A kind and thriving nation is our vision at Americans of Conscience. And while this unites our efforts, each person on our team has their own compelling beliefs and motivations. So I asked them to share! Here are some reasons our team members engage in the slow work of change:
I believe in love as a choice and a practice. bell hooks writes that when you choose love, you have started on the path of liberation and revolution. That is the love I believe in.
~ Susan L., Facebook Team Volunteer
I’m motivated by a desire to make a difference and be part of a community of people I enjoy, respect, and am inspired by. That’s what makes AoCC an ideal fit for me. I’m pretty passionate about American democracy, as corny as that sounds, and as flawed as it sometimes is in its functioning.
~ Julie Mathison, Production Team (Equality) Writer
I believe that individuality and community are not at odds with each other. I believe in the generosity of humans, who naturally want to help when assumptions are stripped away about who needs help. I believe in the value of incremental change, even though it’s not fast enough to fully meet our needs. We collectively have the power to meet everyone’s needs if we are bold, brave, and persistent.
~ Samantha Watier, Production Team (Good News and Gratitudes) Writer
I am motivated by knowing my open hands are more effective than my clenched fists, by believing that I am helping to lift and carry against prevailing winds, and by trusting that each action is a seed for hope and change. I have always believed that if I have time–and I always have time–I should do something with it that will help someone else. We are meant to be kind to one another, to cherish each other and the natural world.
~ Julie Damerell, Facebook and Twitter Teams Volunteer
I’m motivated because am able to encourage younger people like me to be engaged with their democracy by voting, taking action, and becoming active citizens!
~ Olivia H., Instagram Team Volunteer
We share a beautiful marble on which every living being depends. I believe that each of us is inextricably linked, that we need each other to thrive, and that together we can accomplish good things. I’m motivated to be engaged in change work because “service is the rent we pay for being alive” (Marian Wright Edelman) and that each person has something valuable to contribute.
~ Jen Hofmann, AoCC Executive and Creative Director
And you, dear reader?
What do you believe in? What motivates you to be engaged in the slow work of change?