Don't Just Show Up in a Crisis
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Hi Reader. One of the biggest lessons I've learned from four decades of organizing is this: People don't build trust during a crisis. Instead, they turn to the trust they've already built. When disaster strikes, when rights are threatened, when a family needs help, or when a community is under attack, people don't magically become connected to one another overnight. They turn to the people who have been there all along. The neighbor who always checks in. The volunteer who consistently shows up. The person who remembers birthdays, brings soup when someone is sick, and knows everyone's names. The organizer who has spent years building relationships instead of only mobilizing people during a single election, or when there's an emergency. If we want stronger movements, we need stronger communities. And stronger communities aren't built by showing up only when the headlines are terrifying. They're built in the ordinary moments. In the conversations over coffee. In the monthly community meetings. In helping someone move. In checking on an elder during a heat wave. In celebrating each other's victories and carrying one another through loss. That's the kind of leadership our world needs right now. We don’t need people who appear only when there's a crisis to solve. We need people who communities know they can count on—today, tomorrow, and years from now. All social justice movements are sustained by trust, and trust is built over a lifetime. When we demonstrate we care for one another for the long haul, we become part of the solution to the challenges we’re facing down. Who will you show up for today? Elizabeth + the Ripple Effect Institute P.S. If you've been feeling called to do more, and maybe to become the kind of community member who leads with care, but you're not sure what your next step looks like, I invite you to apply for a complimentary consulting call with our team. We'll talk about your skills, your vision, and how you can build the kind of lasting impact your community can depend on.Apply here |
The Gaia Leadership Project
Hi Reader, Even accomplished professionals can reach a point where they want to do more—make a bigger, more lasting impact—but aren’t sure how. Celeste, a member of the LGBTQ+ community and retired therapist, had dedicated her life to trying to help people heal from trauma. After retirement, she longed to lead transformative initiatives that truly move the needle for social change. Yet, despite her rich experience and passion, she felt stuck and unsure of the best path forward—especially as...
Reader, We close the doors in one hour. Power Lab will not be offered again publicly.This is your final opportunity to join us—and your final public chance to work with me directly for the foreseeable future. If you know you're meant to make a difference—this is your container.This is your moment. Join Power Lab NOW Let’s build what the future needs. Together. —Elizabeth
We know what we’re up against. Authoritarian leadership. Disinformation. Coordinated white nationalism in action. And a political landscape where even the “good ones” are too often still playing defense. In moments like this, hope is necessary. But hope alone? Hope without planning, without pressure, without power—isn’t enough. That’s why we built The Ripple Effect Institute. Because we’ve seen what happens when seasoned leaders have access to strategy that matches their heart. Inside REI, we...