Dear John, I’m back from my sabbatical, and I’m returning to this work feeling excited, inspired, rested, and restored. There’s much to reflect on from my time away, but I want to highlight a conversation from my trip to South Africa, where I had the incredible opportunity to speak with Graça Machel – the Mozambican politician, humanitarian, and widow of Nelson Mandela. She shared an anecdote that’s been on my mind since, where she compared our values to the roots of a tree. You can cut off its limbs and its trunk, but as long as the roots are strong and continuing to be nourished underground, the tree will bloom again. At a time where it seems like our proverbial tree is being hacked apart piece by piece, it’s essential that we all find ways to feed our root system – to keep the roots of our democracy strong. This conversation and the trip as a whole was a timely reminder that, as we face a fight that’s shaking our country to its very foundation, there are many people and places that have faced their version of this fight before. And in all of these fights, women and gender-expansive people have been at the forefront of the efforts to keep the roots of democracy nourished, and center equity and justice for all. I’m glad to be back and ready to connect and be in community with you all, and I hope to see many of you next week at our Women of Vision Awards. In solidarity, |
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