Eternal Gratitude, or The Long View of Transformative Change

Holidays like Thanksgiving always come with a lot of baggage. There's not only the baked-in politics of navigating family dynamics but also the larger world happening outside of the turkey, stuffing, and pie.

For me, I started the morning with a 5-mile Turkey Trot through the beautiful Rockland State Park, located just outside of New York City. My brother and sister-in-law have opened up their home and we'll gather family to enjoy food and dedicated "cousin time" where the children to be together.

Yet, I know that this day can be a lot. There is the obvious element of historical issues that get swept under the gravy-stained rug, but there are also the larger factors that people who work for nonprofits have to especially tangle with.

If we step back and view the larger societal pressures that we all must confront in our work in the social sector, it is critical to internalize that many folks in the United States don't understand the role nonprofits have in making their lives a better place. And many folks do not have the time or capacity to deeply understand issues and then feel compelled to take action to address those.

Overcoming Societal Defaults

It is much easier to default toward individual over collective impact, to focus on short-term gains versus long-term investment, and to find solace in escapism versus being reminded of the horrors of the broader world.

Yet, it is imperative that we confront these truths in a way that moves the needle just a little bit toward a world where equity, diversity of voices and perspectives, and mutual aid and respect are the default settings.

Even in my own life, I was recently asked to name a world that operates like the one I hope to see in my lifetime. And the reality is that it doesn't exist yet, at least not at scale.

But every single day, I see sparks of inspiration that shine a light on what the future can look like.

• Shifts in how food banks understand their role in society, where approaching recipients with respect by creating interactive shopping experiences without shame are becoming more common
• Deeper collaboration between nonprofits around causes that a few years ago would lead to a competitive brawl over resources
• The rise of equity-centered giving circles and philanthropic movements, such as the work of the Decolonizing Wealth Project

Money As Medicine

One of the most important shifts in thinking I've been able to internalize is to decouple profit motives with money. This can be an extremely difficult thing to articulate, especially given the societal defaults I've outlined above.

Yet, there is power in understanding that money itself is not evil but instead a medium to articulate our values as individuals, organizations, and broader society. The things we spend our time, money, and resources on show what we actually care about. It is much more than the money - it's about people.

Our ability to free ourselves from equating the money someone has with the value they bring to our society is going to be a critical step toward collective societal improvements and eventually systemic change.

Gratitude Is International

I'm going to use today's newsletter to highlight the work of several nonprofits doing critical work around Indigenous causes. I want to thank Michelle Shireen Muri and The Circle on Philanthropy for the following organizations to recommend that you support.

And yes, these are Canadian nonprofits and I'm spending US Thanksgiving talking about them. Why not!

4 Rs Youth Movement?- connecting young changemakers across the country in respect, reciprocity, reconciliation and relevance.

Arctic Indigenous Fund - An Indigenous-led fund working across the circumpolar North supporting great initiatives throughout the Arctic.?

Indigenous Climate?Action - An Indigenous-led society asserting that Indigenous Peoples' rights and knowledge systems are critical?in developing solutions to the climate crisis and achieving climate justice.

Sovereign Seeds - An Indigenous seed sovereignty network.

I'll be making some donations later today and hope you'll join me.

No matter what, we must internalize that long-term change will be hard, will not make sense to the broader world sometimes, and will likely not achieve the desired impact in the timeframe that you are hoping.

Yet, if we approach each day with a sense of internal gratitude for having at least one more chance to create the world we are hoping to live in, that is something that we can be thankful for at any time of the year.

Eternally grateful, from my family to yours.