I have this general frustration that I need to do something more than rant on facebook—I need to be more active.
I came of age under Obama and felt protected. But now I feel the need to go yell in the streets.
I am Quaker. It’s in the family. Quakers helped my grandparents when they were held in Japanese internment camps, and they converted. Because of my background, I have an obligation to speak up.
I’ve appreciated being given the tools to do this work, having a support system to talk about solutions for things I don’t know how to do. The whole approach at Spring Lobby Weekend is so realistic, which feels more tangible than shooting for the stars. This group understands reality.
It’s been wonderful to get a chance to hear people’s stories, to both share and listen. It’s about lifting someone’s voice, making way, providing space for others to tell their own stories. I love supporting other people and telling their stories. Stories are everything.
When people are up in front of you, it’s different than being in front of a screen. Politicians can’t ignore you when you’re sitting in their office. They can ignore a protest on TV from their home state. This can shift a narrative, because everyone is crafting a narrative. It’s a matter of finding stories that are true and can be uncovered from people who are louder, have a bigger soapbox.
Sarah lives in Queens, NY and works at the Lark Theater. Sarah attended Spring Lobby Weekend for the second time in 2018.