We Belong To Each Other

By LaShawn Routé Chatmon

December 15, 2023

“If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other.”

Saint Teresa of Calcutta

As we enter this holiday season, joy feels difficult to summon amidst the griefs that persist in our country and around the globe. The echoes of loss, the widening chasms between communities, and the looming environmental crisis cast a shadow over our celebrations. Yet, between the familiar warm spaces of traditions, fellowship and solace, a profound truth emerges—a truth often obscured by divisions real and perceived among us—our shared human destiny transcends borders, identities, and the illusions of separation.

At the National Equity Project, we acknowledge the continuing injustices and environmental perils that plague our world. However, our 28-year journey has reaffirmed a fundamental understanding: within our differences lie the threads of our interconnectedness and collective future.

Our progress is not in denial of the injustices but in the forging of unexpected and necessary alliances. Regardless of creed, ethnicity, or any other imposed divisions, we are united by the universal yearning for goodness, understanding, and freedom from suffering. This season, we embrace the opportunity to reaffirm our shared humanity and illuminate the paths where compassion and equity are most needed. By amplifying the voices marginalized by injustice, we actively nurture the seeds of a more compassionate world—a world where equity thrives, recognizing that justice for any individual hinges on justice for all.

In this spirit, we recommit to the vision of a beloved community that fuels our endeavors at the National Equity Project. Our existence is intertwined, our destinies interconnected. As we navigate this holiday season and enter a new year, let us reaffirm our dedication to creating a world where justice, care, and equity are the guiding principles that unite us all.

With love and determination for a new way,

LaShawn Routé Chatmon
Executive Director, National Equity Project