Persistence
Persistence is the sibling of resistance. When it comes to pushing back against injustice, we need to take a long view. Change can come -- I'll have more to say about that in my next post -- but it can, and usually will, be incremental. We must be prepared to resist for as long as it takes to achieve real change.
Our mentors knew this. The Montgomery Bus Boycott lasted for over a year. John Lewis did not make it across the Edmund Pettus Bridge on his first try. On the night before he was assassinated, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., told his gathered followers, "I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight that we, as a people, will get to the Promised Land." Today, Montgomery busses are integrated, and all are free to cross the Edmund Pettus Bridge; at his death this summer, Congressman Lewis's coffin was respectfully carried over the bridge in tribute to him.
The Promised Land? We are still waiting for that. And we must continue our resistance until we get there.
Persistence reflects many things: faith, hope, determination, motivation, commitment, patience, tenacity, and energy, for starters. Persistence is our capacity to keep going, to keep trying, when we are tired or discouraged, and even when we feel like quitting. When we persist, we are undaunted by opposition, unshaken by criticism, and unmoved by rejection. Persistence is a form of resilience.
We are all weary. The pandemic goes on; police continue to kill unarmed Blacks; peaceful protests are coopted by those bent on violent provocation; protestors are killed in the streets; devastating hurricanes and unprecedented wildfires claim lives and destroy homes and communities; our democratic institutions are under attack, or seem to have been hijacked altogether; our government leadership fails us; and we are approaching an election that may be the most consequential in our nation's history. And yet. This is a time to persist. We cannot lose heart now.
So what can we do to increase our ability to persist? Some of us were born with a strong urge toward persistence. But what about the rest of us? What could help us now? I suggest that we harness gratitude and memory to help us persevere.
For myself, I am grateful to the leaders who have gone before us: to Rosa Parks, Fannie Lou Hamer, James Baldwin, John Lewis, Dr. King, and so many others. They paved the way for our efforts now. I am grateful to Colin Kaepernick, Rev. Dr. Otis Moss, III, LeBron James, Emmanuel Acho, Rev. Dr. William J. Barber II, Shane Claiborne, Dr. Ibram X. Kendi, Dr. Robin DiAngelo, Colson Whitehead, and all those who lead us today. Their persistence inspires and motivates me. My gratitude to them helps me to persist.
I also remember the desperate circumstances facing so many who resisted before us. Despite lynchings, physical violence, dogs, water cannons, and batons, so many brave souls persisted through Jim Crow and the Civil Rights Movement to lay the foundation upon which we build. And they achieved some successes, most notably the 1964 Civil Rights Act and the 1965 Voting Rights Act. Calling to mind their effort and successes helps me to keep going now. We can be the force that helps ensure passage of the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act. Here's a link to more information and a way to take action now.
You are not alone in your fatigue. If you or your loved ones are struggling with health or safety issues now, my heart is with you. We all need to do what it takes to care for our mental, physical, and emotional health. Sometimes that means we need a break. But when we have gathered our strength again, we need to keep pressing for change. We need to resist. And we need to persist in that. Our children, their children, and future generations are depending upon us.
We can do this.
Love,
Nancie/Mom/Mimi/Grandma
The Promised Land? We are still waiting for that. And we must continue our resistance until we get there.
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| Weekly neighborhood vigil, September 2 |
We are all weary. The pandemic goes on; police continue to kill unarmed Blacks; peaceful protests are coopted by those bent on violent provocation; protestors are killed in the streets; devastating hurricanes and unprecedented wildfires claim lives and destroy homes and communities; our democratic institutions are under attack, or seem to have been hijacked altogether; our government leadership fails us; and we are approaching an election that may be the most consequential in our nation's history. And yet. This is a time to persist. We cannot lose heart now.
So what can we do to increase our ability to persist? Some of us were born with a strong urge toward persistence. But what about the rest of us? What could help us now? I suggest that we harness gratitude and memory to help us persevere.
For myself, I am grateful to the leaders who have gone before us: to Rosa Parks, Fannie Lou Hamer, James Baldwin, John Lewis, Dr. King, and so many others. They paved the way for our efforts now. I am grateful to Colin Kaepernick, Rev. Dr. Otis Moss, III, LeBron James, Emmanuel Acho, Rev. Dr. William J. Barber II, Shane Claiborne, Dr. Ibram X. Kendi, Dr. Robin DiAngelo, Colson Whitehead, and all those who lead us today. Their persistence inspires and motivates me. My gratitude to them helps me to persist.
I also remember the desperate circumstances facing so many who resisted before us. Despite lynchings, physical violence, dogs, water cannons, and batons, so many brave souls persisted through Jim Crow and the Civil Rights Movement to lay the foundation upon which we build. And they achieved some successes, most notably the 1964 Civil Rights Act and the 1965 Voting Rights Act. Calling to mind their effort and successes helps me to keep going now. We can be the force that helps ensure passage of the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act. Here's a link to more information and a way to take action now.
You are not alone in your fatigue. If you or your loved ones are struggling with health or safety issues now, my heart is with you. We all need to do what it takes to care for our mental, physical, and emotional health. Sometimes that means we need a break. But when we have gathered our strength again, we need to keep pressing for change. We need to resist. And we need to persist in that. Our children, their children, and future generations are depending upon us.
We can do this.
Love,
Nancie/Mom/Mimi/Grandma
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