Write Your Hero - Julia, 12 -- John Krasinski
President Theodore Roosevelt once said, “Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.” This quote is relevant for the past, present, and most likely for the future, but is especially relevant right now. During these sad and confusing times, people really have to make do with what they can and have.
John Krasinski is an extraordinary and recent example of how powerful this quote is when put into action. John Krasinski is my civic hero because he used his platform as a comedian, actor, director, and producer to bring attention to what the people needed during this pandemic, meet the challenge this year has presented, and inspire people to do what they can with what they have.
In March 2020, John Krasinski, like every other American was watching the news for updates and statistics on the COVID-19 pandemic. He noticed that no news channels were sharing any genuinely good news; he realized how this was impacting families, and how much it would help people’s mental well-being to know there was still good circulating the world.
He decided, with his resources at home, to make a web series on YouTube named Some Good News. The web series, as you can tell from its name, focused on good news that was happening at the time. From celebrating health care and essential workers, to congratulating a girl on her last chemo treatment, Some Good News shared all kinds of enlightening news. John Krasinski even became a certified minister to hold a wedding on Some Good News. He also held a live prom for the students of 2020 who had their proms canceled.
Important artists such as Billie Eilish, Finneas O’Connell, the Jonas Brothers, and Chance the Rapper performed at the “prom”. On Some Good News, John Krasinski also hosted guests such as Steve Carell, a co-star from the show The Office, the Hamilton cast, Rainn Wilson, who also acted in The Office, and more. John Krasinski also held a graduation for the students of 2020. He got important people such as Oprah Winfrey, Malala Yousafzai, Jon Stewart, and Steven Spielberg to be commencement speakers. He did all of this at home with what he could, using his platform in society to bring attention to the subject of good news, and made sure that this web series included all good news, not just big moments.
John Krasinski has always been a generally happy and funny person, from what we’ve seen; Some Good News, once again, proves how benevolent John Krasinski really is.
I remember on March 11th when we were all sent home from school. The teachers claimed we would be back to school after break. I remember watching the time we were in quarantine get longer and longer, thinking, “This year is horrible. Everything bad that could happen, has happened. We can’t see our friends and family. People are losing their jobs, homes, and loved ones. I just want this year to be over.” I didn’t watch Some Good News until a couple of weeks after it was introduced. I thought it was a waste of time, especially because I had online school, which makes you work twice as hard.
Later, my family suffered from a death due to COVID-19. We really needed and craved some good news, so I thought it was the perfect time to start watching Some Good News. I turned on YouTube and found the first video of Some Good News. I was amazed how one guy, with his resources and connections at home, could be such a beacon of light and hope. He willingly shared the points of happiness and humanity from his life with the world. I started sharing some of the stories from Some Good News with my family and friends, just to give them a little light during these dark times.
Seeing this one man become a beacon of light and hope made me want to be one too. He inspired me to be grateful and celebrate the little things, for the little things create the big things. He made me want to be kind to everyone and pay attention to what was going on around me. He moved me to want to help those who were less fortunate than me. He made me want to give back to my community, even if it was in a small way. He also made me want to do one very difficult thing during this pandemic; think of my glass as half-full. He also inspired many other people, not just me. Other people began making smaller versions of Some Good News focusing more on their communities.
A lot of people say that we are thinking too individually and not thinking of our communities during this pandemic. Many people are not willing to sacrifice and share what they have or what they can do for the benefit of others that are less fortunate than themselves. The great author, motivational speaker, and professor, Leo Buscaglia once said, “Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential
to turn a life around.” People really need to take this kind of thinking to heart, like John Krasinski has. You don’t have to donate an arm and a leg or give up your life savings to contribute to your community. Just like Some Good News and John Krasinski has shown us, lending someone a listening ear, or simply being kind, is more than enough.