Faith in Humanity

I don't know about you, but I'm still exhausted from the state of politics, the POS excuse of a leader our country has, and the state of violence, racism, and hatred in society.  Every day I log onto social media or read the news, I feel a bit depressed, angry, and defeated.  I don't want to ignore the work that needs to be done in the world because we have a long way to go, but I do want to take a moment to highlight some of the good in the world lately.

It is my hope you will read these stories and be inspired to keep fighting for what's right, spreading kindness, and building strength to keep speaking up against injustice.

Waffle House Hero

Black Men Arrested at Starbucks

Ryan Shazier

There are so many stories of inspiration lately.  From the students standing up against gun violence to the teachers who are fighting for the wages they deserve, there's a lot to feel empowered by.  Start small if you have to, but stay strong and keep looking for the good - it will inspire you to do more and believe that you can achieve big things if you just have the courage to try.

Ears Closed

Lately - everyone wants to talk, but nobody wants to listen.  For some reason, politics have become more divisive than ever.  It's seemingly very important to have two distinct categories of people - liberal and conservative.  

Instead of engaging in meaningful conversation - discussion even - we are at odds in a way that lends  itself to fierce battle.  If someone disagrees with you, there's a heated back and forth until someone finally gives up, shoots a hateful retort and leaves the conversation.  Ultimately this leads to one person accusing the other of being unable to accept anyone who isn't like them.  and the other person accusing that first person of being hateful and ignorant.  And so the cycle continues.

Some things we all need to understand to create an environment conducive to change:

1. There is ONE side here, it's humanity.  We all live here, we all have to find a way to make it work or shit's about to get really unsafe for us all.  
2. We all have to give up some pride and be willing to truly listen and be open to a middle ground
3. Not one person EVER needs to accept hate, ignorance, or bigotry into their world.  If you are engaging with someone who simply does not understand they are speaking from a place of privilege, racism, sexism - remove yourself from that situation.  That's not refusing to accept a different opinion, that's refusing to accept we have to continue the cycle we are currently in.
4. Time is up.  We don't have anymore time to keep fighting each other.  Compromises have to be made and action has to be taken. NOW

I'm going to keep it 100 - I threw up in my purse hungover less than six months ago, so relying on me for all of the answers, that's probably not how we should save the world.  But I think we can look to me for some guidance on how to start engaging in a better way.  And even if we can't, I'm going to try.

1. Communicate: Talk with others, not to them.  It's respectable to stand by your opinion, but sometimes it's important to understand when your opinion isn't relevant, respectful, or productive.  Stop already crafting a response to someone's opinion before you've even heard what they have to say.  Everyone wants to peak but nobody wants to listen.  For example.  Gun policy.  I don't really care if you think we need them or should ban them all - we have to all understand what we have right now is not working.  So let's all be open to finding out what will work, getting research and facts around that and then committing to something that works.  
2. Educate: Everyone is an expert.  Everyone has facts.  Realistically, we are all probably mostly wrong or relying on the wrong sources.  Educate yourself.  Find legitimate sources for your news and facts.  To be very clear, there is no doubt Fox News is incredibly bias so lets all stop kidding ourselves there.  Understand where studies are funded when you quote their facts.
3. Equality: At the end of the day, everyone is deserving of equality so if that's not something you're willing to accept or engage with, you've got to understand we are leaving you behind in this discussion.  If you accept racism, sexism, hate, bigotry as existing in your world - if you refuse to acknowledge we have a problem with privilege and racism - we have to drop you off here because the future deserve better.

I see a lot of people in the world engaging with other people in the ugliest way.  I've been accused of being hateful and not open to other opinions myself - and while that's extremely misguided (and often from the people who don't understand racism or privilege) - I think it would be ignorant of me not to pause and review what I say when that does occur.  Not one of us is perfect, and we all have moments that we get too heated.  So if you have the opportunity to reflect and improve - do so - if only to help produce a more efficient future.  And ultimately, if you find yourself engaging with someone who truly isn't open to change - its important for your sanity - and for the sake of productivity - to simply wish them well and remove them from your world.  There's enough well meaning people out there - on both "sides" that we can create a better future for ourselves and generations to come.

Actively Exhausted

When it comes to being active in social responsibility, I am certainly not quiet.  I have been very vocal regarding my beliefs and actions.  I believe it is our responsibility as humans to speak up. Recently, I've felt exhausted.  Every time I sit down to type a blog about women's rights, racial equality, healthcare - whatever it may be - I feel too drained to get anything on the page.

I have so much passion inside me for human rights and social policy and yet lately - I can't find the emotional capacity to write about it, let alone talk about it.  I want people to understand the importance of #MeToo (or really understand it at all for some of you who think its only about sexual harassment).  I want people to get the value of taking a knee and use the conversation to take action.  I need for women's bodies to be under our own control and for the rest of the world to realize how wrong it is to have any control over my reproductive system.  And at the same time - I need a break from all of this.

I don't want to hear how privileged I am to be able to shut my eyes and cover my ears from the world - even if for only 5 minutes.  I know that I am lucky that I don't live every second of the horrifying world some people do as a result of hate, ignorance - or just plain shitty policy.  Someone else will always have it worse than I do.  It's simply how the world turns.  We are all better off and worse off than someone else out there.

I digress - I. Am. EXHAUSTED.  And I started thinking - if I'm exhausted, there are probably a lot of other people out there feeling the same way.  I don't know how else to explain to other people that they should care about other people.  I don't know how to look someone in the eye and challenge them to consider we need to work together or none of us will make it.  I just don't know how else to fight for what's right.

Unlike my other blogs - I don't have a solution.  I don't have steps to make this better.  I want to hear from YOU.  How do you keep up the energy, the fire, and the fight?  I am not ignorant, I am aware that I have a very small impact on this thing.  But I also know if I give up, someone else is thinking of giving up, and pretty soon - the movement ends.  The people who don't care, win.  And everyone ultimately loses.  

So what do you do?  How do you re-energize your passions?  Let me know sequins, I want to keep doing my part and I want to prevent this burnout for the future.  Help a sister out!

Action

Being passionate about the world is where it starts.  Standing up as an open supporter of a movement is brave.  But where the real change starts is with action.  I'm as passionate as they come when it comes to the hate, racism, sexism, bigotry (etc. etc.) that's going on right now.  But what am I, what are WE doing to change the way the world is?

On social media we are all very active in spreading the word, and that's great to open up the dialogue, but now we need to act on those words.  In that vain I'd like to provide you with some outlets to DO.

1.   Write a Check

Pick your favorite cause, your passion project, and put your money where your mouth is.  Research which organizations are out there putting their legal, political, and celebrity influences in the world to effect real change.  Give whatever you can, it adds up.  

2. Give Time

We don't all have the funds to make donations.  Give time.  Are you a doctor?  A lawyer?  Someone with a special skill that can provide real assistance?  Find an organization that needs these talents and give an hour, give two hours, give a day.  Aren't equipped to save lives?  Neither am I!  But I can plan events for charities for FREE.  I can help brand their campaigns.  I can also simply pitch in and do the grunt work.

3.  Be Active in Your Activism

This one is SO easy.  Call, write, TWEET your local elected officials.  Let them know what you want to see in place.  These people work for US and if they stop listening to us, they lose their jobs.  But this only happens if people are doing their part to be heard. 

4. Be a Good Human

This is the easiest one.  Simply be kind.  Get outside and talk to the people around you.  Become informed about their lives and their struggles and triumphs.  Honk less.  Hold the door open more.  Smile everywhere you go. We are ALL fighting different battles.  We are ALL important.  But the more we hide behind social media, the less we come together and understand what those battles are and the less we value anyone else.  

5. Show Up

Every day there are marches and rallies and open forums.  Show up.  Be present for yourself and for others.  

6. Educate Yourself

This is huge.  There is so much information out there.  A lot of it unfortunately just isn't real.  Do yourself a favor and do the research - have real facts on what you're passionate about.  Speak from an informed place when you talk to others about these issues.  Don't fall victim to the crap you see out there.  Misinformation is 98% of our problem right now.  

There are so many other ways to ACT, DO, and EFFECT CHANGE!  The point is, don't think that simply talking about it on social media is making you a productive member of the movement for change.  We can talk at each other all day long, but until the masses decide to DO, we won't see any real change in America.  You have to decide if its important enough to you to make a difference.