Some of us were born to be lawyers and use logic to argue the facts. Others were made for the arts, expressive and deeply empathetic. Whatever your calling or natural talents, remember you’re needed in the struggle. Each of us holds the key to unlocking a future of transformative justice. So don’t worry about what everyone else is doing, play the hand you’ve been dealt.
When such a large-scale disaster like this happens, it’s easy to feel helpless, especially when you’re miles away. But no matter where you are in the country, there’s a way for all of us to come together and help.
In times of crisis, any action, big or small, is making a difference.
If you’re not sure where to start, I’ve gathered some resources from my community that have been helpful to me and I hope will help you begin to navigate how to take action.
In Solidarity,
Jess
If you’re not in Texas, donate:
Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner established the Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund through the Greater Houston Community Foundation which accepts tax deductible donations for flood relief victims.
Driscoll Children’s Hospital is directly in the path of Hurricane Harvey. Thankfully, many patients have been transported out to other hospitals, but they are anticipating damage to the facility. Make an online donation at www.driscollchildrens.org to help with repairs.
Support the homeless community in Houston by making a donation to the Coalition for the Homeless of Houston/Harris County.
Make a donation to Houston Helping Hands. You can donate money to the organization, or food, clothing, and furniture for families in need.
If you’re local:
Airbnb is offering free housing to evacuees who check in between August 23 and September 1. Give (1-855-424-7262) a call to set up your home as a listing.
Drop off non-perishable food, bleach, and paper towels to Feeding Texas, which is coordinating with local food banks on distributing food and cleaning supplies.
Head over to southtexasblood.org or call 210-731-5590 to schedule an appointment to donate blood.
Visit texasdiaperbank.org to donate cash or diapers and designate your donation for Disaster Relief.
What other resources am I missing? Comment with additional resources you’ve come across to keep the conversation going!
When practicing self-care, getting rid of negative self-talk is one of the first steps. Don’t insult yourself. It’s counter productive. In this way, self-care and the fight for justice align greatly. When speaking truth to power, it doesn’t help if you listen to the cynical inner voice telling you there’s no hope. Don’t allow nagging self-doubt to zap you of your power or agency. Quiet the negative talk so you can focus on positive change.
Social media is a fantastic tool for the modern age, but studies have shown too much can lead to unhealthy thoughts and attitudes about our lives. So this week instead of posting another killer selfie or hilarious meme, take a moment just for you. Write yourself a letter. With a little introspection, you can write what a younger version of you needed to hear. Or you can treat your future self to a nice moment by sending yourself a silly message to discover later. Either way you’ll be sure to benefit from your own words.
IMAGE: ZACH GIBSON/AFP/GETTY IMAGES
As a storyteller, I have always loved finding the right words to describe a moment. But last weekend’s events in Charlottesville, Virginia, left me speechless.
This was an ugly act of hate, a moment both heartbreaking and enraging, and a painful reminder of the current reality in our country.
And there is no longer space for neutrality or silence.
That’s why I have compiled a list of resources below from social media and my community that I hope will help spark conversation, serve as a guide for taking action, and encourage you to continue to seek out resources beyond this list.
In solidarity,
Jess
When we know better, we do better. Take a minute to educate yourself on this weekend’s events:
A breakdown of everything that has happened in Charlottesville in the last 3 days, via Buzzfeed
Some Background on Those Violent White Supremacist ‘Unite the Right’ Actions in Charlottesville, via Colorlines
Male Terrorists Are an Issue We Should Discuss, via Teen Vogue
What’s next? Here are some immediate next steps for taking action and showing solidarity:
Find a protest TODAY in your area
Support black students returning to UVA next week
Donate to the Charlottesville Black Lives Matter chapter
Tips to fight racism every day, via Refinery29
Find an event in your area and stand in solidarity with Charlottesville, via Indivisible
Tell news media to stop doing PR for white nationalists in Charlottesville, via Color of Change
Remember Charlottesville victim, Heather Heyer, with words from her mother, via HuffPo
Here is some food for thought on allyship. We cannot stay silent any longer:
The Scientific Case that America is Becoming More Prejudiced, via Vox
After Charlottesville, White People Cannot Avoid Conversations About White Supremacy, via Mic
White Women, Stop Pretending We Don’t Benefit From White Supremacy, via Allure
Did I miss any important resources? Please reach out to me on social media so I can continue to learn and share tools with my community.
It’s not just your golf swing that requires follow through. There’s no greater feeling (okay I may be overstating it, but it’s certainly a REALLY GOOD feeling) than to check something off a to do list. It can be big or small, but marking down our achievements is key to continuing self-care. So make sure you not only follow through on a task, but check it off your list, and celebrate your accomplishment.
There are times when I’m feeling overwhelmed when I need to just get up and move. For these moments, I like to go on nice walks to clear my head. It gets the blood flowing, and calms my mind. Next time you feel stressed, step away from your desk, put down your phone, and take a walk. You’ll find with every step you’ll get a little closer to discovering where you need to be going.
We have an inner warrior inside of us.
When was the last time you said hello?
It’s that part of us that speaks to us about challenging the status quo, fighting against our own complacency and recognizing injustice. It’s in nurturing our inner warrior that we can find that courage to be more of ourselves, stand up for ourselves, and weather the tougher elements of our self-discovery journeys.
We can often be scared of that inner warrior. Afraid to let her out. Because the world may want us to be quiet, complacent and invisible. But our inner warrior is anything but.
To live an empowered life we have to engage that part of ourselves, take creative risks and build up our emotional arsenal of weapons to help us cope with consciousness and clarity.
The inner warrior demands dedication. A deep practice of radical self-care.
Stop accepting less than you deserve in relationships. Assert yourself when it comes to things you want and know you deserve. Each time you exercise your right to protect yourself, your inner warrior grows stronger.
When we validate our own worth we will begin to feel more deserving of love and less tolerant of anything that comes to you on a lower vibration. Our inner warrior is here to help us endure the journey along this long but noble path of self-discovery.
Say hello to her now.
Any amount of negativity can weigh you down. Don’t hold on to it – let it all go. Refocus your energy and check-in with your self to stay on track. Let go of the negative, take on change while continuing to dream and focus. Release what’s no longer needed, focus on the now and recharge yourself from within.
Exercise releases feel good endorphins—that’s science. But sometimes getting to those endorphins can be a real pain. It doesn’t have to be that way though. When you find yourself stressed out and overworked, don’t beat yourself up. Instead, crank up your favorite tunes, and move to the beat! Forget about the number of reps, and just enjoy being in the moment with music.
