Thoughts on the Need for Community
By: Alexis Hassan, LMFT-A
At Acquiring Hope, we openly recognize that we are living through unprecedented times. Every time we seek out the news, we fear that we will hear the worst. We have reached a point in our country’s history where we are regressing, allowing the rights of once protected populations to be peeled away. The populations that are nearest to our hearts at Acquiring Hope, including migrants and the LGBTQIA+ community, are under open attack.
As new policies are pushed out, it can feel scary to show up as you are or to even find the energy to leave the house. We have heard from clients who are isolating at home, only leaving when they have to, because they feel it is the only way that they will remain safe here in the US. The fear for our clients and from our clients is palpable. Our clients aren’t alone, even for those of us at Acquiring Hope, it can feel safer to hide away, hoping that if we stay quiet, policy won’t change the ways we can practice.
However, isn’t that what they want? For us to disappear, leaving the majority to rule? As policies strip away the protections of vulnerable populations, they are seeking to hide us away, rewriting the power that comes from community. When we look at history, fights for our rights, like the Chicano Movement or the Labor Movement, start with grassroots organizing. There is a unique power that comes from small groups of people deciding not to be quiet, not to hide away. By scaring us away from our community, policymakers steal that power. The truth is that radical change can come from communities organizing, refusing to stay silent.
You might be thinking, “Alexis, I am terrified; the news is draining. I don’t have the energy to go out and start a movement”. You would be right. Community organizing to make systemic changes can take major sacrifices and we don’t all have it in us right now. However, organizing in your community can simply look like spending time with your friends, going to the grocery store and showing up as your full self, or posting about your thoughts. Refusing to stay silent can have its own ripple effect. Power can come from small actions and small change leads to big change. During this time, we need to refuse to let our communities disappear. We need to reach out to the ones we love and support each other. While isolation and silence might feel safe, it is giving the power of our community away, letting it be dormant when we need it most.
As we all work on navigating unprecedented times, it is important to lean on our support systems. Don’t let the fear keep you from being with the people you love. In moments like these, small acts of self-care can be revolutionary. As always, if something in this post resonated with you and you want to talk about it in session, feel free to reach out. I am here to support you on your healing journey.
