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June 26, 2007
Announcing "The Everyday Heroes" Project: (A Summer Project for New Media Enthusiasts)
NBC's epic drama "Heroes" chronicles the lives of ordinary people who discover they possess extraordinary abilities. I believe this concept can be extended outside of the realm of science-fiction and into our daily lives. During the course of the summer of 2007, help us tell the stories of everyday people who are "Everyday Heroes."
Think about a typical day, all the people you pass by in the course of doing what you do, those to whom you might say "Good Morning;" the people who work in your favorite eating establishments, the people who you see in the bank, the gym, people you pass by on the street, people who attend your school, people who you work with, the people in your car pool, the people around you who just fade to black when you are engaged in your daily lives. Yes, those people.
My belief is that everyone has a story.
Some of them are amazing people with amazing stories. Some people have overcome some great odds before the point where they got to be standing there to speak with you. Some of these people have taken on major challenges and overcame them. Some of these people inspire others. Some are people who challenge the status quo, who make a difference.
Every one has a story to tell. But you need to be there to listen to it. One cool aspect is that once you hear these stories, you will never look at that person the same way ever again.
So go outside and take your video cameras and your microphones with you. Join our "Everyday Heroes Project" and help provide a voice to the people who are part of your everyday lives, but until now have been silent. Post these stories to the web, to Blip.tv or YouTube or Brightcove or wherever you post your videos. Tag them "everydayheroes" and share them.
Help people tell their stories.
In the process you would have helped make the world a better place, you would have gotten to know some more people, and you would have discovered a few Everyday Heroes. There could be worse ways to spend the summer.
And PLEASE help spread the word about "The EveryDay Heros" Project.
Tags: Internet TV, EveryDayHeroes, Jeff Pulver
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Posted by jeff on June 26, 2007 06:10 AM | Permalink
Additional resources: Watch PrimeTime TV Shows | Watch the Jeff Pulver Show | Jeff's Qik Videos
Comments
I am a nurse on the burn unit at the university of iowa hospitals and clinics. I have been there for over 3 years. I work with heroes every day. Despite personal tragedies these wonderful women and men come to work and help burn victims and their families cope with life-changing events. Some burn victims survive....and, tragically, some do not. This unit is full of seasoned nurses who know their stuff, have seen the worst of the worst, and still love their jobs. I am honored to work with these people and be a part of their world. To the nurses of the University of Iowa Burn Unit...I salute you!
Posted by: Sara at March 10, 2008 12:06 PM
Jeff, check out http://www.storycorps.net/ A lot of what they're doing sounds very similar to your idea.
Posted by: Mark Smithivas at July 2, 2007 02:19 AM
Jeff,
I have a hero in my life who literally saved my life when a particularly devastating accidental shooting occured. Lt John Allamani, USAF, literally saved my life. He didn't panic, he reached back used his training to get done what had to be done. The Air Force is actually giving him a medal for his heroic deeds. It's not often, outside of the combat zone, that these acts of heroism occur. In this case he kept his cool, used his skills, and kept me alive so my kids would see another day with their Dad. I write about it at http://danmosqueda.blogspot.com/2007/06/whats-it-like-to-be-shot.html.
Humbly - Dan Mosqueda, Colorado Springs, CO
Posted by: Dan Mosqueda at June 27, 2007 02:53 PM
Jeff,
This is brilliant and exciting! I write the Community Blog for Firstgiving.com and we highlight our "Fundraisers of the Week" every Monday! I am so excited to tell our fundraisers about this and I have a feeling that they will love this!
Thanks!
Posted by: Brittany at June 27, 2007 12:35 PM
Just did a head-slap over why I haven't done the *exact same thing* with projects I'm involved in!
Here's what you might do since this is your idea: aggregate all of them. In the same way that CleanGuys.tv used Me.tv's platform to build an aggregator for family friendly 'clean' videos, it would be cool to automagically aggregate all of these into an "Everyday Heroes" video site.
I'd watch and tell everyone I know to do so too. There's too much negativity in the world and I'd rather fill my brain with as much positive as possible!
~Steve
Posted by: Steve Borsch at June 27, 2007 12:22 PM
Jeff-
While I didn't record it, I did blog about it at http://ldpodcast.wordpress.com. I'd like to nominate Dave Reader, from Parrish NY as an everyday hero. I got a flat tire on my way to PAB. Dave's little service station in Parrish NY, north of Syracuse seems unremarkable. Yet during the process of replacing the tire on the Mini, I found out so much about Dave and his family; how he dropped out of school in 10th grade because of his dyslexia; how he has been a county commissioner; how his daughter, despite her learning issues is now working on a second master's and teaching autistic children outside of Boston. Dave even took me out to lunch!
All this from a total stranger to a total stranger, helping me get back on the road, buying me lunch, and treating me like an old friend.It was a remarkable experience, and Dave reader deserves to be one of your everyday heroes.
Posted by: Whitney at June 27, 2007 08:29 AM
Don't they do this on The Disney Channel under "Higglytown Heroes?"
Posted by: Doug Mohney at June 26, 2007 10:24 PM
This is a great meme to start, Jeff - caught it on Facebook and I'll blog it. Next step: actually participating.
Posted by: David Berkowitz at June 26, 2007 03:21 PM
Have you seen/heard the musical Working? Your post reminded me alot of it. There's this song in it that says "Everyone should have something to point to."
Posted by: Shannon at June 26, 2007 01:51 PM
Jeff, great project idea. I spent 4 years active duty in the Coast Guard so this idea hits close to me as we were ordinary people doing some pretty extrordinary things day in and day out.
-Jeff
Posted by: Jeff O'Hara at June 26, 2007 12:46 PM
an amazing story is one that stands out from all the unremarkable ones. so probably most of those people you pass throughout the day will seem ordinary, possibly even dull.
***
the trick is to remember that if you look hard enough, somewhere in almost every person's life there is something amazing. some experience that will inspire or enlighten you, even if the person is no one special.
Posted by: yakoondah at June 26, 2007 11:45 AM