Hope Rising

I know this is a scary time.  It’s scary because of the pandemic; the civil unrest; our rights being rolled back; and we’re waiting on SCOTUS.

And yet something tells me this is the year things change – for all of us.  For every time one of us cried about what they called us.  For every time we buried someone we didn’t have to bury except for hatred and injustice.  For every time one of us cried for a god to step in and stop it – it’s finally happening.  People around the world are standing up, demanding justice, and using this moment to guarantee it.

It’s really happening.  People from all over the world are protesting to end racism.  They are literally marching down roads, filling streets from sidewalk to sidewalk for MILES with people and every single one of them is there to end legalized racism and systemic injustice.

And in the middle of it all – a pandemic is raging.  Which means that protestors know and understand they may be laying down their lives to ensure that the legalized, systemic racism and injustice we have all been steeped in will end.  Take a moment to let that in.

Even when transgender healthcare and homeless shelter protections and rights were taken, they didn’t stop marching and demanding justice.  They just rolled us in – they marched for Black Trans Lives.  Protestors FILLED courtyards and made history.  I am filled with Hope.  Hope is rising in me and in the world.  We have come too far to be stopped.  There are miles to go before we rest.

We are living in a moment.  A magical, courage-filled moment.  A once in a life-time moment.  We must seize the day.  Keep standing up for justice.  Keep marching.  Create change in our laws; at our workplaces; at our schools; at our places of worship; contribute to the change; take the time to unravel the inner racism, the inner homophobia, the inner transphobia; be kind and firm and consistent; and register to vote.  We can ensure this change lasts and continues when we vote and press forward to change the laws which made unjust, criminal, dehumanizing behaviors acceptable in the first place.

This year vote like your lives depend on it – because they do.  Vote like your loved one’s lives depend on it.  Vote like you are a black king or queen.  Vote like you are a person of color. Vote like you are transgender.  Vote like you are married to your same sex partner and you want to adopt.  Vote like you are one of the millions of people incarcerated today – or that you may one day be incarcerated.  Vote like you are homeless while trans.  Vote like you are a child watching this moment praying the adults seize the moment and change the world.

Whatever you do – keep showing up.  We are seeing in vivid technicolor that one life matters.  Never forget that.  Cry your tears.  Say their names.  Dedicate your efforts to their memory.  Keep showing up – your life matters and it’s making a difference.