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Devotion in Despair
Dear Reader,
The breakneck speed at which we started this year hasn’t slowed down for a second. Every day, it feels like there is a new crisis demanding our attention, labor, and grief. It feels more tempting than ever to fall into the trap of despair.
We don’t have a single client who hasn’t been impacted as the withdrawal of foreign aid decimates global communities and leaves a gaping hole in the sector; attacks on science threaten to roll back decades of progress, collaboration, and innovation; and legal challenges to birthright citizenship occupy the courts while people occupy the streets in direct opposition to ICE and the deportation machine.
And yet, we persist. Our clients persist—their missions crystallized, their staffs galvanized. I am not just encouraged, but sustained, by their resolve to meet each moment (and there are many) with bold, creative, fearless solutions. As I witness their devotion to the work, I recall my ancestor Toni Morrison left us with clear instructions for times like these:
“There is no time for despair, no place for self-pity, no need for silence, no room for fear. We speak, we write, we do language. That is how civilizations heal. I know the world is bruised and bleeding, and though it is important not to ignore its pain, it is also critical to refuse to succumb to its malevolence. Like failure, chaos contains information that can lead to knowledge—even wisdom.”
So, as we cross over the halfway point of this difficult year, how will you sustain? Where will you channel your devotion to the future we know is possible?
With resolve,
marissa lea gaston
Associate, Minerva Strategies
Minerva in Atlanta
The Minerva Strategies team gathered in the historic city of Atlanta, Georgia, for a few days of in-person collaboration and connection. With teammates flying in from different locations and time zones, and days packed with workshops, food, and fun, a few days can feel like just a couple of hours by the time it’s all said and done. Read our recap.
Moving Mountains in Behavioral Health Care
Longtime Minerva client Evergreen Treatment Services held their inaugural Roots of Recovery gala in May! Kennedy, Joy, Sara, and Caroline were honored to attend and celebrate how ETS staff and patients move mountains for recovery from addiction. Read more.
Affordable Housing Gains
Our client Evergreen Impact Housing Fund just celebrated the opening of their fourth affordable housing project, the Astra Apartments in Renton, Washington. The Astra is a collaborative development between EIHF, 5 Washington-based credit unions, and developer DevCo, providing 275 affordable units to local families. Learn more.
