Late night on Tuesday, January 5, 2020, after holding my breath for several hours waiting to know the outcome of the Georgia runoffs, I sat in the dark in front of the Christmas tree, soaking its irresistible loveliness for a final few moments: its sculptural shape illuminated by carefully-arranged tiny twinkling lights; the combination of kitschy, exquisite, and child-made ornaments; the strands of cranberries; the origami garland my sister made for us this year. This tree gave me much joy this Advent and Christmas, its treasures filling my need for beauty and whimsy, as our local and broader communities creaked under the weight of politics, of the pandemic.

Many of us are not passively waiting, but actively searching and advocating for ourselves and for others. And yet the longer our wait drags on, the harder it is to keep waiting. We realize that our efforts can only get us so far—there is only so much in our control. Waiting is exhausting.

This piece takes a deeper dive into how we can engage in justice work through community involvement at all scales.

“Living justly” can be such a grand idea that we can’t begin to know how to approach it. Over the last few weeks, there have been calls to protest, to learn, to donate, and to talk to our families and friends to build a more just society. All those things are good and necessary. Keep doing those things. And, what else can we do? We can start by taking baby steps to reducing harm.

In celebration of Pride Month and Juneteenth, here is a not all-inclusive list of Black and LGBTQIA+ voices to follow on social media and to read. It is worth noting that Pride is possible because of Black transwomen like Marsha P. Johnson.