The Optimism of Activism

It actually is HOPE - the sense that things could improve in the future - mixed with FURY, that inspires people to fight for progress, even when victory seems out of reach.” 

Jamil Zaki, Hope for Cynics

Moving into September 2025, it is hard to believe that only 9 months have passed, when sometimes in a week, so many unnerving things happen in the US that your head is swimming. Can ALL of this really have happened so quickly? It is easy to think that this is just inevitable. It’s hard not to feel overwhelmed, but that is the authoritarian playbook; they want us to feel overwhelmed and helpless and alone. DON’T give them power they don’t have. Don’t concede without a fight. Encourage others around you to stand up. If you know someone taking a stand, lend them your support. As things continue to escalate, it is more important than ever to get out and stay out and to connect with others who are doing the same. There are many opportunities out there, and any action you take will help, and it will also help you stay hopeful. We need Hope.

Hope is not a lottery ticket you can sit on the sofa and clutch, feeling lucky… It is an axe you break down doors with in an emergency. -- Rebecca Solnit