I2I’s Heart-2-Heart on a Politic of Hope, Team Gratitude, Creating a Common Future
Hey there. How are you faring in the year that is November? 🍂
Whether you’re doomscrolling, planning Friendsgiving, or already “circling back in January,” we hope you are finding moments of peace each day.
In November’s Heart-2-Heart — I2I’s monthly newsletter where we share what’s on our mind, in our hearts, and up our sleeves — we are grappling with the 2024 general elections, counting our I2I blessings, and spotlighting organizations that are giving us hope.
On Our Minds
Holding onto a Politic of Hope
Like all of y’all, for the past two weeks (has it really only been 2 weeks?!), we’ve been collectively processing the results of the US Election. For 14 days, we oscillated through a relentless loop of despair + hope, motivation to act + exhaustion, fear + solidarity. To self-soothe, we are on a steady diet of Ezra Klein podcasts and Trader Joes Thanksgiving Stuffing Flavored Kettle Chips. These are trying times.
In all seriousness, we cannot shake the reality that the sheer existence and well-being of many of us, our clients, friends, and family members is threatened under this incoming administration. From the race to the Oval Office to the hard fought losses on ballot measures in our local districts, we are grieving these election results.
For the record, this grief transcends politics, any sole politician, or any singular movement. We grieve what feels like a rejection of our core values. We mourn a loss of collective understanding of what this country stands for. We regret that perhaps the political movements we so fervently align with ostracized folks or made them feel excluded.
And through it all, our hope transcends this grief.
Inspired by the recent New Yorker article, “Do You Have Hope? And, if not, how can you get some?, we can firmly say that at I2I we aspire to have a politic of hope.
And before you roll your eyes, hear us out……
This isn’t your run-of-the-mill “hope.” This is the kind of hope that the philosopher Byung-Chul Han distinguishes as “strong & active.” Folks who embody this hope try to make sense of the world by "leaning forwards & listening attentively.” This kind of hope is “rooted in enthusiasm & motivation”; folks who espouse it inspire others to spring into action. It’s the kind of thing you want when you are lost in the abyss because it can sharpen your senses and illuminate pathways. And most importantly, Han notes that “the subject of this hope is a We.” Not only does this hope yearn for a more connected life, but also exists within us all, collectively.
With this politic of hope, we’re doubling down on what we do best at I2I, and leaning into what we can control daily, within our sphere of influence.
This means continuing to partner with communities and leaders on the forefront of advancing health equity and racial justice, and delivering the most attentive, energizing, and motivating social impact measurement & learning processes. This also means ensuring I2I is a company & community that embodies our values of transparency, equity, abundance, and authenticity in ALL that we do.
Elections & politicians come and go. Grief is temporary. Our collective hope is relentless.
Now excuse us while we crawl back to that bag of Stuffing Flavored Kettle Chips.
In Our Hearts
With Thanksgiving in the US only a week away, we’re dishing up gratitude like it’s John Legend’s famous mac n’ cheese.
We asked I2I core team members to share: "What’s a 'hidden gem'—a small, often overlooked part of our work at I2I—that you’re especially thankful for?" (shout-out to ChatGPT for concocting this month’s prompt).
Here’s what made the list:
BRB — grabbing tissues. I’m not crying, you’re crying. 😭
Up Our Sleeves
CLIENT SPOTLIGHT 🔦 Common Future 🔦
Since Spring 2024, I2I has been pleased as (pumpkin) pie to partner with the Common Future Accelerator, a 3 month program that invests in a cohort of 10 BIPOC women and non-binary-led organizations that are actively working to dismantle economic inequality by giving power back to communities left out of prosperity.
I2I facilitated a 90-min workshop for the cohort, covering MEL 101, Theory of Change, metrics development, and the basics of systems change. To supercharge the topics from the session, each organization has the opportunity for 8 hours of customized MEL Technical Assistance.
In today’s political climate, it is easy to feel discouraged in the pursuit for racial equity and liberation. But working closely with these organizations has given us hope:
Fit to Navigate empowers BIPOC communities incarcerated or re-entering society in Ohio.
Justice for the People is one of the first organizer-led movement legal centers that focuses on housing and land justice in Colorado.
ReMix IDEAS is building a supportive ecosystem for Black-owned businesses in Arkansas by disrupting cycles of intergenerational poverty and creating pathways for economic mobility through business ownership.
United for a Fair Economy is addressing the need for organizer-leaders from Alabama’s Black, Latinx, and immigrant communities to advance base-building initiatives that promote economic justice.
WisConnect provides Black women entrepreneurs with the tools needed to sustainably scale their businesses.
Worker Justice Wisconsin is building worker power in solidarity with labor and faith allies.
If you want to learn more about our training offerings and TA support for nonprofits, hit reply.
Onward and upward, y’all!
You know, heart-2-hearts are supposed to be a 2-way street…
So comment below, what’s on your mind, in your heart, and up your sleeve? Hopefully a lil’ bit of good trouble. 😉
Subscribe to the newsletter here!
Until next time,
Intention 2 Impact
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