Since March when everything shut down, it has become common to hear people say “2020 has been canceled.” I have been guilty of this myself due to the fear of the COVID-19 pandemic and the disappointment of all of the event cancellations. My family alone had plans for at least five trips that we had to either cancel or postpone. I had big plans for 2020 and found myself depressed about all of the things I wouldn’t be doing this year. My 20/20 vision was dead.
It was bad enough, we’ve been sheltering in place for months and many of us were thrown into homeschooling our kids. But now we’re faced with another pandemic, the longstanding scourge of racism. As both of these phenomena have a disparate impact on Blacks, as a Black woman, as a Black mother, I felt attacked, even scared, and ready to fight because that’s what we do, right? This virus is not going to take me down and no one is going to touch my babies - my Black sons. I mean really, I have innately been in full defense mode.
We have a long way to go, but lately in the news and our communities, we are seeing things happen in the world that we haven’t seen before. People of all races coming together in great numbers to fight the system that has oppressed Blacks for centuries. It's uncomfortable but like Frederick Douglass once said, “If there is no struggle there is no progress.” We have to go through all that we are going through to see a real change happen.
In the light of what we’re seeing, I’ve been able to look at the positive side of things. I'm thinking what if 2020 is the beginning of a new era? What if this is the year that we’ve all been waiting for? The world is opening up for conversations that we typically hide from with our friends, colleagues, and even our children. I'm talking about racism with my 4-year-old for heaven's sake. My 12-year-old, a global ambassador for Giving Tuesday Kids is leading global campaigns to encourage kids to use their voices (He made this flyer). This is uncharted territory but it's necessary because we know that it is in the scariest and most uncomfortable moments, change can be evoked. What if 2020 isn’t canceled but the most important year of all?
With that being said, I have jumped back on the horse and planning to ride the rest of this year out like a champ. Before everything shut down, I was working on some awesome events. Although they’ll be a little bit different, I’m revamping those events and will be sharing the details soon. You riding with me? I hope you will.
Thank you for your continued support. If you have any questions or concerns - even ideas, please feel free to contact me at kristenwm@macaronikid.com. I am here for you, still standing with you, apart.
Gratefully Yours,
Kristen
Editor & Publisher
#2020HasNotBeenCancelled
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