As Gabrielle noted, as the social justice pendulum swings back, I’m asking myself and I’m asking you to think about how we show up in our work to advance justice — how to ground ourselves in truth, love and dignity even in the face of hate, meanness, or misunderstanding that works to distract us and diminish our hope.
Like many of you, I’ve stood on these steps more times than I can remember advocating for basic human rights, justice and dignity. I ask myself how many times do I need to show up on these stairs and in that building before people will show compassion and acknowledge that we live in a world of plenty instead of buying into the myth of scarcity and competition that only benefits the few instead of the many? There is enough to go around and freedom cannot be achieved in a narrow landscape of fear, censorship, and cancellation.
Extremist forces and out of state money that have overtaken this building are trying to cancel and censor everything from what you read, who you love, what medical care you can get, how you access information, and how you live your life. They have used lies and propaganda to remove anyone in their way, including decent and reasonable people in office regardless of party, who disagree with them. They are trying to silence debate and discussion because they are afraid of the truth, and afraid that opening the world’s opportunities would somehow diminish their world instead of liberating it for everyone. So, I’ll continue to show up.
We know what we’re up against as the pendulum has taken a hard swing towards injustice and fascism, so I renew a commitment I made to my mother on her deathbed to keep showing up.
A little backstory and vulnerability…When my 82-year-old mother was dying from cancer, going through excruciating pain and relegated to a hospital, then hospice for weeks, she taught me something then that she was trying to teach me her whole life.
After weeks of caring for her, one night as she was lying in her bed after a grueling day of physical therapy, I broke down in frustration and exhaustion.
“Why is this happening to you? You have been such a caring person in your life. Always thinking of others! Always giving of yourself! A Christian woman, who didn’t drink or smoke. Why would this happen? Why you? It isn’t fair!” And my mother calmly and gently reached up and touched my arm; looked at me with those steely blue eyes and she said, “Melissa, god, reason, luck, have nothing to do with this now. Who I am right now and how I deal with it is what matters. It’s in my control how I choose to live these last days just like the ones before them.” Talk about a mic drop.
The weight of that simple truth rested securely on my shoulders, and I finally understood. Of all the people who would be justified in being angry or complaining or lashing out, my mother still chose to show up in peace. How she dealt with this challenge and who she was every moment mattered. And as an ally who supported her, I could also choose how I showed up by her side.
And no matter how dismal things are or how tired I feel, just like you, I won’t give up. We won’t give up. I will honor my mother and all the people who are facing oppression and injustice. I will intentionally choose my attitude and perspective. I will continue to show up.
- I will breathe deeply and feel my feet on mother earth.
- I will open my eyes to the beauty around me, feel it pulse through my veins, and draw strength from it.
- I will declutter my life so I can focus on what’s most important.
- I will find some peace each day and seek some stillness in a chaotic world.
- I will get more rest so I can show up with strength, thoughtfulness and peace.
- I will feel deeply and exercise empathy to connect with the souls that Gabrielle discussed just trying to make their way in the world.
And I invite you to do the same.
- Let’s commit that we will show up to listen, to learn, and to understand.
- We will commit to creating space around us to welcome differences and welcome debate.
- We will act in a way that invites people to seek us out and walk towards us freely.
And as the pendulum swings back, as my mother taught me, let us choose who we are, and how we treat each other…how we show up!
Let us cut through the darkness and change the sliver of hope Gabrielle mentioned to a beacon of light!