We, The People, Must Fight

Planting Seeds to Believe in Tomorrow

I’ve been in countless fight-or-flight situations, typically men trying to attack or threaten me (just an average day as a woman in the USA). This firey, churning ball of turmoil in my stomach was present at each one when I felt “flight.” By the time I was 21, something flipped inside me. I was done with flight. A calm washed over me, and I defended myself on that dark street, completely shocking the man who thought it was ok to grab me however he pleased. He was terrified and the firey, churning ball of turmoil in my stomach was gone for good.

Until today. 

Last time Trump was elected, I cried. I knew people would die. And they did. Black people were gunned down in the streets and asleep in their beds. The border crisis escalated. Women lost reproductive rights, including life-saving medical care. The pandemic took more lives than it should have.

I’m Still Standing with the Weight of the World, Watercolour & Pen, 2024

Watching the election results, the firey, churning ball of turmoil re-ignited in my stomach and I recognised that fight-or-flight situations are not always acute—they can be chronic. That is what the US is facing now and we must fight. 

That is why I’m still going back to California. Nothing prevents me from living in the EU; I’m a dual citizen. But the USA is where so, so much work needs to be done. Yes, we can save the world from anywhere we live, and yes we typically do better work when we live in an environment that supports our mental health. So yes, I have mixed feelings about going back to the States but the strongest feeling I have is that I have to do something. Everything I ever learned, from graduate degrees to life experience, has shown me the power of local actions. 

We need local governments and community advocacy now more than ever. 

If we are going to protect our people and the ecosystems upon which we depend for survival, we need local action NOW. There are many initiatives across the US that show how powerful local decision-making can be, and the benefits of ignoring political borders to collaborate based on bio-regions. I’ve listed a few examples below that can inspire action by local governments and communities working together.

You can be part of these solutions. Together, we can increase food security and equitable access to nutritious food with community gardens, like the Detroit AgriHood (complete with children’s sensory garden). We can legislate our environmental values into the heart of our local governments, like the Santa Monica Sustainability Ordinance.

Perhaps most importantly, we can increase our community’s resilience and capacity to advocate for itself by supporting each other. 

If we are too busy holding down multiple jobs to make ends meet, we’re not at the protest or the beach clean-up or the voting booth or the city council meeting. Some people can’t even afford to work because the cost of childcare, transportation, and work attire are more than their wages. We can and we must resist the constant increases in the cost of living by forming communities that support each other through communal childcare and transforming lawns into vegetable gardens, ensuring everyone has time to engage in positive change however they can.

Why do I think we can do this? Because I know that the voting system was created through a compromise with slaveholders and was designed to maintain minority rule, which means the people at the highest levels of government do not represent the majority. Compared to peer States, the USA has terrible voter turnout and that is largely by design: voter suppression and intimidation are rampant; and even when we do vote, the gerrymandering of voting jurisdictions ensures not all votes have equal weight. Thus, there is a huge gap between the politics Americans want and what is offered to them at the national level. I know Americans want a better tomorrow and the examples below show that we are capable of making it happen. 

We do not need to wait for the federal government to get its act together. We, the people, have to make it happen. 

As this post came together, I felt the firey, churning ball of turmoil in my stomach fade. I know things will get worse before they get better. I also know that if I let despair consume me, I will not be any help to this world. So, I’m taking heart in the successes we’ve had thus far for equity and sustainability, and I’m turning my despair into determination. I’m going to keep fighting.

As promised, here are a few examples of how we fight together. More solutions-focused posts to come.

Atlanta, GA – Atlanta BeltLine: Repurposing former railway corridors to create a 22-mile network of multi-use trails, parks, and green spaces, supporting active transportation, reducing traffic emissions, and fostering green development in the city.

Portland, OR – Green Streets Program: Integrates bioswales and permeable pavement to manage stormwater directly on site, reducing sewer overflow and supporting urban green spaces. This initiative also enhances local biodiversity by creating habitats for native species.

Denver, CO – Community Solar Gardens: Making renewable energy accessible to residents who can’t install solar panels on their properties. These solar gardens allow renters and homeowners to subscribe and receive credits on their energy bills for supporting solar power.

Florida Wildlife Corridor Project: This statewide initiative connects conservation lands to create wildlife corridors across Florida, enabling safe passage for species like the Florida panther and black bear. Partnerships with local, state, and federal agencies, as well as private landowners, work to preserve biodiversity and protect Florida’s natural heritage.

Cascadia Green Building Collaborative (Pacific Northwest): The Cascadia region (Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia) has developed green building standards specific to the bioregion’s climate, focusing on energy efficiency, water conservation, and materials that reflect the region’s unique environmental conditions. This collaboration advances net-zero and regenerative building practices.

Klamath River Renewal Project (California and Oregon): The Klamath River Renewal Corporation, supported by Indigenous tribes, farmers, and state and federal agencies, is working to remove dams on the Klamath River. This effort aims to restore river ecosystems, improve water quality, and revive salmon runs that are crucial to the livelihoods and cultural practices of local tribes. They’ve had recent major successes. 

California Poppies, Photo by Sergey Shmidt on Unsplash

Find your cause, your community, and your positive action. Find joy in the work and the work will spread. You can start by helping to spread ideas right now: please share this post and/or leave a comment about a success story in your community.