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POLITICS & COMMUNITY DO Something 422 W. 55th Street, 8th floor New York, NY 10019 212-523-1175 www.dosomething.org by Laurie Ouellette Read more Non-profit Profiles on Tripod.

Lots of people talk about changing the world, but how many of us actually get off our butts and do something? One reason for our inertia may be a tendency to see social problems as so formidable and so overarching that only a grand solution will do. From that perspective, anything we could contribute as individuals seems like an irrelevant drop in an overflowing bucket. Call it cynicism or call it despair, but that's the attitude DO Something a national non-profit organization targeting the under-30 crowd, is trying to change. Founded in 1993, DO Something encourages a bottom-up model of social change by provided training, guidance, and financial assistance to young people with creative solutions to local problems, like rebuilding a playground or starting a recycling center. For people who want to help but don't know how, the organization offers a step-by-step guide to "tangible actions," like tutoring another person or registering the neighbors to vote. While none of these actions is likely to crack the structure of society, they're doable and relevant in the lives of real people. And that's part of the DO Something philosophy. We believe that "fundamental change occurs only from within communities," says DO Something co-founder Andrew Shue (yes, he's the guy from Melrose Place). Besides applying for grants of up to $500 for community projects, people under-30 can also apply to the DO Something Fellows Program, an intensive 15-week training program that emphasizes fundraising, computer skills, project management and community organizing. Fellows are then funded to start up local DO Something branches in their own communities. Headed up by Marvin Muse, a community organizer, and young father of four, the Newark branch holds city-wide training sessions and retreats, and awards grants to local residents for community-building projects, like helping homeless people through the sale of positive-message t-shirts. Local DO Something branches are also up and running in Boston and Selma, Alabama. Getting involved doesn't have to mean all work and no play--as evidenced by Webstock '96, a four-day "cyberfestival" organized by DO Something in partnership with MTV, Fox Television, Blockbuster, America Online, Applied Materials, Silicon Graphics, Yahoo! and Netcom. Fusing interactive video, audio and live action programming, the event promises to "showcase the latest online technology to educate and entertain a new generation of community leaders," empowering them to "take action to improve their cities, towns and neighborhoods." Scheduled for November 1-4, the event will feature live appearances by musicians and celebrities as well as the chance to "link up with each other and learn how to solve problems in the community," says Shue. All sponsorship proceeds will be channeled into the DO Something coffers. Want to know more? Check out the upcoming "Do Something: An MTV Special" hosted by Andrew Shue, scheduled for October 21. Laurie Ouellette writes about media and culture and teaches at the New School in New York City. Her work has appeared in "Utne Reader," "Afterimage," "Women's Review of Books," "Independent Film and Video Monthly," and various books and journals. © 1996 Laurie Ouellette. All Rights Reserved.