Holidays are a great time to connect – with our family, friends, lived experiences, and the past that shaped our world today. This connection is what creates the foundation of our theory of change through relational organizing.

This Juneteenth, Community Change Communications Fellow Ayanna Alberston reflects on what the holiday connects in her – and the many experiences it invites: remembrance of history, celebration of where we stand, and recognition that we aren’t done yet.

Alberston shares how what she learned about the Civil Rights movement gives her some perspective on the fights for freedom we are still in the midst of. That connection between what we have seen create change and what is still left to do can be inspiring – and also daunting. Maybe if we raise our own hands to get involved, we can be part of the lasting change future generations will celebrate too. That doesn’t mean its easy to know where to begin.

Don’t know where to start? Community Change hosts relational organizing gatherings online every week. This group hosts discussions for making meaning from today’s headlines, how to build power together, and ways to take action without even leaving your home.

We know there are lots of roles in the fight for a more equitable future for all of us, but joining a Relational Organizing call with Community Change is one simple way to stand up with us and be part of shaping the future we aim for. Alberston looks forward to the fun that Juneteenth calls for, in addition to the continued obligation we have to find ways to bring our ourselves and the people we love into meaningful action.

https://cca.is/juneteenth