Our Human Evolution

Short Address by Roberto Vargas to San Francisco Library Patrons upon being recognized as a Bay Area Author Laureate

Thank your for your presence this evening and the support of the SF Public Library.

I’d like to share a few thoughts about evolution—human, cultural and social evolution, however I first need your assistance set the context.

My question to you, for which I’d like some short responses, what type of society or world do you want?  Using a word or phrase describe our vision of the world we desire. Audience response:  healthy, understanding, ethical, inclusive, respect, peace, sustainability, people can earn a living, without hunger, with libraries…

This is exactly the type of world that most of us want and that is our evolutionary purpose and vision.

Over 25 years ago I brought together a number of healers together to address the question of how to advance a more fair and respectful society.  The outcomes included the following thoughts that I will share about evolution.

The reality is we are all spirits in this human journey, and our spirit essence is “por vida”. Porvida means “for life, love, respect and all that is positive”.  Our essence, our essential nature is not sinful or base, but porvida—for life!  Yes, as babies we are born immature and self-centered, yet the essence of our nature is to be and affirm life and evolve our ability to be more loving. This occurs when we are raised by families and culture that believe in our potential and engages with us in a way that is co-powering.  Co-powering is interacting and communicating so as to lift the confidence, power and energy of another. If you like call it loving communications, yet unfortunately we don’t do this enough because of myths which stymie our understanding of our selves and each other.

One of our biggest challenges in evolving our higher nature is that we have been socialized over generations to believe that we are inherently sinful, wicked or beings that are offensive to God.  This not true, but a terrible myth used for social control which only serves to restrict our evolutionary ability. If we see each other for our beauty and potential, we find ways to nurture and grow that beauty and potential in each other.

I work as a community organizer, organizational psychologist, and leadership coach, yet what I am is a cultural or porvida activist seeking to advance our human and social evolution.  For me that means aiding individuals, families and organizations to connect with our vision and develop those practices that support our evolutionary potential to be more courageous loving human beings. The book I wrote Family Activism is about fostering these health promotion practices among family and friends so that we create the change we desire in the world beginning with all those people we consider family or community.