Election years are always tough. Traditionally, candidates get vocal about what's troubling our nation, trying to convince us that they are the ones who can solve our problems. But this focus on scare tactics, belittling opponents, catastrophic exaggerations, worst-case scenarios, and all the nasty negativity of this grapple for power has become exhausting.
The election cycle used to start in January and end in November of the same year. But, beginning in 1976, it has grown into an entire year, every year, a 24/7 constant barrage of politics, and we're all feeling pretty beat down. Even my most driven, energetic activist friends have needed pep talks to help them keep their foot on the gas through the home stretch of this election.
Since I wrote my last blog, Crank up the Coping Skills, about feeling depressed and hopeless, I've been out in the world talking to friends about how low I've been. They already knew and told me they'd been worried about my lack of sparkle. Thankfully, my fairy magic is starting to come back since I started putting the experiments I wrote about in the blog into action.
It feels like I'm admitting my addiction when I tell people how I've been feeling, like an introduction at an AA meeting. "Hi. I'm Jill, and I am depressed." The shame and vulnerability of even admitting to myself is challenging enough, never mind admitting it to people I know who love me. But as I've been talking about how I feel, I've discovered how many others feel the same way.
Mr. Fred Rogers had great advice for children in times of crisis.
"When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, "Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping."
When every day feels like a crisis, it gets harder and harder to see who the helpers are. So, as part of my Fairy Magic Recovery ™ strategy, I have created a top twelve list of women who inspire me and write about them. I chose six women who are nationally known and six women who are local to Wichita. Looking for inspiration and shifting my perspective to the light always helps adjust my attitude.
So, I will post weekly articles about two women who inspire me for the next six weeks. I want to inspire you to think about making your own list and spending some time thinking about what it is about these people that inspire you and introduce you to inspirational women you may not have met yet.
The first two women I'm writing about are inspirational to me because of their resilience and unwavering dedication to persevere even during challenging times. They use their talents to make sense of the world around us. They are Bonita Gooch and Heather Cox Richardson.
Bonita Gooch
Since 1996, Bonita has been the owner and Editor-in-Chief of The Community Voice newspaper. For years, she was mostly a one-person operation, writing most of the content, taking pictures, laying out the paper, selling ads, having the paper printed and distributed, and all the management chores that come with running a business.
When newspapers were struggling to stay alive, she expanded the reach of her publication to Kansas City. Bonita is committed to high-quality journalism that focuses on the interests and needs of Black readers in her distribution areas to enhance the lives of her readers and their communities positively. Reporting truth at a time rampant with misinformation isn't easy. Providing a trustworthy news source that's community-based is something we should never take for granted.
Bonita's perseverance is truly inspiring. I know from personal experience that putting out a newspaper is a tough job. When I helped with the F5 entertainment newspaper, I learned that just when one issue is out, it's time to get the next issue ready, with intense timelines and deadlines. And she has two publications to get out on a bi-weekly basis!
I got to know Bonita personally and professionally while consulting with her on her business during COVID. During that stressful time, I watched her deftly juggling all the plates in the air, putting out fires, and making important decisions during video calls.
My 15+ years as a member of the National Federation of Press Women have nurtured a fondness for powerful women journalists, and the same fiery, tough, stubborn, no-nonsense spirit runs through all the really amazing ones. Watching Bonita stirs up those traits and motivates me to keep moving toward purpose.
Dr. Heather Cox Richardson
As an American historian, Dr. Richardson is a history professor at Boston College on topics such as the American Civil War, the Reconstruction Era, the American West, and the Plains Indians. With seven history and politics books under her belt, Dr. Richardson started the "Letters from an American" nightly newsletter in 2019 to give insights into current events in the context of American history. With over one million subscribers, she became the most successful individual author of a paid Substack publication by December 2020.
In 2023, Richardson released her seventh book, "Democracy Awakening: Notes on the State of America," which connects contemporary events to historical trends and serves as a guide for navigating political turmoil by drawing on historical lessons.
I subscribed to Dr. Richardson's free newsletter in 2019, when there were so many lies it felt like I was stuck on a crazy train. During COVID, she was the voice of reason I depended on, to tell the truth so I could keep my sanity and understand what was really going on. I still get her email every night. For five years, she's persevered to crank out a daily article. Though she usually takes one night off a week, she still sends a picture of a sunset instead of an article.
She has a fantastic talent for explaining things clearly in a way that must help her college students understand and stay interested in hearing about history. The historical references she makes and behind-the-scenes stories she uses as examples help it all make sense.
She has such a pragmatic, honest approach, sticking to the facts no matter how unpleasant, in a calm, non-confrontational way. She inspires me to look for the truth and use my voice to stand up to misinformation civilly and less emotionally, respecting that everyone has a right and reason for their beliefs.
Her newsletter is also posted on her Facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/heathercoxrichardson/
Neither of these women waited for anyone to give them permission or an invitation to take on such gargantuan tasks. They saw a need in the community and society and made it happen through diligence and hard work.
These news outlets' longevity and continued relevance are a testament to their journalistic mission and tenacity. Their hard work reminds me that life is a long game and it takes perseverance, patience, and persistence to move the world. This reminder inspires me to keep going.
Next week – Visionary Women Who Inspire
Did you know I've published a book? Learn more about it here!
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