A friend recently shared a Bukowski quote; a deeply resonant, cynical piece of writing that took me back to a time when I had lost all hope, a time when I believed that my participation was merely enabling and validating a system of oppression that I was powerless to resist. Bukowski was a comfort then because he gave voice to my despair. Cynicism is valid, disillusionment inevitable, especially given the white-washed history and politics we are taught from birth. But I’ve since learned that we must not let cynicism trap us in despair.
As Mariame Kaba reminds us, “hope is a discipline.” We must practice and cultivate our faith in each other so that we can build and sustain communities, networks, and institutions grounded in collective care and liberation. These days, my belief in *us* is what keeps me going. I have witnessed the power of collective action, the miracles born of mutual aid, the inspiring solutions that arise from minds that dare to dream. To build a better world, together, requires a dedication to hope that eclipses the cynicism that calls us to despair. Holding on to hope means holding on to one another, refusing to believe that all is lost, insisting that we all deserve the rights, resources, dignity, and justice of a world grounded in sustainability and care.
My heart is heavy these days for all the reasons, but it is lightened by the hope I work to rekindle each day, a practice for which I am incredibly grateful. Today, my hope is centered on our ability to look past cynicism, beyond despair, to the solutions embodied in our collective imagination and boldest dreams. We remain in this, together, may love and solidarity prevail.
