The Great Unraveling
It’s only week two of 2024, and this year is coming for us. I won’t list every tragedy that has already happened, nor do you need a reminder of all those continuing around us.
But I will tell you that I can’t stop thinking about Claudine Gay, also a No. 1 Immigrant Daughter. Her story is both unique and familiar. Her public take-down is meant to be our public take-down. And indeed her pain is our pain. And it’s that pain I want to talk about.
Often, these dispatches reflect what I’m hearing in private from so many of you. Pain is a recurring theme at the moment. We are in an all-out war against people of color, with women of color and particularly Black women, as targets of white rage. It is designed to unravel us, through gaslighting, physical attacks, online harassment, and policy.
I wanted to wait until I had some profound or even simple tactic to offer. But all I have is this – that thing you’re feeling? It’s not just you; it’s all of us.
I know we’ll do what we always do – work through, around and against it. Take your pick. Or step away, like Dr. Gay did. That’s okay too. You don’t need to be leading an organization to have a heart or to have impact. You can do that without the added burden of public scrutiny.
I love us so much, truly. Too much to let us all unravel. Let me know what I can do for you.
Sayu