Lately it feels like hope is slipping away.
But we just celebrated #Pride in the small conservative town of Taylor, Texas.
Hope is a stubborn thing.
But we just celebrated #Pride in the small conservative town of Taylor, Texas.
Hope is a stubborn thing.
Hope is hard to find right now.
Things are bad—especially here in Texas. Roe, Uvalde, and relentless attacks on trans kids, migrant families, and working Texans.
But #Pride shows us how to shine in the dark.
Things are bad—especially here in Texas. Roe, Uvalde, and relentless attacks on trans kids, migrant families, and working Texans.
But #Pride shows us how to shine in the dark.
#Pride started with a bloody riot.
Out of that pain, generations of organizers forged this month of hope for our LGBTQIA+ family.
It’s appropriate that its symbol is a rainbow because rainbows only come after storms.
Out of that pain, generations of organizers forged this month of hope for our LGBTQIA+ family.
It’s appropriate that its symbol is a rainbow because rainbows only come after storms.
More than 50 years after Stonewall, that rainbow finally appeared in the small town of Taylor, Texas.
After decades in the shadows, hundreds of people flooded Main Street with color and light.
This victory was won by local organizers who taught me a lot about hope…
After decades in the shadows, hundreds of people flooded Main Street with color and light.
This victory was won by local organizers who taught me a lot about hope…
1. Hope is local.
You can’t do much about our national situation, but you can do a lot about your local situation.
Local organizing allows us to build community, focus our efforts, & see the fruits of our labor. A more nourishing cycle than screaming at the TV + doom scrolling.
You can’t do much about our national situation, but you can do a lot about your local situation.
Local organizing allows us to build community, focus our efforts, & see the fruits of our labor. A more nourishing cycle than screaming at the TV + doom scrolling.
2. Hope is sustainable.
Making change in places like Taylor is difficult work. It’s easy to mirror the hate and violence we oppose.
But hope allows organizers to work with an open hand instead of a clenched fist.
Building power means building bridges. Hope makes that possible.
Making change in places like Taylor is difficult work. It’s easy to mirror the hate and violence we oppose.
But hope allows organizers to work with an open hand instead of a clenched fist.
Building power means building bridges. Hope makes that possible.
3. Hope is generational.
Our culture expects instant gratification, but good organizers play the long game.
The seeds we plant today may not bloom in our lifetime, but hope is living a larger story.
Those organizers in Taylor were carrying a torch.
Our culture expects instant gratification, but good organizers play the long game.
The seeds we plant today may not bloom in our lifetime, but hope is living a larger story.
Those organizers in Taylor were carrying a torch.
We hold the same torch. The one passed to us by our forebears.
We have to carry it through the night. The dark may seem scary, but it’s full of possibility.
In her book about hope, Rebecca Solnit writes: “The future is dark, with a darkness as much of the womb as the grave.”
We have to carry it through the night. The dark may seem scary, but it’s full of possibility.
In her book about hope, Rebecca Solnit writes: “The future is dark, with a darkness as much of the womb as the grave.”
In scripture, a rainbow is a promise that love—not violence—is the true power of the universe.
Hope is a stubborn faith in that promise.
The storm is still raging, but I just saw a rainbow on Main Street. 🌈
Hope is a stubborn faith in that promise.
The storm is still raging, but I just saw a rainbow on Main Street. 🌈
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