It's Your Turn To Lead The Community
It's amazing how many nights Elise and I get home, and we ask the other, "Did you see what happened today?" The other usually replies, "Oh god, what now?"
In fact, we're so ready to be shocked anew that when one of us, while looking at our phone, says, "Oh wow!", the other just assumes it's something further diminishing the dignity and wellbeing of the greater community - even when it's just us reacting to a video of two lynx screaming at each other.
It's easy to be cynical right now. Just today I was reading something a few years old and I thought, "well I'd like to see what you have to say now!" And I'm sure there are people who have wondered the same about things I've insisted upon over the years.
But in the midst of the genuinely, materially terrible news regarding dignity and wellbeing for all, there are reasons to dare to hope.
Perhaps the greatest consolation we can draw from the last couple years of political cowardice on the part of many elected officials at the national level, is the large number of people newly claiming their place as leaders for dignity and wellbeing.
We've seen college students mobilize their privilege on behalf of causes they previously thought were too big or too scary to take on. We've seen high school students press for action that their parents and grandparents have failed to meaningfully act upon for decades.
We've seen people of color renew and recreate their commitment to the struggle for justice that is part of their heritage, ensuring that this legacy continues without pause or lull. And white allies, in greater numbers than ever, continue to explore what it means to stand and act in solidarity, undo privilege where possible, and mobilize their advantages for the cause of equity and justice.
Our queer and transgendered communities continue to lead the way in challenging the current dominance of binary thinking and language around gender and the rights of humans. And a diverse group of women continue, with ever growing numbers and vitality, to reshape the power structures and deliberative practices of a country still trying to throw off the chains of patriarchy.
There are reasons for hope. And, there is room for more leadership.
When you work for dignity and wellbeing for all, leadership is not a zero-sum game. In other words, if you read about the leaders I've just named, and see yourself outside those efforts - you need not be excluded!
Claiming your leadership for dignity and wellbeing is as simple as committing to act toward it's emergence. Community leadership is not about divine appointment (although there are wonderfully fun conversations to be had on that topic!). It's about taking your turn to act with integrity toward the values you aspire to. It's about having the audacity to believe in a better way of life together, and being humble enough to pursue the wisdom of the community in order to make that better way the reality of tomorrow.
The challenge to those who are not yet acting, is to move from spectator or sympathizer, to actor. The promise to those who accept that challenge, is that we who are also trying to answer it, will journey with you.
We who would not describe ourselves as new to this journey have confidence in the possibility of change for at least one simple, yet profound reason. We have changed. We have grown and learned and leapt. And in the struggle for dignity and wellbeing, each change matters.
So take a step, and become the leader your community needs. It's your turn to lead.
How have you changed in your journey in community? What leadership have you claimed, and what leadership awaits your action? Where is your community and who will accompany you? Who will you accompany?