What if Dr. King, Jr. Followers Had Applied Spatial Thinking?

Today our social media posts will be filled with quotes from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and many will call for actions that make his dreams a reality.  I've posted many article that focus on this. I hope you'll read them.

As you do, ask the question that I show in the graphic below. "What will it take to assure that all youth born, or living in high poverty, are entering careers by age 25?"

As you ponder this question, focus on spatial thinking.

What are all the places where kids need help?  You'll need to use maps to show all those places.  This concept map shows data maps you can use.

Think of the 20 to 25 or 30 years support that is needed to help a single youth from birth to work, and all the help which is needed. This concept map visualizes the long-term support kids need and the type of support they need at each age level.  Using maps, visualize all the places this 20-30 years of support is needed.

Then, think about all you need to know, and do, to be able to figure this out.  The four sections of the Tutor/Mentor Institute, LLC library, shown on this concept map, include resources you can draw from.

This blog has more than 1000 articles, posed since 2005, that focus on this question.  You can see my library of concept maps on this page.  Create your own versions, focused on your city or state. 

As I write this, I realize that over the past 60 years millions of dollars have been spent and countless hours of service have been contributed to make the Dr. King, Jr. vision a reality.

But we're not there yet so "How can we do this better?"   In the current political atmosphere, we might even be regressing.

As I researched ideas for this article I asked, "How often have I used the term 'spatial thinking'.  So I did a search and found these articles.  Surprisingly, there are only four (five now, counting this one), starting with this one posted in 2005, where the headline was "Jon Bon Jovi and Polo Ralph Lauren want to make volunteerism 'hip'.  New Operating System Needed".

I hope you'll read each of these.  

When I say I was surprised by finding only four articles using the term 'spatial thinking' that's because I've posted nearly 280 articles using maps.  There are another 88 articles which I've tagged with "concept maps" although I've used concept maps in more than that.

In another of my four spatial thinking articles I included the graphic shown below.

This article is also included among six that I've tagged "tipping point", meaning "A critical moment in a complex situation in which a small influence or development produces a sudden large or irreversible change."

Imagine if over the past 60 years a few billionaires had invested in education systems that not only connected kids and volunteer tutors and mentors, and helped those kids through school and into adult lives, but also pointed them to information in libraries like mine, with the goal of creating more leaders who think spatially and apply maps and systems thinking, to building needed support systems in every place where they are needed.

Such a system would also grow more people (starting in elementary school) who were spatial and systems thinkers who would volunteer time, talent and dollars to consistently support those programs for many years, until we really could say we've climbed the mountain and achieved the dream.

Imagine that being a degree program at one, or many, universities.

Thank you for reading and for your service.   

Please connect with me on one or more social media platforms (see links here) and share your own ideas, or share my posts with your network.

Thank you also to the small group of donors who made contributions in 2023 to help fund the Tutor/Mentor Institute, LLC.  Please continue in 2024.

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