But, Where Are the Leaders?

Years ago, I was hosting a day about leadership for people in outdoor and environmental learning. The day was about getting clear about who we wanted to be as leaders and how to get there. After a morning of participatory sessions, lunch arrived in the form of boxed lunches that had been mixed up in transport. Although the boxes were labeled appropriately like “vegetarian” or “gluten-free’, they had been jumbled together so that there was not a clear grouping of lunches, so people had to look at the labels. I was juggling many different tasks at the time and as I approached the table, people were standing back and seemed to be waiting for something to happen. As I got closer, I asked what was happening and people said they were waiting for the lunches to be organized. I said, “Let’s stop waiting and make it happen.” It was one of many moments that I have experienced around how much people wait for leaders to step in and fix things, rather than take action themselves. And it was not lost upon me that this was a day specifically about leadership for leaders.

For years, I’ve been saying that leadership is not about a job title – it’s about how you show up. It’s less about the words associated with your name and more about the actions you take in the world. One of the interesting trends in the world right now is a tendency of people waiting for others to step up and lead rather than stepping up themselves. This is playing out in all different areas like the calls for those asking the Obamas or Kamala Harris to lead us. Or people asking on social media, “When are we going to take to the streets?” I even see it in how some are criticizing groups that are organizing that they aren’t doing enough. I saw one such example this morning with a comment on a local group’s page saying the group was underreacting and the group replied back asking what else they could do (this group is already organizing three actions a week). The original poster did not reply back with any suggestions.

I’ve recently revisited something I’ve thought about for years: What will it take to redefine leadership as not just a title and for people to be their own leaders and take action beyond just words? This has been top of mind for me since the Continuing Resolution (CR) vote in the Senate and the disappointing act of obeying in advance by those with leadership titles who are Senate Democrats. Yes, Senator Schumer has had a leadership title since 2017, but I don’t believe he’s demonstrating the qualities and integrity of the kind of leader we need right now. 

We can name that, but let us also not disregard the leaders in Congress who are showing up in the resistance – those who are steadfast in saving democracy through their daily actions. There are many, and we need to stop looking to those we’ve viewed as leaders in the past and see the leaders we have today. People like AOC, Rep. Jasmine Crockett, Sen. Chris Murphy, New Mexico’s very own Rep. Melanie Stansbury, Rep. Jamie Raskin, Sen. Bernie Sanders, and Gov. Tim Walz all come to mind. Stop looking to the past and start looking at the leaders of today.

It’s been over a month since I published But Who Will Save Us? and I answered the question with, “We will. It’s simple, we save ourselves. It’s always been this way and it will continue to be so. There are no superheroes that are going to fly in to save the day; instead, we get to be the heroes.” What will it take for us all to see that we now get to be the leaders? How do we help others see that those who were past leaders aren’t necessarily the leaders we need today? And, most importantly, how can I help people understand that rather than waiting for someone else to lead them, they can lead?

A few weeks ago, I felt frustrated that there were not regular local actions I could partake in on the weekends. There were great rallies during the work week and although I had the ability to arrange my work schedule to join in some actions, I was itching to do more on the weekends. After doing some research and realizing that weekend actions were sporadic, I took my own advice and decided to be my own leader. I enlisted my favorite co-conspirator to go out with me to find a site and create a safety plan. I will forever be an educator coming up with all types of contingencies to provide as much physical and emotional safety for everyone, so I spent time digging through resources like this great resource from the ACLU on Protestors’ Rights. We looked at all different possibilities and came up with a highway overpass that provides visibility to over ten thousand people per hour by our estimation and safety for us and those who pass by. 

I then invited a couple dozen of friends to come join in the fun. People can bring their own signs, banners, and flags for issues that are important to them and we always have extras. We invite others to join us for as long as they can. We had so much fun one day, we stayed an extra half hour! It was uplifting to engage with the many passersby who honked, waved, and showed the resistance fist. Rather than ask for when everyone will take to the streets, we just went ahead and did it. Our weekly actions are now one of my favorite parts of the week, and a rewarding contribution to the other actions I undertake – and by the way, I still call my Members of Congress on the daily!

With democracy, we don’t have time to wait for someone else to lead us so let’s stop waiting. We have to make it happen, and now is the time.