by Brooke Forry

The horrific January 6, 2021 act of domestic terrorism at the US Capitol is the culmination of what has been building for many years.⠀

The current government administration is undoubtedly to blame for specifically encouraging that day’s violence after four years of overt racism, vitriol, lies, fear-mongering, and hatred. These issues may be in the spotlight now, but they have been festering for a long, long time, due to people in power being out to advance their own careers, build their following, and increase their wealth, through acts of oppression and without regard for the people they represent.

Jessica Yellin, a journalist I follow, shared a video on Instagram following the attacks entitled “Ending the Era of Self Promotion.” You can watch it here. I am a big fan of Jessica and her #NewsNotNoise reports that have kept me informed and enlightened for the last several months, and this video is particularly vulnerable, thoughtful, and poignant.

Regarding the people in power who have only their self interests in mind, Jessica asks:

“How did we become a culture that rewards self promotion and opportunism at any cost? And what do we need to bring change?... How do we reorient our culture to reward integrity and principled responsibility?”

She says, “This is a moment for us to expand empathy. But I think it’s more than that. It’s empathy plus action. That’s responsibility.” Pointedly, she declares: “We need to reform us.”

Whether we work in politics or not, we all have the same ability and responsibility to turn our empathy into action — and expect the same from those in power.

We talk often about self-care being a means to better show up for your family, your community, and the world. Here is a glaring example we cannot avoid. It is time we ask ourselves, today and every day: what action will we take? How can we make time to make change in our world?