Although I’ve been on the advocacy path for 8+ years, I didn’t get around to launching my website until March 16, 2020. What timing!
In the words of a wise woman (not me): “Move slowly during these times.” Friends, we are in uncharted waters and none of us have sea legs for this journey. As humans, we are trying to calibrate to something that has never existed in the world before now. Uncertainty is the norm, and that ain’t fun. We are social creatures and have created an elaborate web of institutions — schools, governments, healthcare systems, faith traditions, supply chains — to help us meet our own needs and the needs of our groups.
But– and this is a big but 😉 — all of our organizations and systems were designed for one type of reality. We now exist in a very different reality. Watching and participating as our institutions try to calibrate to this new reality is like watching a pig on roller skates. It’s awful and painful– as the kids would say: cringy. It is a messy thing and we are guaranteed to *%^# it up. Like, let’s just go ahead and recognize that. Then, instead of blaming one another, we can focus our energy on more productive things. (For my postcolonial theorists out there, I see you waving your Frantz Fanon horizontal/lateral violence hankies.)
If you’ve been around me for more than a minute, you’ve heard me talk about the circle of influence and circle of concern. If we want to maximize our power and use our energy most efficiently:
– Let us focus on the things we can influence.
– Let us get real clear on our values. Values are like a compass.
– Let us insist on science and evidence-based interventions.
– Let us listen to those who are closest to and most impacted by situations.
– Let us play.
– Let us breathe fresh air.
– Let us make good trouble.
#hereforit #weweremadeforthesetimes