I was recently among those gathered inside Sacramento’s Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament in solidarity with California’s immigrant population. After silent prayers and words of inspiration from our faith leaders, several hundred of us walked from the cathedral to the grounds of the state capitol to express our solidarity and to help give voice to undocumented immigrants.
Along the route from the cathedral to the capitol, a high-end restaurant was packed with lobbyists and capitol insiders who don’t have to march in large numbers for their voices to be heard. I was happy the diners on the restaurant’s patio would see us, and maybe even take our message to heart. As we passed by, I was trying to read the faces of those power brokers for any sign of approval or support. Instead, we saw something more powerful.
Three of the restaurant’s busboys paused their race between tables, set down their table rags and bussing trays, and stood together side by side. Their eyes were fixed on the hundreds of immigrant rights supporters streaming toward the capitol. Their chins were held high. Their fists were raised in silence. Their dignity was more powerful than any lever a lobbyist pulls.
Some may say those young men should have stuck to bussing their tables. I’m glad they didn’t. When senseless acts of violence are making us afraid to gather in public spaces, we should all be asking ourselves how we can demonstrate unity and appreciation for each other. When bigotry rains down from Washington, D.C. and beyond, we should all be looking for ways to express solidarity and yes, patriotic peaceful resistance.
More power to the convenience store owner who stands up for the Muslim customer harassed in the aisle.
Thanks to Country Western singer Roseanne Cash's commitment to gun safety.
Good for the white police chief holding up a Black Lives Matter sign.
Shout out to the NFL players taking a knee against toxic racial bias.
Props to the soldiers speaking out against the ban on their fellow transgender service members.
And thank God for Jimmy Kimmel’s willingness to use his stage to speak from his heart and personal experience in defense of millions of people’s health care.
Even in an era of reality-TV-host-turned president, there are many who still argue we should all stay in our cubby holes. Entertainers should not venture beyond entertaining and athletes should not venture beyond athletics. But history teaches us that extraordinary times call on each of us to risk stepping outside our comfort zone.
When our social fabric and civil society itself are fraying, all of us should be asking ourselves how we can transform our lifelong skills into the protection of our most fundamental values, and each other.
In the field of philanthropy – where I now find myself working – it is time to ask how we can go beyond our own comfort and safety of conventional charitable grant-making. We need to figure out ways to be better as hands on, full and equal partners to those who are in peaceful pursuit of unity, inclusion, safety and dignity for all.
The time has come to stop criticizing those with the courage to color outside the lines of their job descriptions. We must all find our moment to pause and set down our rags and trays for the sake of the country and people we love.
#RiseUpAsOne