We are getting ready.

We are afraid, yet still committed to push through the fear to stand for ourselves, each other, and our whole human family.

It’s the week of winter solstice and many cultural holidays that surround it. Here at our latitude, days start lengthening again. In another week or two, we will notice, smile at one another, and say: hey, it is five pm, and still so light!

Midwinter is a season calling us to rest and rebuild our stores of strength for the call of spring that lies ahead. So much growth will be demanded of us in such a short time.

Our roots need to be ready.

But do not mistake this turning inward, this inner nurturing, for complacency. We are not unaware, unmindful of the storms that will arrive between now and summer.

Women. LGBTQA folk. Jews and Muslims and people of other faiths and traditions. People who came here from far away, with or without legal status. We know very well that our ability to thrive is under attack.

The incoming administration is avoiding ethics rules, meddling in Congressional votes, and allowing an unelected billionaire whose companies receive billions in federal contracts - and who praised an extremist right-wing party in Germany - to try to bend the federal budget to his will.

All straight out of the aspiring authoritarian playbook. And authoritarians need nothing more than enemies, groups they can scapegoat and demonize, in order to gain support.

Women. LGBTQA folk. Jews and Muslims and people of other faiths and traditions. People who came here from far away, with or without legal status. And all who love us.

We are not complacent. We are not okay. We are afraid, yet still committed to push through the fear to stand for ourselves, each other, and our whole human family.

Be safe, be well, and be ready to join us.