August 2023 Announcement

Just over six years ago, I asked the following question:

“Have you ever watched a flock of Canada geese migrating together across a clear blue sky?”

I wrote this in the early days of an administration bent on dividing our nation. For many, it was a time of constant vigilance, packed protests, financial boycotts, and expressing views through postcards and phone calls. Despite the enormous energy, many struggled with fatigue.

“All my life, I thought geese followed the leader at the tip of the V-formation,” I wrote in 2017. “But I learned recently that each goose takes a turn at leading. As the lead bird tires, she moves to the back of the flock to rest while another goose takes her place, then another.”

Taking turns in the lead allows geese to travel thousands of miles, through all kinds of weather. It’s not one goose. It’s all the geese taking turns. Nature’s wisdom applies to our journey toward a kind and equitable world: No single person can save a democracy in danger. It takes all of us. “Together, we draft on each others’ efforts, leadership, and guidance” to reach to the future we dream of.

As you well know, dear reader, the headlines and climate crisis are ever present. Our nation faces eroding rights and corruption at every level of government. The presidential election in two years will be like none other. The Checklist will continue to equip you with actions to address these and other issues of social justice and democracy to ensure that this crucial election is ethical, robust, and accessible to all people.

However, during August, our team takes its turn at the back of the flock. We have been been flapping hard since November 2016 and our much-deserved sabbatical allows us to rest our wings. We do this every year, trusting that the work of many others continues while we regroup.

If you feel inspired to do something constructive while we break, consider applying to volunteer with us or support our work for the long haul by becoming a patron.

Rest assured, we’ll be back on September 8 with strategic actions for a democracy that represents ALL Americans. When we all flap together and rest when needed, we arrive together.

Warmly,

Jen Hofmann and the AoCC team