words of hope
i am scared too; join me and take what you need
We do not need to go over what happened at and alongside the inauguration. We all know what happened, what was said and done. Instead, here are some words that I have found helpful in times where I have felt so powerless and helpless as the world continues to fracture and become even more dangerous.
Affirmations
No matter who is in power, I am committed to working towards equality, liberation and representation.
I will hold on to hope for the generations that come after me.
I can be hugely impactful through small actions every day in my community.
I can feel two conflicting emotions at once. I can be angry and full of grief and still hopeful, motivated and powerful.
I will take this resistance one day at a time.
I have the power to make someone’s day better through how I choose to act.
My anxiety and fear are part of my resistance.
Taking time away from checking the news is good for me and does not mean I am uncaring or disengaged. It means I am taking care of myself so I can continue doing what is important to me.
My joy is a weapon.
My voice matters.
I believe in the power of my community to advocate for change.
I will choose hope. Every time.
Quotes
“Sometimes the most healing thing we can do is to remind ourselves over and over and over—other people feel this too.” - Andrea Gibson
“Joy is an act of resistance.” - Toi Derricotte
“When I dare to be powerful, to use my strength in the service of my vision, then it becomes less and less important whether I am afraid.” - Audre Lorde
“All I know of hate is that it will never beat the love out of me.” - Andrea Gibson
“Each time a man stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope.” - Robert F Kennedy
“Remember that hope is a powerful weapon even when all else is lost.” - Nelson Mandala
“It’s the action, not the fruit of the action, that’s important. You have to do the right thing. It may not be in your power, may not be in your time, that there’ll be any fruit. But that doesn’t mean you stop doing the right thing. You may never know what results come from your action. But if you do nothing, there will be no result.”- Mahatma Gandhi
“If we have nothing but each other we have so much” - Andrea Gibson
“There may be times when we are powerless to prevent injustice, but there must never be a time when we fail to protest.” - Elie Wiesel
“…We are living in times that will demand courage. When people ask me how do I draw hope, how do I stay encouraged, how do I continue to show up? The answer is that I look back. I look back and I look at how my existence here today is owed entirely to the courage of people who came before me. And so, what do I owe myself in that moment and to those who come after me? To exercise courage in this moment.” - Bree Newsome Bass
“When you make a choice, you change the future.” - Deepak Chopra
“To be hopeful in bad times is not just foolishly romantic. It is based on the fact that human history is a history not only of cruelty, but also of compassion, sacrifice, courage, kindness. What we choose to emphasize in this complex history will determine our lives. If we see only the worst, it destroys our capacity to do something. If we remember those times and places—and there are so many—where people have behaved magnificently, this gives us the energy to act, and at least the possibility of sending this spinning top of a world in a different direction. And if we do act, in however small a way, we don’t have to wait for some grand utopian future. The future is an infinite succession of presents, and to live now as we think human beings should live, in defiance of all that is bad around us, is itself a marvellous victory.” - Howard Zinn
“Everyone knows what you’re against. Show them what you’re for.” - Andrea Gibson
Poetry
And, finally
This video, which I have watched many times and will watch again and again and again.
This is what she says:
Now, just in case there was any confusion: yes, he did what he did. Yes, you all saw what you saw. Yes, he said what he said. Yes, this is really happening. Yes, this was preventable. Yes, we will resist. Yes, we will go on. No, this will not consume us. Yes, we still find joy. No, they can’t have it. Do you understand what I’m saying? I need everybody to stay focused.
I love you and I’m sorry and I am scared too. Please will you hold my hand and maybe we can be brave and scared together 🫶