Making a Difference

You can make a difference by speaking up for what you believe. I don’t care how many people say that one person will not make a difference – a difference starts with someone, so why not you? How many of you want to see increased funding and attention to historic preservation during the Obama presidential years?

And how do we influence a possibility? The other day I received an email (thanks, Andrew!) about the open forum on the Obama-Biden Transition Team web page, change.gov. Here you can submit questions that need to be answered by the new leaders and vote on questions asked by others, thereby indicating voicing which are your most important issues. You can also submit “your story.” The website says:

To change this country, we’re counting on Americans from every walk of life to get involved. Tell us how an experience in your life showed you something that is right or something that is wrong with this country — and share your ideas for how to make it better.

Here is the email content shared with me:

“..there has been a good response, including the addition of many other excellent questions in favor of Historic Preservation (as well as at least one that is very anti-preservation).

If you have not yet voted, please do so and spread the word to all your preservation networks to encourage them to do the same.

If you have voted, please check back and vote on any questions that have appeared since your last check.

WATCH OUT, though, for the sneaky question that talks about Historic Preservation as a “Land-Grab” to benefit the rich.

Here are the steps to take: I encourage you to make the Preservation voice heard by taking just a few minutes to do the following:

1)      Go to http://change.gov/page/content/openforquestions20081229/

2)      You may need to sign in or create a username.

3)      There is a box that allows you to “Search Questions.”  Type in “Historic Preservation.”

4)      Click the check on each of the questions to indicate that you think they are important questions.

It takes just a few minutes, and may make a difference in the reception of your preservation advocates when they approach the new administration.  If you submit preservation questions, you may want to let us know so that we can continue to spread the word to make sure your issues are addressed on Capitol Hill and in the White House.

Also, if you belong to or manage other listservs, I encourage you to spread the word.

Kristen Harbeson

State Services Director,National Conference of State Historic Preservation Officers 

444 N. Capitol St. NW  Suite 342,Washington, DC 20001

phone: 202 624 5465 /fax: 202 624 5419

e-mail: harbeson@sso.org website: www.ncshpo.org

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Now, go make a difference, one by one!

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