Engagement is hard

Over 100 days in. I realize we have a long way to go in this administration if it goes full term. Although that sounds similar to pregnancy this would be far from it. Rather this is a cancer, growing and growing, hoping that it can be removed, reduced, or destroyed via sheer will. But we know, the only way this cancer stops, is by our constant resistance.

Monday will be my activist group's 4th meeting. As per my experience in past activism, engagement is always key. It is also the hardest. Easy to be mad, easy to be disgruntled, hard to keep people showing up, marching, writing letters, making phone calls, not forgetting. Change is slow. Too slow for most. This is the first of many instances where as a activist leader you have to think about how to keep people showing up. How to make sure they feel like they can make a difference and that it is worth it to stay invested. Pep talks can be great, but they need more behind them. People need wins, they need reasons.

The ACA was successfully repealed by the House yesterday. That doesn't really mean anything. The bill is DOA in the Senate. But to those who are tip toeing into activism it feels like a loss. It is not. It is showmanship and was passed to try and make the Asshole in Chief look good. Whatever bill the Senate comes up with will be different and most likely won't be as damaging. Long story short, this feels like one more of an ongoing cascade of losses to the left.

How do I march? How do I keep inspiring my fellow activists to march? For me it is about empathy. I need to empathize that they have busy lives, that they are overwhelmed and scared and not sure what to do. For me it is asking for one action, a day, a week, whatever they can give. It is me asking them to stay in the fight, by whatever amount they can give. Be it one day a month, I will take it. If they can find one day a week great. But ultimately, I have to keep them in, to whatever capacity I can. But, we have to remind them, that this fight isn't just for today. This fight is for tomorrow, it is for the next generation, it is for soul of our democracy. I don't think I am overstating this. We are on the cusp of a true Oligarchy with the proposed tax cuts and condensed wealth and power. We have to fight for our kids, our grandkids. This is how we stay focused. We are moms, we are daughters, we are sisters. We must stay in, by any means.