By Brandi Howard

Lately, there’s been a lot of talk about joy in advocacy, and it brings me so much hope for the future. The question that we continue to explore is how do we get to a state of joy and maintain it.

In our current political climate, the rights and issues we champion face constant resistance, stealing our joy. As believers in equity and justice, we remain steadfast in our advocacy and rarely get a break from the churn of the fight. When asked to dream, so often dream of a world without the oppressive systems that have been harming our communities for centuries. Rarely do we have the spaciousness to dream of what we actually want: the with.

Dreaming is an innate human right, and it’s what can bring us joy.

When I look around at the nonprofit organizations EBCF funds, I see their amazing work in challenging unfair systems and winning policies that protect our community. But all too often we are so mired in fixing problems that we get stuck in deficit thinking. We need to balance that with dreaming of the world we want to create. With adequate resources, we can do that and be more creative in re-engineering our economic system to produce a destination for our advocacy based on our aspirations.

Sometimes we are so focused on problem solving that dreaming feels indulgent. I’m not talking about daydreaming though, as the threats to our democracy and our communities are real and need to be dealt with. I’m talking about getting out of cortisol-driven fight or flight mode and into a serotonin-driven space to create what is possible. I’m talking about a both/and strategy of fighting and dreaming to generate change.

When someone asked me recently what my dream was, I had trouble answering. I too fell into the trap of a world “without.” But pressed again and asked about the “withs,” I was able to answer.

My dream is a future where neighborhoods are filled with vibrant cultures, colors, and smiling faces; where we say hello, share meals, and have each other’s backs. I dream of a care economy rather than one built on capital, where the ultimate goal is to provide true care and love for one another. I dream of a world where our systems serve us, pour into us, teach us how to learn, and encourage us to keep dreaming.

When I am in that dreaming state, I feel more inspired to tackle problems creatively, to maintain perspective, and to keep my eye on EBCF’s north star. And I actually have more energy for the fight. And yes, I feel joy. The question is, how do we operationalize dreaming internally within EBCF’s culture? Support social movements to dream? And eventually create the conditions for our communities to dream?

EBCF has started funding staff wellness for our grantees to provide them the spaciousness to dream, to heal, and to belong. This strengthens our social movement infrastructure. But it’s only the start. Over the next year, EBCF will explore how we fully operationalize dreaming as an essential practice within our social justice mission. We will need to develop real strategies, seek real resources, and drive a culture of spaciousness so that we can do things differently. And that is where you come in.

I ask you to think about your own dream – not of a world without, but a world with. What does it look like? What will it take to make it a reality? And what contribution do you want to make? Is it financial? Is it giving your time? Is it even being an ambassador for dreaming? That means when we get caught into the churn of reactivity fighting all that is wrong, will you disrupt that thinking, reframe, and ask yourself and those around you, “What do you really want? Or my favorite question, “What would It look like and feel like, if?”

Notice the change in your attitude and your energy. You will be less likely to feel defeated and more likely to say, “Let’s go!” and feel joy. And in that space, not only can we fight back – we can create the communities we want to be part of. Join us on this journey.

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