"Stupid is as stupid does" ~ Forest Gump's Mama
🍫 Who knew that fiercely protective and wise, albeit fictional, Mrs. Gump could continue to teach life lessons 30 years after she first graced a movie screen?
🗣 A recent lunch with a brilliant friend started with catch-up conversation: How are you? How is the family? How are YOU?
🌟 My friend is a cultural icon. Breaking barriers, changing the world, leading by example, and busting her butt to pave an easier life path for so many others in her community.
🙌 The pressure must be immense...
🕯 We easily shifted into talk of what's going well (new families choosing to move to our community); and what's continuing to suck (subtle and outright racism that chases those families right back out our community's door).
🕯In her leadership role, she encounters many other community leaders, and she never hesitates to advocate when there are poor precedents being set. Her sadness is palpable when she shares no names but her first hand interactions with other leaders... and their response to loud inequality is to say, "Well, this is how our city has always been."
🌟 I asked if there was something else I could be doing to make this truly a community for all.
"Be louder than the stup*d people."
Now she doesn't think they're actually stupid; it was the quickest adjective she could use while at lunch. (Other synonyms for future lunches: foolish · futile · ill-advised · irrelevant · ludicrous · naive · senseless · shortsighted.)
It was a moment full of frustration and disappointment and I immediately knew what she meant: actions speak louder.
🙌 So, go and like your neighbor. Even if you don't think you love them, like them anyway. And if you do love them? Be loud about it. If you could use an easier path in life, pave one... and make sure you illuminate it for everyone and anyone else to follow.
💗 And when leaders say this is how our community has always been? Let them know that was our past. We all do better when we grow forward together.
TL;DR?
Be kind to everyone.
Have courage to be louder than unkind people.
Leave a path for everyone to follow.
💚 ~H.
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