An Invitation For This Upcoming Holiday Season: Recommitting To Community

And just like that, the holiday season is here.

For those who should be so lucky, the holidays are a time for gathering with those we love to celebrate and indulge. It’s also a time to share and reflect on our values of kindness, gratitude and charity. And equally important – community. 

The meaning and significance of the holidays invite introspection and reflection on our relationships – not just with the people who are near and dear to us, but with the world at-large. We pause, we slow down. We become more attuned to and mindful of those who may be hurting and have a strong sense to give, to provide charity, to alleviate the hurt so many of our community members experience. 

At the start of the new year, we will enter the third year of the pandemic. Since the start of the pandemic, we’ve seen issues that existed prior exacerbated – further exposing the disparities and gaps that are within our systems. People who were struggling to make ends meet before the pandemic were the first hit, hardest hit and longest hit by the economic crash. Parents working low wage jobs in the service industry, single parent households, older adults living on a fixed income and those living with disabilities continue to dig out and will do so for a long time. BIPOC are disproportionately affected and every day are forced to choose between putting food on the table or paying for a needed medication. Food pantries continue to see long lines publicized at the height of the pandemic.

But as the pandemic continued to unfold throughout the years, we’ve also seen humanity step up, pitch in, and give in levels we have never seen before. Surprising or not, from a federal free school meals program to stimulus checks, we’ve seen new problem solving from local and federal leaders. In addition, nonprofit organizations in Colorado and around the country have worked tirelessly to meet the need and address challenges they have never experienced before. Three years into the pandemic, we as a society must continue to work together to tackle these issues that remain a reality for millions and create a Colorado where we all can thrive. 

This holiday season and beyond, we reflect deeper on what causes the hurt and suffering of our communities, and invite our community to reflect on this as well. On a similar note, how do we as a society address this hurt? On a community level? On a personal level? How do we traditionally view charity and how do we show up for those who are much more vulnerable to economic hardship, health problems, loss, over-policing and brutality? Do we know the root causes of the issues we seek to address? If not, how can we learn? What can we, as individuals, do to make sure we don’t become indifferent to the suffering of our humanity? What can we as advocates, organizations, and community leaders do to take care of ourselves so that we can continue to do this work and take care of our community? We invite you to reflect on these questions, recommit to community, and take action.