“The only thing that makes life possible is permanent, intolerable uncertainty: not knowing what comes next.”
~ Ursula K. Le Guin (excerpt from The Left Hand of Darkness)
It’s Halloween—a day that’s often at its spookiest during an election year. We’re dealing with uncertainty and fear. We’re learning more about the beliefs of people in our lives, often in disheartening ways. We’re bracing ourselves for final tallies that will decide our school boards, representatives, and president.
We’re sharing so many of the same feelings, yet everyone is having deeply individualized experiences of this election. When emotions are heightened, stakes are astronomical, and misinformation is abound, shaming and blaming can easily creep into our conversations. How can we find common ground through our shared values, even if we have different beliefs, and treat each other with kindness, compassion, and respect?
This goal of this newsletter is to be a flashlight in the haunted house of election season. We hope to better prepare you navigate disappointment, engage in respectful conversations, and maintain relationships in times of division. By honoring each other’s dignity, we can create a path to belonging for all.
No matter who wins the presidential election, nearly half the nation will be unhappy, upset, or even distraught. And yet, most of us will still go to school, work, or community and family gatherings following Election Day, and we will have to coexist. We must center each other’s humanity to create belonging for all.
This blog post compiles strategies to navigate our politically charged world and post-election lives. Regardless of the election results, we will continue the work to create thriving schools, communities, and workplaces of belonging.
Before you engage:
JUST US by Molly Beth Griffin is a children’s book that explores a family navigating unexpected changes to their holiday plans. After a storm prevents them from gathering with more family members, they acknowledge their disappointment and explore new ways to celebrate. In this interview, Molly reflects on adaptability, disappointment, and belonging.
AmazeWorks: What is your hope for children when they read this book?
Molly Beth Griffin: I hope it gives them tools for weathering disappointment. I’d like for kids and their grownups to talk about traditions, and what they could do if their plans have to change. It’s okay to be upset if things go wrong! But it’s also good to be able to change gears and make something different happen.
This month, we launched STOKES by Ty Chapman and John Coy. This story honors the life and legacy of Maurice Stokes, an athlete whose life altering injury also changed the course of the NBA for Black and injured players.
Thank you for an unforgettable evening filled with community, celebration, and basketball. And a special shout out to Sojourner Truth Academy and Valley Bookseller for contributing to the book’s success!
To learn more about how Maurice Stokes and how the greater basketball community responded to his injury, read the AmazeWorks lesson for educators and caregivers.
