Hi everyone, if you’re free next week, March 4 to 6, please join me at the virtual Nonprofit Marketing Summit: Evolve, which is FREE. My session will be on March 5th at 11am Pacific Time, and is called “Nonprofits, Bans, and Burnout: Surviving in 2025 Without Losing Our Collective Minds (or Tax-Exempt Status).” It’s really more of a pep talk, but anticipate some cussing. Register here.
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When my younger son was two, I remember him one day sitting on the stairs, his tiny face cradled by his little hands, looking forlorn. I sat down a few steps below him to be at eye level. “Kiet,” I said, “are you ok? What’s wrong?” He shook his head solemnly. “I have no two wings,” he said. Apparently, he realized some animals had wings and could fly, and he didn’t, and it created some sort of toddler existential crisis.
The past month, a lot of us probably felt like Kiet did, helpless while watching our society collapse, wishing we had the power to do something about it (and sometimes, maybe, the opportunity to fly away from it all). It is easy to fall into a sense of futility, thinking that nothing we do matters any more.
However, when things are toughest is when our everyday actions matter the most. These simple things we do to support one another, build community, and protect what’s good in the world, are just as important as the major actions. I asked colleagues (Feb 19th post) to list some tangible actions we can all take that make a difference. Below are a few of them, in no particular order, mildly edited for typos and length. Reading through the 450 comments I received was very heartening, thank you. Apologies for not including everyone and not crediting who said what (people and orgs named on this blog have gotten attacked in the past):
For everyone reading, don’t be overwhelmed by this list. You can’t do everything. Try your best to do a few things when you can:
- “Dramatically reduce spending. I’m only spending money on necessities and only at BIPOC and/or LGBTQ+ local businesses in my rural area. I grocery shop at the Mexican grocery. Buy eggs from a neighbor who happens to be a member of the LGBTQ community. I’m having the heater core in my car changed out by a Mexican American owned mechanic. I have yet to figure out the gas piece beyond dramatically reducing my driving – taking transit, carpooling with friends, walking, grouping trips.” This Friday February 28 is an economic blackout, so try to spend nothing.
- “Boycott business that have scratched DEI focus.” Some of them are Amazon, Ford, Lowe’s, Target, McDonald’s, Walmart, Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, Disney. Here is a list of more. Email and let them know your reason.
- “Go to local school board meetings in visible gear that supports queer and trans students. Volunteer at our neighborhood foodbank. Frequent POC and woman-owned businesses. Check on the senior citizens on my block once a week. Help folks safety plan who may need access to an international border and be with people who know how to cross and are passable. We realized we have space in our home, time, and (in relativity) money. Trying to focus on directly helping people we know who are impacted by federal cuts – either employees or services. Those who are terrified.”
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Read full article here.
