It’s relentless. The destruction, deterioration, and erasure of people’s rights, safety, and livelihood continues unabated and unchecked. And, now it’s “normal” to respond with violence to the point of murder.

My newsletter seems too puny and mundane to tackle the seemingly insurmountable challenges in front of us, and I remind myself that real change starts at home. I’m also encouraged because there are people and organizations fighting to make whatever impact they can. And, they need our support—money, time, energy, and voices. So, let’s get into it.

Earlier in the summer, we attended the inaugural SHINE Legacy Awards. The event was hosted by the SHINE with Joy Foundation that honors the legacy of Krystal Anderson by empowering Black women in STEM, advocating for maternal health equity, and spreading joy.

Little did we know, we were sitting next to a young lady who was one of the scholarship recipients. As a freshman heading to Truman State University (my alma mater!), she already had a plan for dedicating her studies and life’s work to improving the health and wellness of Black mothers and infants. When we have young leaders like her, we’re bound to change our world for the better.

Here are some other groups focused on improving life for moms and women:

The Human Rights Campaign is more visible than ever, standing up for its members and community. Here are some of their in-person events (to go along with the YouTube series above). I’ve included a few other opportunities, too.

S. Leigh Thompson shared their vulnerability on LinkedIn with a post about the anti-trans violence and threats that he’s been seeing and receiving. In part of the post, he says:

“I’ve been out as trans for 20 years, and in all that time—in Nebraska, in New York, across this country—I have never felt as frightened, as unsafe, and as worn down as I do right now.”

Let’s use our voices (and put our money where our mouth is) for the underprivileged, minority, and marginalized communities fearing for their livelihood and lives right now.