Change That Lasts

The murder of George Floyd set in motion a chain of events that shook the world and began opening the eyes of our community to the racial injustice and cry for help that has fallen on deaf ears for far too long. While the root of the problem is one that tracks back for generations, being confronted with the disturbing reality of inequalities in this world so brutally puts front-and-center the importance of doing everything we can to begin righting the wrongs of our society.

We all play a role in creating positive change for those who haven't been heard.

While the immediate actions that need to be taken to begin correcting our path are of the utmost importance, I hope that every single one of us, myself included, will keep in mind that it's the sustainable changes we plan for and see through that will create the lasting change our world so desperately needs.

Just as the motivation of a New Year's resolution fades as the novelty wears off, now is our chance to not only express our intentions but more importantly, to lay out a plan for making that vision our collective long-term reality. What can you do to begin bridging the gap between the divides in our society? What can I do? What can we work together to accomplish, not just for now, but for the rest of our lives? These are the questions I hope we are thinking about.

Instead of shying away from the uncomfortable, I challenge you and me both to use this atrocity as a catalyst for working together and building a better, more just world.

In the same way that the injustices we're now so closely examining were built over many, many centuries, breaking down the barriers that are so ingrained in our society will be a long, slow journey, filled with many ups and downs. Even when our small, individual actions don't feel like they're making a difference, we owe it to those who haven't been heard to see through our demands for equal rights long after George Floyd's death is front-page news.

One workout doesn't make us healthy and one kind act doesn't change the world, but when we humbly commit taking on the hard work for as long as it takes, we do have the power to change.