What is our grain of sand?

I was wary of the year 2020. I didn’t know exactly why, but I had a gut feeling it was going to be a turning point … I just didn’t know how much.
As the world experienced a pandemic that will likely contract the global economy by 2.8% this year [1], my home now (the United States) had the “the straw that broke the camel’s back” in a long and painful journey of killing and oppression of our Black family and friends. Recent events have forced many of us to take a real stance on equity and anti-racism, to find ways to support our Black community in the USA and abroad and to think about how our actions can be sustainable and have a long-lasting impact both at home and in our local and global communities. We must do deep work, we must do it now, we must do it continuously … It’s a turning point indeed. A time to have all hands on deck and work together for equity in our communities. A time to do deep, intentional, mindful, and sustainable work.
As I examine my own role in society and what I want to do and how, a few things are becoming clear. 
Whatever we do or don’t do matters more than what we may think.

1. Whatever we do is just a grain of sand in the beach of massive and radical change we so urgently need, BUT we need those grains of sand. Every single one of them. What is my grain of sand? What is your grain of sand?

2. Any and all work we do related to diversity, equity, inclusion, and retention is not so much about leadership. It is about service. It is about holding space to have the hard conversation and strategize for meaningful action EVEN if that action is small. We need that grain of sand. OUR grain of sand.

Let’s not wait to “be something” to do something. We can serve and lead regardless of ranks and titles. Working to hold space and support a particular demographic (Black, Latinx, Indigenous, among others) DOES NOT take away from supporting other demographics. In fact, as we work to uphold our own values and mission, we CAN and we WILL make a change that will impact others outside our immediate bubble. Let’s remember that. We are all in this together and to fix all the things that need fixing, WE MUST work together. 
Below are a few resources put together by GeoLatinas and sister organizations, to improve and support our Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI) efforts. 

• #BlackLivesMatter and Action for Change – GeoLatinas

• How to Educate Yourself / Allyship 101 – Paleontological Society

• Communicating your Support for #BlackLivesMatter: Dos, Don’ts, and Resources – 500 Women Scientists

• Guide to Organizing Inclusive Scientific Meetings – 500 Women Scientists

• Talking About Race – University of Texas at Austin

The work to make our fields, our companies, etc. more inclusive is an ongoing job. What is your role in this work? What is our grain of sand?
_______
[1] Buheji, M., da Costa Cunha, K., Beka, G., Mavric, B., de Souza, Y. L., da Costa Silva, S. S., … & Yein, T. C. (2020). The extent of COVID-19 pandemic socio-economic impact on global poverty: a global integrative multidisciplinary review. American Journal of Economics, 10(4), 213-224.