Hope isn’t a word I hear much these days. But I am hopeful about some things. During times of stress communities come together, as they always have. New and stronger relationships are built that extend beyond the moment.
It’s frightening to think about all of the changes that have occurred in recent years. And to witness the increasingly negative consequences of many of those changes that we are seeing now. It is no longer possible to deny the devastation of our environment and its global consequences.
Now, there are three things happening at once:
- The systems people depend on are failing.
- The tools we once used to repair those systems no longer work.
- Quiet but rapidly growing grassroots movements are forming, as local people come together to meet their community’s needs because the government can’t or won’t.
If you haven’t been fortunate enough to be directly involved in such grassroots communities, you’ve likely heard stories in the media or by word of mouth. These are the stories that give us hope, for ourselves and our communities.
To have hope you need to believe positive change can happen. Without hope, the change you want isn’t likely to occur. Hope is the driving force when obstacles appear. For many, hope comes from our faith.
Vision
To have hope you need a vision you are working towards. We all have only so much time and energy and the demands on both seem ever increasing. We have to protect ourselves and our resources. And we must also love our neighbors.
Quakers have a long history of building communities. Many of those tools and experiences are greatly needed now by the wider society in this country. Giving others hope is one of the most important things we can do at this time.
Recalibrate
None of us can know what it is that we don’t know until we have an experience or teacher that shows us that. I’m trying to share what I’ve learned.
But the point of this blog is there is some knowledge that can only be learned by direct experience.
That means face to face presence in oppressed communities. Repeatedly. Trust must be built, and that can take a long time. But will only happen by repeatedly showing up.
Recalibrate is the word that comes to me now. We are moving ever more deeply and rapidly into conditions of great change. This is a chance to recalibrate how we do justice work. A chance to change how we work for change.
- Can we radically practice the belief that there is that of God or the Spirit in every single child, woman and man?
- Can we wait expectantly for what might come from those who aren’t Quakers?
- Can we help center the voices of Black, Indigenous and other people of color?
- Can we avoid judging how messages are delivered?
- Can we listen for new language?
- Can we be like a child and absorb everything around us when we enter new spaces? This is our new school. Engage all of your senses.
- It’s a school where we learn by watching and being present. We should avoid adding to the burden of those who are oppressed by asking them to teach us. It is traumatizing to revisit these memories.
- Will we attend local gatherings of different communities and cultures?
- Building relationships requires many meetings and experiences together over extended time.
- Can we refrain from offering any suggestions until we have spent significant time with a given group?
- Can we be sensitive to the trauma communities and individuals have suffered, even before we understand what those traumas are and how they occurred?
- This is spiritually demanding work.
- This is spiritually rewarding work.
- This is the practical work of hope.
Next step
There are a growing number of people and groups coming together to do this work. The one I’m involved with is the Decolonial Repair Network (DRN). The DRN was established over two years ago for the purpose of helping with recalibration as discussed in this post. In this case, supporting the Great Plains Action Society’s work. Use the link to learn more and sign up to receive notices of the monthly Zoom meetings.
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