we have no choice if we are to
continue on the path of a more perfect union.

Obama and Chavez want people to have the courage to step outside our

comfort zones and be responsible for what is happening in our communities and

beyond. Chavez once said about Organizing: “The life of the union depends upon

more people getting to share the limelight, because with the limelight also comes

responsibility and with the responsibility comes a little sharing of the load.”6

Cesar Chavez was not running for political office, he was successful at

creating the United Farm Workers Union7 (UFW) because he had the courage to

understand that the trouble others faced was not someone else’s problem, it was his

problem, and so it was the common responsibility that people all across the nation,

and within the farm working communities to be treated equal, fair, and with respect.

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The ICON – Fair-Minded

Historical icons, like the Dalai Lama,

that represent social change are recognized

by their name and/or pictures and are

automatically identified for their ideas,

movements, or actions. They are historical

figures that have and will transcended

time. The Dalai Lama is an international

icon that stands for non-violence, religious Fig.4Kimmel, Nataly. His Holiness the Dalai Lama.
15 Dec. 2008 <http://www.natalykimmel.com>

freedom and ultimately for his fair-

mindedness. He has created a large base of supporters by engaging those outside

Tibet to think critically about their way of being. He has been exiled from his

country from a very early age, but he is hopeful that his country will one day be free.

Barack Obama has a fundamental belief that we can engage one another to

collectively move towards a more equal society, harmoniously, through empathy. As

Obama’s speech noted we can be “perfected over time.” We all carry within us the

ability to do well by caring for one another, and to live constructive lives in order to

build a “more perfect” world. The Dalai Lama and Obama are fair-minded people

that encourage each others to look around them and become aware of the injustices

that are happening, but more importantly to take action against them.

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The EDUCATOR – Moral Courage

Mahatma Gandhi was an inspirational man. He

was a lawyer, a religious man, and an icon. He

was highly respected for his courage and ability

to unify when all else would fail. Politically he

fought the government by using non-violence and

civil disobedience while simultaneously using his

education to organize and create a new Congress.

Fig. 5 Diversity and Tolerance Organization.

He was able to help his county because with his
Untitled. 15 Dec. 2008. <http://www.auburn.edu>

education came wisdom, and with his

experiences, Moral Courage.

He knew there was racism in his country that lead to social inequalities, and

he wanted to make a change, no matter the cost. By understanding the world as it is

and actually creating a plan to help make it what it should be Gandhi’s message will

not only transcend time for his persistence, but because he had moral outrage.

Obama, like Gandhi, is an educated man that includes many experiences of

his own that enable him to see the many injustices that are happening in our time.

He knows and understands the problems we are facing today come from a legacy of

defeat in the fight for social equality, and because he is able to speak about this

specific issue in a country that is racially divided is courageous, to say the least. The

fact that he would put his own political stake on the line to make progress is how he

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shows his own moral courage. In his ‘A More Perfect Union’ speech he describes the

grim affect not taking action can cause:

But for all those who scratched and clawed their way to get a piece of
the American Dream, there were many who didn't make it - those who
were ultimately defeated, in one way or another, by discrimination. That
legacy of defeat was passed on to future generations - those young men
and increasingly young women who we see standing on street corners
or languishing in our prisons, without hope or prospects for the future.
Obama does not stray away from the truth; rather he uses it as a tool to spread

knowledge of the many inequalities that have been happening for years. He has the

moral courage to help create socially conscious people. He describes racism as

present, as non-extinct, and privilege as reality, but not as a fixed item. Obama, like

Gandhi, have proved that by challenging the paradigm of non-cooperative,

individual responsibility as a problem that needs to be fixed today in order to

prevent the cycle of hatred, hurt, and racism to continue.

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HISTORY OF SOCIAL CHANGE

Mahatma Gandhi

Mahatma Gandhi once said, “If I have the belief that I can do it, I shall surely

acquire the capacity to do it even if I may not have it at the beginning.”8 Gandhi was

a political and spiritual leader in India that inspired millions by fighting British rule

using non-violence and civil disobedience. He created a social movement that

became a staple for the rest of the world to follow by speaking truth to power.

Obama carries a great deal of significance in America’s fight to end racial

divisiveness, and to ultimately create social equality. “Let us find that common stake

we all have in one another, and let our politics reflect that spirit as well.” Obama is

trying to convey the overwhelming need to become part of one another’s success,

and thus our government should reflect that as well because it reflects our changing

society. Like Gandhi he uses the people as a catalyst to change the highest order of

the land, its government, to create change and promote equality to its entire

population just as Obama is calling on the people of the America to do the same.

Their courage and strength, and their ability to effectively move a nation is

astounding. They are capable of teaching the masses the importance of common

responsibility because they had the passion and drive to fight the long fight, even

though they might get hurt in the process.

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We all have the capacity to be moral human beings that help create just, fair,

and constructive societies that challenge social norms, injustice, and inequalities.

Barack Obama has been a catalyst for change and a symbol of hope, and his speech

makes it clear that what he really wants to do is to provide a to collectively arrive.

He says, “…we cannot solve the problems of our time unless we solve them

together.” He has created a movement, he has created awareness, and he has created

change at this moment in time, and he has done this showing courage, moral

courage.

Dalai Lama

The Dalai Lama is the representative and the spiritual leader of Tibet. He has

been trying to organize a democracy for Tibet outside of Chinese rule since the early

1970’s. The people of Tibet want to be free to govern themselves with dignity and

respect, and the Dalai Lama has aided in their efforts, but there has yet to be

conciliation. He travels the world spreading his three commitments in life; he

promotes human values, religious harmony, and hopes to one day free Tibetans

from Chinese rule. In his book, Ethics for the New Millennium, Dalai Lama extends

these word of discourse, “…the more we truly desire to benefit others, the greater

the strength and confidence we develop and the greater the peach and happiness we

experience.” (130)

Obama promotes human values in his speeches, books, and in his own public

and political life that promote compassion, kindness, and empathy. He writes in his

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book, The Audacity of Hope, that as a country and as individuals in this country we

have collective ideals that we each “value the constellation of behaviors that express

our mutual regard for one another: honesty, fairness, humility, kindness, courtesy,

and compassion.” (55) The values that Obama writes about are the same the Dalai

Lama promotes in his daily life, and throughout the world.

The Dalai Lama has the ability to speak in a universal language to unify us

through collective values that are based in our humanity. Obama has this gift too, to

crosses cultural boundaries to create mutual understanding between people of

different racial backgrounds by also establishing common values and beliefs. He is

fair-minded, and great at getting this message across to the nation. In his speech, ‘A

more perfect Union,’ Obama created awareness by speaking about the children of

America as a whole, and the need to care about them all; here is a passage from his ‘

More Perfect Union speech:

This time we want to talk about the crumbling schools that are
stealing the future of black children and white children and
Asian children and Hispanic children and Native American
children. This time we want to reject the cynicism that tells us
that these kids can't learn; that those kids who don't look like
us are somebody else's problem. The children of America are
not those kids, they are our kids, and we will not let them fall
behind in a 21st century economy.
We are a country that values family, love, and each other. He has made visible the

core values and made clear that our ideals are and should be much stronger than our

prejudices.

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Obama has created a social movement that ignites individuals from different

cultural backgrounds and walks of life to come together and take action against

injustices on behalf of the people of America, and to fight for our common values,

goals.

Cesar Chavez

Cesar Chavez was a Mexican-American farm worker, union leader, and civil

rights activist that began his fight for equality in California in the early 60’s. He

understood the struggles that farm workers faced and he wanted to unionize them.

He saw and experienced the disparities and the discrimination they endured, and

wanted to make it better. He became the first person to successfully unite California

farm workers, and become a role model to the Hispanic community. The farm

workers union was successful for many reasons, but it was for his individual

determination and courage that helped it became a reality, today the union he began

is called the United Farm Workers (UFW).

“Si se Puede” became a slogan for the UFW during their famous grape

boycotts. It created hope for the farm worker who stood for months holding signs

that one day he too will be able to earn a living wage, be part of a union he is

working with, and ultimately be proud of what he does and has done. Cesar Chavez

spoke to the people on a regular basis and gave them the courage to fight for their

rights. One thing Chavez did was create harmony between the different people

working in the fields by acknowledging their importance to the cause. By unifying

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the different cultural groups he was able to transcend barriers, help more people,

and create success.

As a slogan “Si se puede” played a large role in unifying the Mexican farm

workers. In the 21st century Obama has been able to create this fire and unity by

using a similar slogan, “YES WE CAN.” Throughout his campaign Obama uses the

slogan as Chavez did to help others envision a tomorrow as he does.

Obama cites the constitution to enforce his dedication to a country that

upholds their ideas and a, “…constitution that promise[s] it’s people liberty, and

justice, and union that could be and should be perfected over time.”

Martin Luther King, Jr.

Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. was a civil rights activist fighting for

equality throughout the late 50’s and early 60’s until he was assassinated in 1968 at

the age of 39.9 He was a leader, motivator, and eloquent orator that voiced his

opinion about the injustices that were happening during that time. He raised the

consciousness for the civil rights movement wherever he could. In 1963, at the

Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C Martin Luther King Jr. gave his famous ‘I

Have a Dream” Speech. This speech is considered to be a defining moment in

history because it carries with it the vision, voice, and struggle of that time period,

below is a quote from his I have a Dream Speech:

I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation
where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the
content of their character.

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I have a dream today!10

King establishes himself as the spokesman for that time, an icon for social change,

for civil rights, and for equality. The hurt, the anger, and the injustices of the time

came out with passion, with power, and with purpose. The culmination of his life

was to fight for the right all the people of the Nation, and he did so with moral

courage, and passion. He was able to preach justice and create mass awareness to his

cause because he embodied and created a forum in which we could gain

understanding of one another’s frustration.

Barack Obama like King has established himself as a great orator, and he too

has been regarded for a speech that will transcend time. ‘A More Perfect Union,’ and

like King, Obama’s speech was about race in America, and about hope, morality, and

the need for empathy. As king said, “I have a dream,” he passed along his hope that

his children will one day live in a country that will come together and become

partners in society. That we can and should be seen for who we are, and for who we

can be, and this can be done for both black and white alike. Obama also tries to

mend the racial divisiveness by acknowledging the hurt, pain, and anger that the

black and white communities feel about the injustices they have faced, and harbor

inside. Obama’s speech speaks of this frustration:

But the anger is real; it is powerful; and to simply wish it away, to condemn it
without understanding its roots, only serves to widen the chasm of
misunderstanding that exists between the races.
Obama represents himself through his passionate speeches by being truthful, calm,

and straightforward. America is not perfect, as the title to his speech suggests, but

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what should not be forgotten is the greatness of a country that can and may one day

it can be perfect. This is the beginning of something beautiful, a turning point in a

nation that has not been seen since the civil right movement. An individual,

community, and a country asking for change, working together, united, for social

equality with passion, moral courage, and with a fair mind.

Nelson Mandela

Nelson Mandela was the first black president of South Africa from 1994-1999.

He was an anti-apartheid activist, and leader of the African National Congress. He

was imprisoned for 27 years because he had the moral courage to stand up for what

he believed in; social and political equality.11 Mandela also advocated and rendered a

reconciliation movement to mend, unify, and help transcend racial hatred in this

country. Obama wants to mend some of those feelings that people feel by

acknowledging them. Below is a passage from his, “A More Perfect Union’ speech:

But for all those that scratched and clawed their way to get a piece of
the American Dream, there were many who didn’t make it-those who
were ultimately defeated, in one way or another, by discrimination.
That legacy of defeat was passed down on to future generations –
those young men and increasingly young women…
Obama, like Mandela, tries to create a movement that helps Americans

understand race empathically to transcend racial prejudices.

Our humanity depends on our ability to work together to solve problems, but

we must first make strides to conquer our prejudices and the cynicism that continues

to play in our minds. Obama engages us to critically think about our own values and

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beliefs, and to challenge those that stop us from working together to create social

change. Obama represents change because he has given the nation and world the

tools to become more aware, and hopeful citizens. Below is a passage from ‘A More

Perfect Union:’

But what we know — what we have seen — is that America can

change. That is the true genius of this nation. What we have already
achieved gives us hope — the audacity to hope — for what we can and
must achieve tomorrow.
If we have the will, the passion, the courage, and the moral courage to stand against

what we know is wrong is the only way we can move towards a more equal society.

To learn from our mistakes and those of our past, to make sure neither we nor future

generations repeat them.

CONCLUSION

Barack Obama’s educational background has proven successful in gathering

the masses by giving them the opportunity to understand the history that plagues

the black , white, Latino, Asian, and Native America people of the United States. He

has crossed cultural boundaries to create a more unified society. Below is a passage

from his, ‘A More Perfect Union’ speech:

But I have a firm conviction – a conviction rooted in my faith in god and my

faith in the American people – that working together we can move beyond
some of our old racial wounds.

Obama has instill hope, generate momentum, and created a vision for a better

tomorrow that includes us all. Like Gandhi, Obama shares his underlying devotion

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to the people of his country, a respect for the world and ultimately a belief in our

shared humanity. Like the Dalai Lama, Obama fights for social justice in the 21st

century and has become an international icon. He has a fundamental belief that

change can happen because we have shared values and ideals. We should care about

one another, “do onto others, as we would have them do unto us.”12 This is how we

create a society that does not repeat the atrocities of the past, and prove we can move

towards a more socially conscious society that values the individual by accepting

our responsibility towards them. We can teach our children to be partners with all

the different colored children in the world, we can teach them about empathy,

compassion, and create today, that proves this can be done.

As a community organizer he had the skills to create a movement by

including the wealthy, and the poor, and those in between. “Yes we Can,” make a

difference, and together we can make it happen by having the courage to look

beyond ourselves for the greater good. Obama will also be remembered for his

speeches, more specifically the greatest speech of our time, “A More Perfect Union,”

a speech that has paved the way for us to learn about one another with courage,

compassion, and fairness.

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1
Lakoff, George. "What Made Obama's Speech Great." Alter Net. 26 Mar. 2008. 29 Oct. 2008.
<http://http://www.alternet.org/election08/80549/>.
2
Obama, Barack H. "'A More Perfect Union'" National Constitution Center, Philidalphia, Pensylvania. 18 Mar. 2008.
Barack Obama. 18 Mar. 2008. 15 Dec. 2008
<http://http://www.barackobama.com/2008/03/18/remarks_of_senator_barack_obam_53.php>.
3
Nichols, John. "Mandela's Message." The Nation. 05 Nov. 2008. 15 Dec. 2008
<http://http://www.thenation.com/blogs/state_of_change/380596/mandela_s_message>.
4
Mandela, Nelson. "Text of Nelson Mandela’s Letter to Senator Obama." 5 Nov. 2008. New York Times. 15 Dec. 2008
<http://http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/06/world/africa/06mandela.html?_r=1>.
5
Corbett, Edward P., and Robert J. Connors. Classical Rhetoric for the Modern Student. New York: Oxford UP,
1998
6
Chavez, Cesar. "Education of The Heart - Quotes by Cesar Chavez." United Farm Workers. 1 Jan. 2006. 15 Dec. 2008
<http://http://www.ufw.org/_page.php?menu=research&inc=history/09.html>.
7
Gutierrez, David G. Walls and Mirrors - Mexican Americans, Mexican Immigrants and the Politics of Ethnicity. New
York: University of California P, 1995
8
Gandhi, Mahatma. "Mahatma Gandhi Quotes." The quotations page. 1994. 15 Dec. 2008
<http://http://www.quotationspage.com/quotes/mahatma_gandhi/>.
9
"Dr. Martin Luther King Jr." The King Center. 2004. 15 Dec. 2008
<http://http://www.thekingcenter.org/mlk/index.html>.
10
“Biographical Outline of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.” The King Center. 2004. 15 Dec. 2008.
< http://www.thekingcenter.org/mlk/bio.html>

11
Mandela, Nelson. Mandela: An Illustrated Autobiography. Boston: Little Brown & Company, 1996.

12
Obama, Barack H. "'A More Perfect Union'" National Constitution Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Mar. 2008.
Barack Obama. 18 Mar. 2008. 15 Dec. 2008
<http://http://www.barackobama.com/2008/03/18/remarks_of_senator_barack_obam_53.php>.