I'd like to share an antidote to that.
After the last week of violence and hatred, on Saturday, I was fortunate to be part of three or four events* that were a balm (in part) for all of it.
On Saturday morning, there was an event that celebrates our LatinX family, celebrating their art, their words, their dance, their food... it was a party open to all and attended by all sorts of people. Folks with disabilities, with different backgrounds, from different nations, with degrees of so-called "documentation..." they were honored, celebrated, revered, listened to, respected. They were the heroes of the day and it was clear that they were not just role models and heroes for that day, but for every day. Day in and out, these creative givers are making our nation and our world a better place and there is no way to place a value on that.
Later that day, another friend from another culture was part of another event, another party, celebrating our neighbors from other parts of the world. Beautiful, graceful dancing, amazing music and songs played on instruments that many of us didn't grow up with, fantastic food and, again, all were welcome and all sorts of people came. There was power in that beloved community.
Finally, Saturday night, I took part in our church's monthly open mic coffee house that is, again, open to all, but we go out of our way to specifically make room for our friends living on the margins, living their lives sometimes with health and emotional concerns, living their lives with dignity, even when they may not have secure housing. And because it was an open mic coffee house, open to all, many of our guests performed, sharing music, stories, poetry, oftentimes made all the more powerful because of all that they are dealing with.
There was power and empowerment, respect, love, grace, and ALL were welcome.
At all of these events (and more that regularly lead up to such events), ALL were welcome, ALL were celebrated and honored and respected as the deeply valued, deeply loved members of our community that we all are.
It is through these efforts of love, support, respect and deep welcome that we begin our efforts to restore our nation and our world to a more loving place, where human rights and human dignity are the starting point and just assumed.
I can't thank enough those who work, plan, sponsor and build communities of welcome and love. It IS a deliberate effort that requires work, but it is a work of love and life and we need this work.
Thanks for the healing that the literally hundreds of people on Saturday gave to me and to our world. May their numbers increase! Let's do it again, today. And tomorrow.
* NOTE: I said, "three or four," but there were countless smaller actions on Saturday and in the weeks and years leading up to days like last Saturday. It's an ongoing effort and I'd really love to share the stories of so many of the many smaller parts and actions that make up such series of events. But work calls...
