It's hard to write about the work we are doing, the crisis we are facing without feeling like we are shouting into the wind. At this moment, we are all oversaturated with information and businesses and nonprofits begging (yes, begging) for support so their doors can stay open. The floor has fallen out from beneath us, and it seems like all we can do is hold our breath and wait.
The original post that I started, was 25 days ago on the topic of March being Women's History Month. I started it the day after Elizabeth Warren pulled out of the primaries. A day many women felt like they had been punched in the gut. And then COVID-19 brought the world to its knees. I have struggled. I am struggling, to find calm and comfort from our national leaders, state officials, or anyone that seems to know how to soothe a terrifying world. And, up until recently, I was coming up empty-handed. That was until Dr. Emily Landon took the microphone and spoke directly to our anxious spirits. She spoke like a real person. She was vulnerable and so very real. She showed her vast knowledge, without speaking down to the public. She is a leader in every sense of the world while homeschooling her young child. She made our collective concerns feel heard and validated. Being a woman in a highly visible leadership position can be unforgiving and relentless. There are many days I feel like I just can't win. That we risk everything if we come across too weak or too strong. We all walk a delicate tightrope of authority and compassion. All women know what I am talking about. So in the spirit of Women's History month, with one day left in March, I am celebrating women making history right now. Women that are brave and kind. Women that speak truth to power and have stopped caring if they are bossy (assertive), defensive (assertive), or too emotional (human). Senator Warren's words ring loud in my head, "Choose to fight only righteous fights, because when things get tough - and they will - you will know that there is only one option ahead of you; Nevertheless, you must persist". Is there a woman in your community or neighborhood that leads with integrity and compassion? Who embodies persistence and resilience? Call them out here in the comments. Tell the world why you admire them and why this world is better because they persist.
- Mary Ellen Ball
