I want to offer a word to each one of you, my neighbors, my friends, my family – to everyone who hears this message – we are not alone.
So many of us feel threatened in this time by cruel language that demeans and demonizes, draconian laws meant to control our bodies and penalize who we are, and divisive politics meant to restrict power to the few. We look on with fear as we see democracy in a chokehold, with barriers set up to restrict participation, and the terror of violence weaponized against the vulnerable.
Still, I say to you again, we are not alone. Across this country, in your state, in your city, in your neighborhood are people who are ready to come together, to come out, to show up for each other and remind us that we are not alone.
Reach out today, to someone in your family, your community who you feel might need a good word, a note of comfort, a hand of help, another human being to say to them – I am with you and I love you and you are not alone.
Reach out and open yourself up to a person from another race, background, gender or sexuality and learn about their life and what they need to thrive – and then tell them what you need and imagine a path forward, and take the first step down that path so that we can celebrate that we are not alone.
Reach out to a person of a different religion or worldview and share how you each see the world and how both of your traditions can power a better future for all – in the here and now and proclaim – we are not alone.
And in this election season, reach out to everyone you know, and invite them to join you in the sacred act of voting and choosing a future for our country that represents us all, leaving nobody behind, leaving no person out, and celebrating our democracy that out of many we can be one. Show up this election season and know that I, and so many others are with you. And regardless of what the results of this election are – know that we are in this together and we are not alone.
Interfaith Alliance advances an inclusive vision of religious freedom, protecting people of all faiths and none, in service of a pluralistic democracy. Learn more about our work.