Little did the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam know how spot-on their January newsletter would be to those of us in the U.S. Though, they did send it on the 20th, so perhaps they did. It begins “January can be a tough month. The third Monday of the new year, known as Blue Monday, is often seen as the darkest and most depressing day of the year.”

It’s been a rough month, and I don’t really have a ton of room to speak. A colleague in Texas fears her daughter going to her summer internship because of random ICE raids. People we work out alongside of and whose kids go to camp with ours fear the rise in Antisemitism. I struggle with wanting to ignore it all and just escape into my family life. I also know that is a lot of privilege. Privilege that so many others in our country do not have.

In a recent webinar I attended, the presenter said, “The most powerful tool we have is solidarity with others.”

Together, let’s take action, go make a difference, and help each other.

At the end of January, I attended a telephone town hall hosted by the Human Rights Campaign. They talked about courage and how we are defined by this courage, not by the voices who try to silence us. Through examples of Congresswoman Sarah McBride and JPMorgan CEO, Jamie Dimon, they illustrated how together we will make a difference - in solidarity for justice, equality, and fairness. Here are some resources to learn more.

First, hug the ones you love, especially those whose gender, identity, skin color, nationality, or religion make them incredibly vulnerable and fearful right now. Spread kindness.

Bishop Mariann Budde spoke directly to the president and vice president in her sermon during a prayer service at the National Cathedral, sharing her final plea below. As Kelley Robinson, president, Human Rights Campaign, reflected, “That’s the courage we need right now.”