At a recent event celebrating International Women’s Day, four community leaders shared wisdom to guide us in these times. The incredible women on stage coached us to play the long game, keeping the big picture in mind. They deemed the era of the solitary genius bygone and called us to come together because all of us is what it will take to make change. They reminded us that our Cascadian region can lead the way in a national movement, because we have before. And finally, amidst so much noise, they counseled us toward strategically picking one thing at a time.
When our daily lives are being upended by a national upheaval of federal laws and programs, it is hard to stay focused on the long game of equity and justice. This is especially true when life-saving public services are being dismantled. At Building Changes, we stand firm in our commitment to equity and social justice. We state it now for ourselves and alongside our partners that are not able to do so because of their reliance on federal funding.
At Building Changes our role is to think beyond the crisis and the day to day. Our calling transcends what is happening at the city, county, state, or federal level because people should not be bound by government limitations. While we may be impacted by the current political environment, decades of experience have taught us that no single administration will shape our destination. Today, we use that privilege to reaffirm who we are and our core values, in solidarity with so many who have been silenced. For us, it’s about more than just words—it’s about ensuring uninterrupted support for projects designed to serve communities that have historically been excluded from our public systems, including Black, Indigenous, transgender, queer, and immigrant youth and families.
Together, let us uplift the shared vision and values we hold dear. We all deserve a safe place to belong. Our trans and queer youth need love and support to be safely housed. As an indigenous leader on stage shared, our Black and indigenous families need good actions, not just good thoughts, to be made whole in our community. Building Changes will continue our antiracist social justice work because there is no other way to push for change and solutions to homelessness that are effective and person-centered. We will be here with you along the way. If you have means, dig deep to support our partners who cannot stand up and voice their concern. If you are in crisis, know that we are here fighting for you.
In the words of Dolores Huerta that sparked a global movement, ¡Si se puede!
