You already know about the past year — some of our achievements and losses. We worry that the 2016 election denouement might undo much of what we’ve achieved and impede further progress. Thus, I don’t want to report on the past year. I want to grind 2016 under my heel, kick it into an abyss, and move forward. Let’s gather our fierceness and focus to address what comes next and not catastrophize potentialities. For the end-of-year War On Women, I’m offering glimpses of challenges we face and how women take charge and refuse to be defeated. I hope anyone needing to connect with their personal power will find inspiration here. In the comments, please add your thoughts and resources to fill in all the gaps I’ve left open.
I know many people are angry and wish to identify what went wrong and to assign blame. Some people are justifiably fearful. But now, nearly two months after the election, it is time to look ahead and remember we’ve already created helpful tools. Use your anger to fuel your activism. Use your fear to motivate connecting with like-minded people. Know who your allies are and remember that regardless of our differences we are on the same team. Focus on the topics and the fields where you have interest and expertise. We’ve been training for 2017 for decades and, in fact, many of us started our activism before we were old enough to vote. I began as a child in protest of expectations and limitations put on me as a girl. But we also need more than protest. We must find the joys of each day and the reasons to celebrate because these are what we protect and they allow us to resist without becoming bitter.