Submitted by Marjory on Fri, 2009-12-04 10:52

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• Social Change in Oregon

I was reminded recently about the impact we can have on other people’s lives, sometimes without even meeting them.

When MRG’s co-founder Leslie Brockelbank died, people sent tributes from around the globe. The Eugene Weekly published stories of how she impacted people’s lives, twenty-five people (and counting) have made gifts to the Leslie Brockelbank memorial fund, and hundreds attended her memorial.

Not everyone who wanted to go to the memorial could make it, so MRG held a second event where folks could share their memories. 

People who had known Leslie for decades talked about being inspired by her decision with then-husband Charles Gray to give away half of their inheritance.  When it came time to decide how to direct that money, Leslie was always clear that her voice was just one of many that mattered.  She and Charles gathered activists from around the state to identify groups doing cutting edge social justice work, and their collective wisdom guided where the money went. 

My favorite quote at the gathering was from Shad Reinstein who said, “Leslie really understood what it meant to give up control, without giving up responsibility.” Leslie’s original gift in 1976—and her commitment to sharing power—changed the state of Oregon and led to more than $11 million in grants. 

Leslie’s lifelong commitment to peace and collaboration inspired people who met her later in life as well.  Sanjeev Balajee described feeling intimidated when he found out he’d be serving on the Peace Fund Grantmaking Committee with the woman who started MRG.  But he quickly realized that she was no ordinary founder. She stayed engaged and interested; she joined the debate, but never suggested her opinion should matter more than anyone else’s.

Leslie’s influence wasn’t limited to people who knew her personally. Magdeleno Rose Avila came down from Seattle, even though he’d never met Leslie.  He said he wanted to hear the stories, because “we all need to be given a double dose of inspiration so that we might inspire others.”

When a person we admire dies, it can feel like something has been taken from the world.  For me, it’s a reminder to find the qualities I admire about them in myself.  May we all carry Leslie’s legacy of generosity, peace and collaboration forward in our own lives…whether we knew her or not.