Written by Teagan Papke, Director of Strategic Partnerships; Chelsea Tossing, Associate Director; and Ford Church, Founder and Executive Director

The past few weeks have brought a wave of policy changes that have sparked concern and uncertainty for many in the communities we serve. From shifts in immigration policies, rolling back environmental protections, removing protections for gender identities, and threatening nonprofit funding, times of rapid change call us to reaffirm our values and commitment to supporting one another and working toward a more just and inclusive future.

As part of our CAP Class, we teach about the “Cycles of Hope and Cynicism,” which are borrowed from The Better World Handbook. The cycles tell us that the way out of despair is action. When things feel too big and overwhelming, it is important to return to our values, find quality information, and choose small or large practical actions to address the problem. Even when progress feels uncertain, history shows that collective efforts are the path to meaningful transformation.

As an organization, we are doubling down on our Justice, Equity, Diversity, and inclusion (JEDI) initiatives because it is the right thing to do and because it will help our students, families, staff, and community members feel fully supported. Cottonwood Institute is committed to working toward the goals in our JEDI Strategic Plan, re-establishing our JEDI committee to engage all our stakeholders in bettering our organization and sharing Community Resources to help navigate what comes next.

Together, we navigate these challenges with resilience, empathy, hope, and action.