If I had a million dollars. Or $52.

Truth be told, I’m a dreamer. A big thinker. The kind of person who fills their head with glorious sparkly ideas, then almost as quickly as they penetrate my consciousness, lets them slip away. For me ideas are glorious and abundant. Because dreams, like opportunities, are endless. In my opinion drifting off into a day dream is equivalent to making plans. But not just any plans, the best kind of plans—because they are joyful and energetic. Pure magic. 

Where I get stuck, and I always get stuck, is in the details. The actual planning is tiresome, and it turns out the hard stuff stops me in my tracks. It’s not that I’m afraid of hard work, or totally lazy (although I will admit to occasionally embracing lethargy), it’s that I just don’t know how to get my biggest, most brilliant ideas, from A to Z. What usually happens is I get deterred by my own distraction and self doubt. Leaving me to wonder how many great ideas are out there in the universe, pushed deep inside our collective heads, just because so many of us are unsure of the next step. 

When I think of all the amazing people out there—and all the amazing things already invented, discovered, and enjoyed—I’m left wondering, what about the stuff we haven’t thought of yet? Or, more likely, not been willing to share, or been able to adequately communicate? It’s all so exciting. And sad. Exciting because new ways of looking at things are refreshing, but sad, because the fear of failure, or the inability to do something alone, shouldn’t stop us. And yet, it  does. 

So, in the spirit of sharing big ideas, I’m sharing mine. Well, one of them. Because I think it’s a good one. And it makes me feel good to imagine it happening in the real world—not just in my mind. 

••••

A few weeks back I found myself in a weird place. Not physically, as I was on my couch watching TV, but emotionally. The news was filled with unsettling stories about families being separated, powerful people acting like fools, and regular folks getting caught up in agendas they didn’t really understand or fully support. It was heavy. Per usual I found myself in full ostrich mode. But instead of putting my head further into the sand, and pretending the world wasn’t falling apart, I got my kids to bed and plopped myself on the couch to power watch episodes of mindless tv (if you must know, Drop Dead Diva on Netflix, call it a guilty pleasure). 

As I was sitting there, my mind wandered and I started thinking—what can I do to feel better? What can anyone do, really? I felt incredibly small, and unlikely to be a real part of the change necessary to really help the world. And it was then that it hit me. Even though I might not have the funds or the ability to make a big impact, what if all the others like me, sitting on their couches, wearing their pjs after tucking their kids into bed, or eating snacks because no one was looking—what if somehow we all worked together to change the world? To make it better, one little bit at a time. I grabbed my phone, plotted ways to contribute, and texted my big idea to a dear friend. 

What was my idea? 

My idea, call it my epic day dream (albeit one that took place late at night), was to find one million like minded humans who were ready to stand up for decency, kindness and inclusion by opening their wallets and donating $1/week—with the goal of raising $52,000,000. That money would then be donated to a list of organizations and individuals who have been hit hardest—marginalized, repressed, or underserved—by politicians who claim to work for them, yet have no idea what their struggles look and feel like in real life. I was hoping to donate $1M per week, to the following people or organizations:

1) Children’s theater or arts organization devoted to enriching children via access to cultural experiences

2) Progressive political candidate

3) Black Lives Matter

4) Back to work resource group

5) Muslim Center / Mosque

6) Planned Parenthood 

7) LGBTQ Center

8) Disability related care center 

9) Sexual assault victims shelter or therapy program

10) Homeless shelter 

11) NPR

12) PBS

13) EPA

14) Because there is no Nobel Prize for math, a mathematician 

15) College scholarships / $20,000 per state 

16) Refugee center 

17) Weddings / $20,000 per state, to be given to non-traditional brides and grooms 

18) Field Museum

19) Planetarium

20) New York Times

21) Washington post 

22) Screen Actors Guild / Union

23) Rehab center 

24) Teen Vogue (internship stipends)

25) Climate change study 

26) Organic Farm(s)

27) JCCs 

28) 3 Interest free home loans 

29) Park and Rec departments of blighted cities

30) Fund school lunch accounts

31) Day care comps for parents who can’t afford to work 

32) Car payments for underemployed 

33) ACLU

34) Southern poverty law center 

35) NAACP

36) Anti-Defamation League

37) National organization for women

38) National immigration law center 

39) True Colors Fund

40) Sierra Club

41) Everytown for Gun Safety

42) Center for Constitutional Rights

43) American Foundation for Suicide Prevention

44) The Trevor Project

45) Center for Reproductive Rights 

46) Emily’s List

47) Project Night Night

48) Rock the Vote

49) Brennan Center for Justice

50) Libraries

51+ ... so, so, so, so many more could be added

Once the goal was reached, my intention was to ask the more wealthy donors to do a deeper dive in their own communities by adding to their initial $52 investment. I’d ask them to do this through grass roots donation initiatives in the states they call home—in their own backyards. So when my foundation, let’s call it the 52 Weeks Foundation, donates $1M to the National Endowment for the Arts, I would urge everyone to buy season tickets to their favorite theater, orchestra or ballet  (perhaps even consider purchasing blocks of tickets or season tickets for their neighbors, who can afford the basics, but have nothing left for the arts after paying bills); to seek out an artist or studio in need of new paints; to sign up for dance classes or sponsor a child who loves to dance but cannot afford classes; to host a poetry slam; or to donate goods and services to events supporting the arts that enrich all of our lives. 

There would be 52 amazing opportunities for people to find something they love—then support through filling the seats, volunteering, speaking to local newspapers, or writing checks. Lots of checks. Having worked for 10 years in a non-profit children’s theater, I know firsthand that individual and corporate donations are what keep the lights on for most non-profits. Therefore I’d encourage everyone on this planet to donate to the causes and places they hold deep in their hearts. 

While I personally cannot afford to donate $100 per week to my favorite charities, as my family is like so many other American families and we use our money to pay bills and get by, I could afford a one time $52 gift. In simple terms my idea would give regular people the opportunity to pool their resources and feel like big contributors. It would be an epic connector. And as a group, me and a million friends, could send the message that YES WE CAN make a difference. We could prove that when kind people put their hearts, and minds, and loose change together—we can make this world better. 

Like I said, it’s a big dream. I’d need an office, a staff, a website, a few lawyers, interns, connections ... you get my point. But I actually have people in mind for a few of the jobs, because I did a deep dive into this particular dream. And even though I'm aware some of it might not even be legal, like donating to a political candidate as a nonprofit, here’s the thing—I don’t care. It’s my dream. Sure, I’m not likely to do any of it, but somehow thinking about it feels good. Maybe one day I’ll even find a friend with a shared vision, and together we will find a way to jump right in and make a difference, by bringing our dreams, and awesome ideas, to life.

Clearly I have no idea how to bring this big idea to life, but I'm gonna keep dreaming, anyway. Because I like big dreams. I like dreaming so much that I’m also going to continue to dream about adding a rec room and a bathroom (or two) onto our 108 year old house; about taking a European vacation with my family; about taking my mom to the Grand Canyon; about finally convincing my dad to try a gluten free diet to ease his arthritis; about curing my thyroid disease and shrinking my nodule; about finding a way to get my kids to stop bickering; about finding a magic salve to make my newly graying hair turn brown and shiny; about getting a book deal; about finding a way to stay at one weight for the rest of my life; about finding the perfect pair of jeans, and a bra that actually fits; about getting a Panchakarama massage in Kerala, India; about winning an $84 million lottery ... 

Today they are just dreams. But tomorrow? Who knows what tomorrow brings. I truly believe that any idea that makes our hearts smile, no matter how small (or how big), is worth holding on to. I ask you to do the same—to keep plotting, and dreaming, and smiling. Because dreams are like happy plans. And maybe, just maybe, some of us will find a way to bring our big ideas to life, and be lucky enough to win when it really matters.

My biggest hope is that we all keep dreaming. Big, joyful, happy dreams.