Justice For All of Us
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What a year it’s been. I don’t need to tell any of you reading this that it’s been one for the history books. From a devastating pandemic, unconscionable brutality against Black people, and terrifying wildfires to name a few. Plus hey, guess what, life doesn’t stop – the day-to-day keeps happening too.
While we all have experienced good even in the midst of these overwhelmingly difficult events, I think in my eyes there is one big ray of light that will come out of this miserable year. Perhaps more than any other time in my lifetime, the events of 2020 have opened our eyes to the reality of what life is like for the people around us. And I think that only leaves us with one choice. As Maya Angelou put it, “Now that I know better, I do better.”
The calls for justice that became ‘newsworthy’ this year also intersected with my personal progress. As she grows, we’ve thought a lot about the kind of world we want our daughter to live in. Even prior to 2020, justice was important to me. Starting in college and with the help of people more informed than me, I got involved in a variety of efforts. I participated in campaigns and fundraisers, tried to educate myself on inequality and shed light on issues I found compelling. But this year has shown me (and I think many of you) that being lukewarm is not enough. Good intentions and thoughts and prayers alone don’t enact change. I realize now that I cannot stomach anything less than fervent support and an active, intentional pursuit of justice and equity.
What to Expect
I’ll share another post perhaps with some further thoughts on how this all came together for me personally. But what I’d like to talk about here are some changes that are necessary. Changes to how I use my time, money, and efforts both personally and professionally. To that end, here’s what to expect going forward:
Pursuit of Justice
Specifically, I’m talking about justice for the abhorrent number of unarmed Black people killed not only this year but in (many, many) years past. Black lives matter. I will continue to share links and campaigns and donate my own money to support those seeking justice. I will also be particularly sensitive to how traumatic these events are for Black people (who cannot escape from this reality), and avoid sharing things that unnecessarily add to that trauma.
Pursuit of Equity and Equality
Every person, regardless of their race, gender, religion, ethnicity, sexuality, or origin, should be able to live a full and uninhibited life. I can’t summarize what that means but the UN’s Universal Declaration of Human Rights is a good place to start. I will again contribute my own resources to organizations and individuals who are fighting for these rights.
Focus on Representation
An important contribution to those first two items is making sure that people who are statistically and culturally ‘othered’ are represented in roles they have historically been denied. I mean everything – books, movies, businesses, music, you name it. I’m devoting time and money to centering, encouraging, and accepting the lives and stories of people who may be different from me.
So what does this look like here at Forever Growing Up? Well, first, check out the newly added JUSTICE tab at the top of the page. I have compiled resources to help educate, inform and encourage. The pursuit of these things is not just a one-and-done kind of deal. It’s important that we are intentional about addressing our own biases, beliefs and habits, and then move toward outward action. My changes and next steps might look different than yours, but taking those steps is important, whatever they look like.
Next, as I continue to integrate these goals into my personal lifestyle and mindset, that will also lead to integration here in the blog. Future posts and series have been adjusted to include more diverse recommendations and sources. This is all still a work in progress, so it’s worth saying that I’m not an expert. If you were looking for that, you’re probably on the wrong blog! But I appreciate your consideration as I try to know better and then do better – I’m sure I’ll make mistakes but the value is in making the effort and learning from those mistakes. I hope we can learn and grow together.
Let’s Work Together
I know we may not all be on the same page. This is a learning process and I respect that we all have experienced this year differently. I certainly can’t express the full complexity of my own life and experiences here in a few sentences on the blog. In the same sense, I can’t get a true picture of your life and experiences from Instagram, or your comments here, or really anything other than multiple genuine conversations over time. We may not have that luxury, so all I ask is that you come along with me on this journey. We can work together to make the world a place that’s safe and comfortable for all of us.
How are you? What’s the big takeaway you have from 2020 so far? I’d love to hear from you either here or on Instagram. Tell me about things you’ve learned or experiences you’ve had this year – whether hard stuff or happy moments. I know I’ve been MIA for a while, but I missed y’all! Fill me in on your updates wherever you’d like to chat.
