The Role of Patience in Activism

Here we are, in yet another chapter of this difficult time. We hope that this finds you

feeling okay sometimes, and practicing self-care in the many ways that you do. We also hope that you're getting chances to practice community care, in the ways that resonate with your values.

Our topic of the month is patience. And while my first (impatient) response to this topic is "No! This is not tie for patience - this is the time for ACTION," a more thoughtful response leaves some room to allow patience to inform the wisest actions (or inactions) possible.

It's patience that allows us to listen to voices that need to be heard. It's patience that enables us to sit with difficult emotions that come up when being with the truth. It's patience that helps us when we're trying to determine the most skilled action in any given moment.

So, yes, we do want to cultivate patience, to help our actions be driven not by reactivity, but compassion and wisdom.

We hope that the practices offered in our Unfold community will help you cultivate your patience as well as your determination to act. For some of us, self-care is the radical act of survival. For others of us, we may have capacity and social positioning and privilege that allows us to push into new learning, new awareness, new action. If you find yourself in that situation, please check out our programming on whiteness or the work of Michelle Cassandra Johnson, who is offering several workshops and retreats for dismantling racism and healing.

In any case, we are wishing you all our best, as you navigate today. You matter. You make a difference. Thank you for contributing, in your way, to our world.

Love,

E.B. and the Unfold team