Carrying On

Even while Black History Month celebrates how far we have come, it also serves as a reminder that the work is not done. Progress is not promised, and the legacy is only carried forward if we step up to do our part and carry it forward. We cannot forget the before-times and the stories of triumph if the legacy of progress is to endure.

It is easy to get lulled into a sense of security – to believe things that have been a certain way for as long as we can remember will always remain the same. BUT – many among us remember darker times before progress was made. In our current political climate, we see a fight to roll our rights backward every day. 

Bans Off Our Bodies

If you want a timely example of how much is at stake should we become passive, look to the Supreme Court’s recent reversal of Roe v. Wade. For decades, women enjoyed the right to make medical decisions about their bodies, even as more conservative states were perennially chipping away at those rights and putting up as many roadblocks as they could legally get away with. Now, women have fewer rights than their mothers and grandmothers did before them.

I cannot begin to put into words my rage at this grievous and downright dangerous insult and attack on the entire female population of our nation. Already, we see the devastating consequences of what happens when the courts are empowered to override the opinions of medical professionals and the needs of women.

We cannot be passive, we cannot forget, we cannot roll over. History is on our side, and I must believe that the future will be as well – as long as we stay in the fight to safeguard our fundamental rights to bodily autonomy.

V-O-T-E

Another hard-won right that seems to be under attack is the sacred democratic access to the polls. Women, indigenous people, black people, and other marginalized groups have not always had the right to vote. It was a fight every time.

Since 2020, there has been a seemingly nonstop threat to our right to vote. Lawsuit after lawsuit – under the guise of ‘election integrity’ –  threaten to make voting more difficult, less accessible, and even unreliable depending on who can observe, count, or certify those votes.

We cannot forget those who marched, protested, and even risked incarceration to earn us the unalienable right. We cannot take it for granted – not today, not ever. And, we must keep our eyes open and remain vigilant to looming threats to upend a safe and fair elective process.

Trying To Do It All

Fighting for reproductive freedom, championing the right to vote, and canvassing for politicians who share your views. Can we really do it all while holding down our jobs, chasing our dreams, and making time for our families (and ourselves?) If you can do all of that, you’re a better woman than I am!

It’s hard to get the right balance between your personal life, professional responsibilities, and passion projects. There are only about 8 billion articles and books on the subject. For me, it all boils down to this: Yes, you can have it all. No, you cannot have it all right now. 

Demands on your time will fluctuate throughout the seasons and stages of your life. Moms with young children, for example, often have no time for anything other than work and caregiving (and sometimes those are the same thing!) Younger people have different needs, energy reserves, cash flows, and interests than those who may be happily retired.

My counsel is to conserve your strength and your efforts. Prioritize the things that matter most at this moment. And the rest will come when the time is right. Life is not a sprint – it truly is a marathon – and you’ll run through many mile markers along the way.

And Don’t Forget YOU

Amidst everything you want to accomplish and your drive to achieve, don’t let your own self-care get lost in the shuffle. We are no good to anyone if we find ourselves burned out with our energy stores depleted.

It is essential to carve out time for our health and wellness. Walk every day if you can. Keep a journal. Spend quality time with the people you love and trust. By ensuring that your needs are met, you ensure that you can carry on in all those other battles that lie ahead.

Making History

Why does this all matter now? History was already made by so many trailblazers who came before us. But the truth is, our children and children’s children will look back at 2024 someday – and what will they say? Will they see a generation that stood up and fought for those hard-won rights? Will they celebrate the heroes who ensured the freedoms they enjoy fearlessly in the future?

I sure hope so.