We Shall Overcome: Marching Into Justice

"... If you want to say that I was a drum major, say I was a drum major for justice; say that I was a drum major for peace; I was a drum major for righteousness..."

MLK Jr (from "The Drum Major Instinct" sermon)

For so many of us this is a challenging historical moment:

• War in Ukraine and what the world's response says about who we care about, who we welcome refugees from, which wars "matter" to us.
• Legalized harm against our trans siblings in TX where who they truly are inside is being criminalized, and neighbors are being asked to turn in neighbors.  
• Legalized harm against all children in FL where asking questions and having conversations about the world are being forbidden.

I am glad that I chose to work through the book "30-day journey with Martin Luther King Jr." as part of one of my Black History Month practices. I found many of the devotions really spoke to me especially in this moment and especially as this month unfolded on the national and international stage. 

It was helpful to get wisdom from someone who has been here before, who has stood in the middle of challenging historical moments and still found the presence of mind to keep going. To not let the challenges destroy them. Leaning on MLK Jr.'s faith was meaningful for me.

I am grateful for all those who have gone before, who have stood where we are standing, who have seen what we have seen, who have felt what we have felt. Knowing we are not alone can make a big difference as we continue to be drum majors for peace, justice, and righteousness.

In this historical moment all I can say is we need to make sure that we are taking care of ourselves so that we can be drum majors for what matters to us. Being a drum major is a long and hard job. We need to fuel ourselves if we want to be in the march for the long haul. 

Personally February tends to always feel like a long month to me so this year I committed to a self care practice for the month. I ended up doing a #carechronical on social media (Instagram and Facebook) where I shared one thing I did for #selfcare #selflove each day in February. This was based on a #carechronical that Wentworth Miller used to do on social media.

I found it to be a success. 

• Not only did February keep moving but I feel like I was regularly being encouraged which helped me start to emotionally process Ukraine, TX, and FL.
• Some big to me names and sites liked posts they were tagged in and I feel I made connections with others who also are working towards selfcare and selflove.
• Overall I felt more in control of those things I had control over and found i was better able to handle the normal challenges that occur. 

My plan is to continue my #carechronical with a few modifications. I hope to continue to feed myself so I can vibe at the right frequency and be able to continue to be a drum major for what is right for Ukraine, TX, FL et al.