I watched it unfold in front of my eyes.
I watched it unfold in front of my eyes.
150,000 people marched with the far-right through the streets of London, taking a stand against immigration, against net zero targets, against inclusion, against the idea that there’s enough room, dignity, and possibility for everyone.
This is what happens when people feel their voices are being ignored. When you believe no one is listening, you shout louder. And that’s when populist politics swoop in — stoking fear, offering easy scapegoats and overly simplistic solutions, and twisting frustration into hate.
And here’s the truth: we can’t fight destructive stands with silence.
We can’t sit on the sidelines and hope it passes. We have to take a stand too, and people did. Stand Up to Racism were there so Unite the Kingdom would not go unchallenged.
That, AND…I am curious to explore a different lens. One that says: I am for something.
During the Create the Vision Workshop next weekend, the kick-off for One Thousand Women, we will be getting clear on what each one of us individually wants to take a stand FOR.
How we can midwife new ways of being and doing into the world that make the old, dysfunctional ones obsolete.
How we can bring our years of wisdom and skills as writers, artists, entrepreneurs, volunteers, teachers, nurses, mothers and more and act FOR the causes we care about, advocate FOR those who don’t have a voice, and create new solutions that have never been considered before.
How we can educate ourselves so we can speak out without the fear of looking stupid or offending someone.
And as well as uncovering our own indivdual change-maker projects, we’ll also be discussing how united we can bring forth (take a stand for) the feminine nature of compassion, empathy, nurturance, diversity, equity, humility and love, intuition and collaboration to bear on the issues we care about.
Some of the women attending have absolute clarity on their change-maker role and contribution. We are going to learn a whole heap from them.
Some simply know they can’t watch scenes like those on the streets of London yesterday and remain in a state of helplessness. They want to do something, but they don’t know what.
But they are stepping up anyway and saying ‘I’m willing. Let's find out what I can do.'
Who knows, maybe one day, as we grow, we will be one thousand and then one million women on the streets of London, gathering, with no need to take a stand for compassion, empathy, nurturance, diversity, equity, humility and love, intuition and collaboration, because it will already be here.
Because we took a stand for it.
So it will come to pass that when women participate fully and equally in the affairs of the world, when they enter confidently and capably the great arena of laws and politics, war will cease; for woman will be the obstacle and hindrance to it”.
- Bahá’í Scripture
One Thousand Women starts on 21st September and is a container for women who want to come together, create a life of meaning, and leave the world a better place than they found it.
We are the change-makers.