Thankful for all the social action activities i'm involved in

I joined the meme this year where we share each day of November something for which we were thankful  


I am thankful that I can be part of so many great activities at my church, some of which I write about here more often than others.

I find the "work" of social justice satisfying and therapeutic. I've always wanted to help others (one reason I got into journalism was to try to reduce apathy and shine lights on injustice) and its one reason I enjoy my work helping those with special needs become independent. (plus how many people can say they enjoy their work?)
For decades I've written about the need to protest issues but i've done it from afar.


In recent years i'm on the ground myself participating in marches and rallies and vigils to help others. To help others is a wonderful feeling... it can also feel, at times, humbling, exhausting and frustrating... but just knowing i'm helping, or at least trying really hard to help, makes me feel like i'm doing what we all may have been placed on this plane to do, namely make the world a better place... Not just a better place for those of a certain income... or religion... or race... or sexual orientation.
Here is some of what I'm working on lately:


- working on stopping these for profit detention centers where immigrant families are being placed, even the children, often for more than a year and without bond.


- undoing racism and stopping racism, especially in regards to police brutality. This can be hard work as one has to realize how privilged people are... even when they don't feel like particularly privileged.... and this can lead to white fragility.


- Supporting and helping those of the LBGT community. The fight didn't end with the gay marriage fight as the successful fear-mongering campaign equating those transgender with rapists and pedophiles surely made clear.

- Helping feed the homeless at ARCH.
And helping other communities in a variety of work.

It can be exhausting, sometimes thankless work but it's meaningful and important and really makes me feel alive.