Weekly Seeds | November 17, 2024 | These Familiar, Unprecedented Times

These Familiar, Unprecedented Times
 
 

*email subject line is copied from my favorite substack Rangelife

 

A week without words

It’s been almost 3 weeks (and a decade’s worth of feelings) since my last weekly seeds. Yesterday, Grammarly slid into my DMs with this hyper-relevant subject line that got me to sit down and write.

 
 
gif: let's see this feedback
 

How am I doing?

It’s been a really hard week, and seeing my kids witness this makes it extra painful. In November 2016, I remember feeling grateful that my then 1y kid was too young to fully comprehend the fear and shock we were all feeling. This week is a different story. The 2024 reality invites me to talk to my now 9 year old kid about disappointment, curiosity, resilience, and hope.

More thoughts on the elections results below, but would love to hear how you are doing, if you want to share.

 
ross from friends:
 

I am committed

Today, more than ever, our team is committed to building a platform that empowers countercultural and sex-positive people to organize, meet and belong. Over the next few years, we might see unprecedented attacks on people, organizations, events and policy efforts that Plura’s communities champion. That’s scary for me to think about.

I am inspired by the mobilization, support, education, and resources that I see sprouting around me. Today, and in the years ahead, I continue to invite you to invest in community as a core resilience pillar in your life.

Sharing this beautiful note William Winters, of Bonobo Network, on the power of community: “At its best, community is where you’ll find everyday examples of generosity, selflessness, mutual support, and healthy conflict resolution. Community is where you’ll find emotional and logistical support. Community is where you’ll find joy and celebration, reflection and learning … where you have the greatest political agency and the closest connection to your personal power.”

 
wordcloud: biggest words
 

I am listening

I love data. Especially data that doesn’t make any sense to me. I love data that doesn’t make sense because it is such a strong signal that there is a powerful human insight under the surface (there’s that behavioral economist in me!).

At the same time, it's easier for me to be curious when unexpected choices happen in business and relationship than when monumental economic and political shifts happen. I am committed to listen to the election data with curiosity about the experiences, fears, and hopes of people who live alongside me in this country.

Related, I appreciated this talk from Thom Knoles: Government is a Reflection of the Collective. 

 
quote: pay attention, we are being instructed to listen we don't know yet pay attention the way we crash landed here will not get us through or out
 

I am paying attention to hopeful stories

I’ll close up this email with a reminder that we have power to the shift systems we engage with. The labor movement has had some of the most notable successes in this arena. If you want to be inspired, look at the fact that strike activity was up 280% in 2023. Here are some notable ones:

 
 

See you next week.

 

Noa Elan

Community Builder | Plura

 

 
 

 

Note: This newsletter represents my personal opinions and thoughts. I understand I may have unexamined views and I appreciate when people point them out so that I am made aware and can start thinking about them. When I make mistakes I am committed to learning about my impact on others and repairing. 

Contact me anytime: noa@heyplura.com

 

 

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