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Hey #Changemakers,
What a year it has been. I know that is said every year, but I feel like we haven’t allowed ourselves to truly reflect on JUST how much we have endured in such a short amount of time. That, or there was so much thrown at us that we just did not have the capacity to process what happened. Probably a mix of the two.
We’re seeing COVID tear communities to shreds. We’re shivering in our dark, waterless, powerless homes for days (and probably will have to again). We’re watching abortion rights be ripped straight from our hands. We’re living in a climate crisis and pretending it’s normal for it to be 84 degrees in December.
It doesn’t seem to stop. And, yet, the world refuses to. Everyone acts like nothing that bad is happening, and we should just continue with life normally. I feel like I’m back in a toxic relationship with someone who gaslights me again.
I’m tired. God, I’m so tired. And I’m done with pretending like I’m not.
Also, I’m not here to give you superficial self-care tips, or empty words of encouragement. This isn’t what this is. I wanted to share what I have found, in my experience, that has carried me through it all: everything is just *that* much easier when you have someone, or someones, to lean on and keep you grounded.
My time at Deeds has only further affirmed this. Yeah, it’s grim. But, it’s easy to navigate when the people you’re surrounded by are just as angry and passionate. Their words of encouragement and support have been a beacon of light when the state of the world seems dark. The women at Deeds have shown me that fighting for what is right is not worth giving up on, no matter how exhausting it may get.
As we bring in the new year, the last reflects that community is the biggest resource we have. Finding your people makes living through the unprecedented bearable.
Alysa Sides,
Digital Intern
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