This year, the world as we know it was shook up.
Many of us foresaw the magnitude of climate chaos that we’d encounter – like the 800+ wildfires that raged on the west coast this summer, storms like Derecho in the Midwest, Eta the southeast.
Some of us imagined mass public health crises on the scale of a pandemic. And many of us knew that a power struggle would erupt in the face of ecological and public health crises – that those with power would do everything they could to hold onto it.
I don’t think any of us could have imagined the collision of these tectonic plates at this scale, at this pace. But here’s the thing – when tectonic plates collide, magma rises to the surface, and something new emerges. It’s time to let that newness thrive. When we released our strategic plan – our three year roadmap – in February, we had no idea what was in store for 2020. We’re pleased to share that while our tactics may have changed, our core methods haven’t. Now, more than ever, we know the value of HEAL’s work.
At HEAL, we get to facilitate an unprecedented collaboration of farmers, fishers, ranchers, Indigenous leaders, food system workers, public health advocates, scientists, and community organizers connecting and uniting across the country, coming together across race, sector, and geography – because we all have a stake in a better future.
And in the face of the chaos of 2020, while greedy corporate CEOs and power-hungry politicians sought to grow their profits off the backs of working people and the planet, our people turned to each other. We know that we can’t just try to win reforms in an economy that was never designed for life to thrive, and that our survival depends on our ability to see ourselves as interconnected. Each of us brings our skills, resources, and expertise to create something more beautiful than we ever thought possible.
We couldn’t be more proud of the ways that our alliance has grown through the magma of 2020. As you read our end of year report, I hope that you feel similarly inspired. We are in the fight of our lives, and the fight for generations to come. We are rooted, we are resilient, and we are ready for whatever comes next.