How can we stay focused on change when the roadblocks feel insurmountable?
A devastating attack on democracy
At Javelina, our purpose is to advance equality and human dignity through social, political, and economic change. These were carefully chosen words, and they mean something to each one of us. We take these words seriously and try to make every decision through their framework.
Over this past summer, as protests for murdered Black Americans like Breonna Taylor and George Floyd enveloped the nation, we wrote in this blog, “never before has our purpose seemed more urgent, or more distant. Never before have we held a deeper commitment to realizing the vision.”
Throughout 2020, we felt that urgency and gravity time and time again. Only six days into the new year, we saw blood spilled at the United States Capitol as a right-wing insurrectionist mob laid siege to the building, in an attempt to prevent the Congress from certifying President-Elect Joe Biden’s victory last November. We saw the Confederate flag waving outside the chambers of the Senate.
Once again, our vision for a kind and equitable world feels far out of reach.
So, what now?
The culture and division that led to this week’s events won’t change overnight. The roots and causes behind today’s painful reality have a long, complex and intertwined history and the solutions are neither clear nor simple. As a community, we have a lot of work to do.
But never forget: You can make change.
Creating an impact in the world doesn’t mean you have to know the whole path forward, or even the next step. We know that there will be more failures and sufferings. That there will be future devastations and setbacks.
Creating an impact in the world starts with never losing sight of or belief in your vision for how the world should be, regardless of how hopeless things look in the here and now.
When all seems lost, connect with your community. You are surrounded by people who care as deeply as you do and are ready to work with you to create change. Simply reaching out to someone else to see how they are is a radical act of world-changing kindness that has a rippling impact that far outlasts the original human connection. We so easily underestimate the power of community connection and caring.
Forging forward together
The only way we’ll see a better future is together – with a radical alignment between our values, our visions, and our day-to-day work. No matter how many historic, horrible days we experience, we will march through them and keep working.
That’s our promise to you, and that’s our invitation: you can make real change. Start with your vision, work according to your values, find your people, and don’t let anything stop you. We’ll be right alongside you.