Finding Our Focus

The past few weeks have been tough. Between the intensity of the election and the emotional aftermath, many of us are feeling tired and stretched thin. I’ve had moments of overwhelm myself, but amid it all, one thing has been clear: It’s time to go deep on and in community.

Humans are wired to help. We’re also wired to seek relationships that provide safety, support, and a sense of purpose.

When faced with uncertainty or stress, our instincts often guide us back to what feels tangible and grounding: The people and places closest to us.

For me, this hyper-local focus has meant creating opportunities for connection and action. I’ve organized two upcoming volunteer events:

• Sunday, December 15 with Share Ourselves’ Adopt-a-Family program in Costa Mesa; for ages 12+

• Monday, January 20 — MLK Day of Service! — with Community Action Partnership’s OC Food Bank in Garden Grove; for all ages

If you’re local to Orange County and you’d like to learn more and/or sign up, please let me know. It’d be great to volunteer with you. :)

I’m also leaning into the power of simple gatherings. We’ve got a neighborhood block party coming up in a few weeks, and it’s reminded me how restorative it is to gather with those nearby.

Maybe that’s what we all need right now — small moments of service, celebration, or conversation. And hopefully those moments offer us a chance to reconnect and rebuild.

I’d love to hear from you: How are you staying connected to your community right now?

With love and appreciation,

Sarah

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🐋FREE WILLY KEIKO

I was 14 years old when the ‘Free Willy’ movie came out. And heck yes, I remember it (that jump scene!?!). But until recently, I wasn’t aware of the real story behind the movie’s star, Keiko.

Now, thanks to the new podcast The Good Whale, made by Serial Productions, you, too, can learn about this most famous of orcas.

I’ve listened to three of six episodes…and I am totally riveted. Host Daniel Alarcón’s storytelling is lyrical and gripping, and I’m officially obsessed with this amazing whale. It’s for sure worth a listen.

👋GOODBYE, TWITTER

I did it: I deleted my Twitter (still can’t say X) account. I used to loooove Twitter but hadn’t really used it in a couple of years, and after the election, I decided I needed to leave the site permanently.

I’m trying out Bluesky now. Kinda seems like lots of others are as well. If you’re there, you can find me here. We’ll see how it goes.

If you want to migrate from Twitter/X without losing your followers, here are some tips. And I found this Bluesky Start Guide to be pretty helpful.

💡FREE CLASSES ON BELONGING? YES, PLEASE!

Founded in 2012, the Othering & Belonging Institute (OBI) at UC Berkeley advances groundbreaking research, policy, and ideas that examine and remediate the processes of exclusion, marginalization, and structural inequality — othering — in order to build a world based on inclusion, fairness, justice, and care for the earth — or belonging.

And now anyone can take free classes and learn with OBI, through the OBI University. Courses are built on the Othering & Belonging framework, and expert instructors guide you through a transformative learning experience. It’s all about creating a just and inclusive society.

Check out the website to read more and register for free.

💘NONPROFIT LOVE

Publicolor is an incredible nonprofit based in NYC. Its mission is to counter the alarming dropout rate in schools by engaging high-risk students, ages 12-21, in their education through a continuum of design-based programs and academic support.

What makes Publicolor unique — and what is central to its mission — is the beautification and revitalization of public and civic spaces (including students’ own schools!) through the power of color and design, some paint, and collaborations that engage students and the community as a whole.

Since 1996, Publicolor has transformed the lives of 1.2 million students and has painted 344 schools and 258 community sites alongside 27,000 volunteers.

I just love this organization. If you’re in NY, check out ways you can get involved here. Great colors on the organization’s website, too. ;)