I am writing this to you the day after Donald Trump was elected the next President. By the time you are reading this, you probably will have read many articles and analyses about our prospects as a nation. But right now, it is important to acknowledge the amount of anger and frustration that there is in progressive circles. A certain grieving process will be in order. A Trump presidency will unleash the forces of racism, sexism, homophobia, ableism, and classism at unprecedented levels. The work that we do to move this country towards Martin Luther King Jr.’s Beloved Community is hard, takes work, and is intergenerational. But this work has always been hard. And we believe that we are up to the task. At a time like this, it is important that we remember that we are connected to a legion of rebels, activists and organizers throughout history who have faced challenges much more daunting than this presidency. These ancestors of ours did not always see the fruits of their labor, but it is thanks to them that we have been able to push this nation towards its more humane policies. We owe it to them and to ourselves to keep moving forward and continue the work. In fact, the resistance has already begun: protests have already erupted around the country to repudiate the politics of fear. Here at the Peace Council, we pledge to continue to be a resource for those willing to join us in our work. In a variation on Labor organizer Mother Jones’ famous dictum: let’s mourn first, then, let’s organize. Because another world is still possible.
