I had a conversation earlier this week with a colleague reflecting on where we were four years ago and the drastic changes that have occurred in such a short amount of time.
The COVID-19 pandemic had the world on lockdown. At ASN, we were navigating the stress and strain of trying to find a way to safely continue to provide necessary support to hundreds and hundreds of disabled Arkansans and to protect close to 800 Direct Support Professionals who met the responsibilities of their "essential worker" titles in ways that continue to bring me awe still today.
It was such a challenging time for all of us, and so many of us suffered life-altering losses during that time.
And in the midst of it all, a collection of viral videos brought a renewed collective attention to the ever-present influence that racism and other systems of oppression have on our society, communities, and everyday lives. And for a moment, the whirl of it all brought the country's focus to the necessary changes that must be made.
Lots of organizations, collectives, and entities declared commitments and vowed actions to address the truths that have always been a prominent component of our country and world.
Unfortunately, today many of those statements/declarations are not just unfulfilled promises. They turned into hostile perpetuations of the very systems of oppression that, just a short time ago, were recognized for what they are: violent systems of hate and harm that hinder and harm us all.
Today, in so many ways, the pendulum of power and momentum has swung completely in an opposite direction. Organizations that declared, just four years ago, commitments to resource, fund, and lead the work necessary to combat oppressive systems, promote inclusion, and move more toward justice are now taking the stance that any efforts to empower, protect, and promote the inclusion of marginalized people are forms of "oppression" of the power and majority populations.
This is the way systems of power and oppression maintain and control. They identify powerful momentum aiming at change and then coopt it.
It's important to me that no matter what direction the pendulum swings, we stay focused on the work necessary to move us more toward justice. I regularly read the statement we made at ASN in June of 2020 and attempt to be accountable for the ways we show up in the world for the people we support, the people we employ, and the communities we exist in.
A lot has changed in four years, but our commitment has not.
https://lnkd.in/gDU7xmqh
