A NOTE FROM CHERYL: In honor of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and all who have died unjustly in our country, and in loving memory of my friend Vanee Sykes, who dedicated her life to working for justice, mercy and hope in her own community. I keep wondering what she would want me to do, or what she would say if she were here. I think she would say, "just love, and keep on loving, and don't give up when things get hard." There are so many creative ways to work for peace and justice. Start where you are, start with what you know, start with one foot in front of the other. And do not be discouraged by how far we have to go. Your job is always the same: Do what is right, and do what is yours to do. We are not alone in our struggle. Below are two organizations that are working for justice and equality by serving incarcerated and formerly incarcerated women in NY. Check them out if you want to learn more, get involved, or donate:

Hope House http://hopehouse.nyc/

Hour Children https://hourchildren.org/

For the Activists among you: Thomas Merton's letter to a young Activist http://jimandnancyforest.com/2014/10/ And for looking to give their service rather than their money: Saint Joseph Worker Program (Women 21-30) https://stjosephworkers.org/ Great Big Love "It’s all going to hell in a handbasket" That’s what you told me But I don’t believe it If God loved us then Why would he make it so hard? I think a God of mercy and grace and forgiveness might look down kindly And see through our brokenness Love of brother and love of country And search for something you can’t buy with money Love of neighbor and pardon for sinners That’s what I thought I read I hope your descendants will be as forgiving as I had believed God to be I hope that your hatred will end when you age and your rage will be softened by time and if we’re revolving around the same sun and if we keep returning to that same great big love Maybe we could see past disagreeing and fight for something Bigger and brighter than us I hope that our children will stand on our shoulders and fix what we broke and return what we stole oh I hope they forgive us I hope they outlive us and do what we couldn’t and keep moving forward I hope that our hatred will end when we age and our rage will be softened by time God of mercy and grace and forgiveness please look down kindly and see that we tried 

Contributors:

Cheryl Cedillo (Featured Artist/Director of Photography)

Peter Hanley (Editor/Videographer/Art Director)