power and purpose in a mutating world
If you voted, phonebanked, textbanked, donated, marched, had those difficult conversations with family, helped register voters, shared resources, or showed up in whatever way you could… thank you. Thank you thank you thank you. No doubt this administration will be doling out more damage before January, but we did good, friends. A new day is [...]
Make It Personal Do you know any nonvoters or undecided voters? Times are tough and there are a lot of disenfranchised and overwhelmed humans out there. What if you told them about your personal stake in this election? From the trans military ban to the Justice Department’s attempt at legalizing LGBTQ discrimination in the workplace [...]
Vote. No matter how futile it all feels, we have to vote like our lives depend on it because our lives absolutely depend on it. Some states require you to be registered at least a month before the election. If you're not sure you're registered, check right now. If you're not sure you've got proper [...]
Remind yourself that you can’t save democracy. Sobering, depressing, I know. But let go of that burden (it's overwhelming you) and just do one small thing. Everyday. Donate. Mail postcards. Make calls. Make sure your friends are registered to vote. Your small thing inspires others to do their small thing inspiring others and others and [...]
We have to have a kind of optimism. One way or another I’ve been involved in movements from the time I was very, very young, and I can remember that my mother never failed to emphasize that as bad as things were in our segregated world, change was possible. That the world would change. I [...]
How lucky were we to have John Lewis in this world, showing up for disadvantaged people everywhere, making "good trouble" in the streets and in Congress for the duration of his life. He was among the original 13 Freedom Riders, the Black and white activists who challenged segregated interstate travel in the South in 1961. He [...]
In case you've got protest fatigue, in case you're questioning the impact this is all having, in case you're feeling overwhelmed - here's a growing list of reforms that are a direct result of what's happening right now. In other words: no protests, no reforms. It's crucial we carry this momentum into the election, especially [...]
I am writing this in my Santa Monica apartment. Right outside there are sirens blaring, scores of helicopters hovering overhead, two stores across the street that were just looted by roving criminals and a couple of structure fires a few blocks away. About an hour ago, there was a crowd of at least 300 peaceful [...]
Zion National Park in May of last year. We set up camp in the shadow of one of those glorious red rock monoliths with the rushing waters from a nearby (but unseen) river as our only soundtrack. That night the moon turned the whole valley silver and the sounds of the river seemed to amplify [...]
I grew up closeted in the backwoods of South Carolina in the 80’s and became interested in storytelling around 9 years old when my father would drive me into the sticks and drop me alone on the side of a dirt road with a rifle. From there I’d hike into the woods to find a [...]
