Columnist found people who want to do good

 

Cameron Conner, a community organizer and a visiting professor at Tufts University, who grew up reading The Fig Tree and is now a columnist for it, shared his commitment to it.

"My family has worked with fair trade partners in Nepal for 40 years. Ten years ago, when a 7.9 earthquake struck northwest of Kathmandu, many partners lost their homes and livelihoods," he said. "Within 24 hours, we began raising funds and coordinating with our partners to deliver emergency relief supplies."

Cameron told of The Fig Tree's quick response, of working with his family to capture the story and of sharing it in the next issue.

"The attention this story brought not only helped raise funds to deliver life-saving aid as aftershocks continued, but it also brought together a community of people across Spokane who cared and wanted to help," he said. "Many would never have known had it not been for The Fig Tree."

Over the months, as immediate relief turned into long-term recovery, the community The Fig Tree helped create stayed together and The Fig Tree continued coverage long after the media spotlight moved elsewhere, he commented, noting that this memory is key when he thinks of The Fig Tree's impact on his life and the community.

"For me it distills why the world needs The Fig Tree," Cameron said.

"Beyond the incredible stories of inspiration it lifts up, beyond informing us of the amazing things going on right down the street we might never have otherwise known about, The Fig Tree weaves us together into community striving towards a collective vision for the world," he summed up.

Cameron summarized French philosopher Alexis de Tocqueville's insight on the importance of newspapers like The Fig Tree: "In democratic counties, people [often] do not see one another and do not know where to find one another. A newspaper gives publicity to the feeling or idea that had occurred to them all simultaneously, but separately." Then they see the "light" of each other "in the dark" so they can "meet and unite."

Cameron affirmed, "That is what The Fig Tree does. It shines a light to guide our wandering spirits, long seeking each other, at last to meet and unite."

He observed that The Fig Tree's response to the earthquake—pulling together people who shared love for a country on the other side of the globe—was what "it has done that on countless other occasions."

As an organizer, Cameron knows one of the most powerful things is to "bring people together to realize we are not alone."

Growing up reading The Fig Tree made Cameron realize he was not alone.

"There were people out there who wanted to do good. People who I could ask for help and advice, who I could rely on and learn from," he said. "The stories we tell become the world we live in. The Fig Tree stories shaped my world. They gave me imagination for the kind of person I wanted to become and the kind of people I wanted in my life.

"It's hard to find your people in the crowd," he said. "I am forever grateful to The Fig Tree for helping me find mine.

"Thank you to everyone who has given their heart and soul to the Fig Tree so that we might be here today, with each other—all wandering spirits aiming toward the light," he said. "We are here to support The Fig Tree today and in the future. We must also use it to find people we want to flock to. Build relationships, build connections, and see what kind of a future we can illuminate with that collective light."

The 2025 Benefit videos are available on Youtube through the links on this Benefit 2025 page.