We cannot turn away from what is before us: a tense and divided America driving headlong into an important election season. This is a time when too often we look at fellow Americans as “the other” and condone violence as a solution. Violence is not a solution. Our neighbors are not others. We are in this together, and we must come through it together.
Think about that for a moment, please: We are in this together. Whatever you may think of someone you don’t agree with, they are here to stay and are part of this country and this community. The only way forward is together.
It is easy to despair. Some days it can feel like we are a single wave in an ocean of negativity. But what is an ocean if not a cascade of waves?
When someone raises their hand to be a Fellow, or volunteers at a local back-to-school drive, or continues their family heritage by competing at the Minnesota State Fair, they are engaging in the civic fabric of our communities. They are opening their doors and experiences to people beyond their immediate circle. They have agency to bridge these divides. These are all examples I have seen just in Move for America’s orbit in the last 3 days alone, and they give me hope.
Imagine what we could do if we all found ways to get out of our bubbles and into community.
Thanks to each of you who have chosen to be part of the Move for America network and continue to believe in our own agency to connect across differences. Let us choose hope, together.
Libby Stegger
Executive Director, Move for America
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