A post-election letter to our IM4US community

Dear IM4US Community,

Yesterday was a hard day.  We are all facing difficult truths about the country and world we live in -  for some of us “we are not what we thought we were”, for others “we are exactly what we have always been”.  Many of us may feel that we are walking through a world that seems increasingly dedicated to conflict, division, short-sightedness and a loss of any consideration of a common good.  

We may be feeling disbelief, sadness, anger or rage, anxiety, despair, hopelessness, dissociation, or any combination or vacillation of these and other states.  What we hope will be possible for each and every one of us is to simply allow what we are feeling without the need to judge it, change it, or bury it.  

The world we seek to build - one of compassion, caring, and health for all - begins with self-care.  Those of us who are drawn to work at the intersection of health and social justice often feel an imperative to care for others first.  Today and in the times ahead, we extend an invitation to carefully attune to what you are feeling, and perhaps just repeat a compassionate phrase to yourself, “Oh my dear, this is hard right now.”  

Self-care can look like many things. Take refuge in what you know to be comforting and admit that this is a wound.  Nourishment is essential for healing.

Here are a few general tips to support yourself and reduce stress and anxiety around the election:

• Stay off Social Media and News sites

• Connect with another person - a loved one, dear friend, or mentor. Isolation can make uncertainty harder to bear.

• Give and get hugs – they can be so very healing

• Value your own health - eat well, sleep well, breathe well, exercise

• Make space for spirituality if that is comforting for you

• Do something you love, something creative, something affirming

• Spend time with a pet

• Do some grounding techniques that feel good to you – like mindful breathing, gentle stretching or walking barefoot on the earth

• Practice acts of kindness and compassion for yourself

If you are feeling particularly depressed, vulnerable or scared, and are worried you may take some action that would result in harm to yourself or others, please reach out to someone you know and trust for help.  

• 988 Suicide Lifeline

• The Trevor Project - For LGBTQIA+, and specifically around the 2024 election

General Resources:

Charter for Compassion

University of San Francisco Election Care kit

Khesed Mental Health Election Resources

Building Bridgers 

If you need support and are not able to find it in the resources above,  reach out to your local mental health advocates or department of health.

Fellowship and action can improve feelings of agency and actualization and decrease stress.  Perhaps this jolt catalyzes your commitment to building a more just and equitable world.  Collaboration in our working groups advances the important work we do, and we are even more energized.  IM4US continues to focus on building the world as we want to see it, and you can join your fellow IM4US members to help.  

This month’s working groups will meet as follows:

Research and Education Committee meets next Tuesday Nov 12th at 6 pm EDT/3PM PDT; 

Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Committee meets Thursday Nov 21 at 8PM EDT,  

Cultural Misappropriation Subcommittee meeting is this Friday, Nov 8th at 8PM EDT/5 PMPDT.  

IM4US Conference Planning Committee currently meets monthly. Reach out to Renee Schneider at Renee@im4us.org. 

If you would like to receive a calendar invite for any of the above working groups, please email Angela Lee at Angela@im4us.org.

Let us walk forward together, grounded in our shared purpose and invested in our commitment to Health for All. In the weeks ahead, we will continue sending letters with information and ideas for healing and moving forward. Today, let us take comfort in our fellowship and our community.  

With warmest regards and in solidarity,

The IM4US Leadership Team