This week's blog comes from my dear friend Paula Fynboh--a gold-standard strategic organizer and one of the most thoughtful, compassionate people I've ever met. Paula has lived and worked internationally on issues that range from public health to human rights to gun violence prevention. She is currently the Vice President of Program Delivery and Sustainability for Sandy Hook Promise, an organization founded by family members of those lost in the Sandy Hook elementary school shooting, where she oversees groundbreaking violence prevention programming across the U.S. She lives in Washington, D.C. with her husband Robinson and her dog Oscar.
My thoughts on the Coronavirus
My sincere hope for humanity is that we take this experience to learn empathy and appreciation for:
Inclusion and compassion: Many people are living in fear right now about what this virus means for them and their families. Living in fear is nothing new for Immigrants and People of Color targeted by discrimination and racism everyday. How will we remember this and act from a place of inclusion once the coronavirus runs its course?
What isolation feels like: Many of people struggling with depression, anxiety, immune challenges, and our elderly live with isolation on a daily basis. How will we remember this and act accordingly going forward?
What scarcity looks like: Looking to buy eggs, meat, and fresh vegetables from the grocery store right now? This is a luxury people living in poverty still won't have once the coronavirus runs its course. How will this experience shape us and inspire us to act from a place of generosity and abundance in the future?
The value of public health, health and human services, and science and research. These are a cornerstone to a healthy and secure society and reductions in these programs is what "limited government" looks like. How will we bring this experience with us to the voting booth?
That true leadership seeks to accepts responsibility, provide answers and accurate information, inspires unity, and asks people to be their best selves during times of crisis. The absence of leadership breeds fears, hysteria, greed, and divides people. How will this experience inspire us be our own better angels?
Thank you, Paula, for helping us lift our eyes to look ahead and consider how we can make our world better by learning from this global moment.
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