Who chooses the future? This is a moment; your mission is what matters most.

If you are swirling right now, I want to tell you how NOT alone you are. The flood of information that comes at us daily is drowning us...and this is by design. We are supposed to be numb, feel powerless, feel okay as they move the line further and further towards fa$cism.

We're supposed to be desensitized to all the death and destruction, the climate catastrophes, the sexual violence, the economic inequality, the denial of access to healthcare and housing.

We are supposed to think, this is just how it is. Because a person resigned will NOT take action. A person afraid, will act from fear. And they don't want us acting from hope.

A person inspired and empowered will act from love, for the good of their community, for the benefit of the collective. A person with agency will take the next step, whatever that is, to move the needle towards justice.

You can listen to those who rage at the machine, expressing their absolute disgust with our government and the global systems that we all live under, the ones harming us ALL. Capitalism, the military industrial complex, the philanthropic stranglehold on wealth, the Market that runs our politicians–it's all pretty shitty and terrifying.

AND, you should. You should listen to anyone telling the truth and laying this $hit bare. It is abhorrent that this is the choices we are left with and we're sitting here watching people suffer while the world gets hotter.

No. Do not be dulled into submission, but do not allow it to scare you into silence either. Speak up. Do something, after tomorrow, and every day after that.

Don't despair. Remember, hegemonic control is an intractable problem, not an impossible one. Systems are hard to change. It takes a million tiny moves to push that needle–to make progress, to move forward. Your vote is one way. Your wallet is another.

But, the biggest power you have is your voice. You don't have to believe any of this is "normal" or a fait accompli. You can and should express your dissent, repeatedly. It is not normal for humans to suffer and fight and compete to death. We are meant to live in community, love and thrive together. To create, to build beautiful things and to rest and laugh and have joy.

Everyone deserves their needs to be met. We must fight for universal human rights and we must demand every day, of ourselves and each other...to do BETTER.

Here we are, again, on the eve of something big...and yet for many, it will change almost nothing on Wednesday. Elections will not fix the climate, media bias, religious extremism, or the billionaire class.

No one person can fix this. It's hubris to say otherwise. Get behind those who offer options, solutions. The ones who know WE are the answer, who spend less time punching down and more time pumping up.

As Amanda Gorman said in her poem ‘The Hill We Climb’,

"We’ve seen a force that would shatter our nation, rather than share it.
Would destroy our country if it meant delaying democracy.
And this effort very nearly succeeded.
But while democracy can be periodically delayed, it can never be permanently defeated.
In this truth, in this faith we trust, for while we have our eyes on the future, history has its eyes on us.
This is the era of just redemption."

Democracy is just a concept. It's a dream we've yet to fully realize. It's the idea that all people should be free and the world should be fair and safe. That is what you're voting for, and what you should be working for every day, forever. Figure out what needs fixing and get the fuck to work. THAT is your purpose. Moving the needle towards equality, that is OUR legacy.

Tomorrow may be election day, but you choose what to believe and who to support. No one can control your heart or head. You decide where to put your faith and energy and money and attention. You decide who to amplify and heed. Elections don't decide the future; we do, every single day. Choose wisely...because the patriarchy sure AF isn't going to fix itself.