Organizational Statement Following the 2024 Elections: Building a Community of Love and Inclusion
November 7, 2024
We find ourselves navigating a complex blend of emotions this week - anger, excitement, fear, and hope - as we reflect on our actions and the recent changes in our communities. As we process this moment following the elections, we are reminded that the heart of Ashrei’s work lies in love, and we are deeply committed to a future where love leads, inclusion prevails, and our shared humanity is protected.
Months ago, we set a question before ourselves: What will it take so that, come election day, we can look back and say, “We did everything we could?” Historic wins and deeply concerning losses remind us that our work to heal and repair Missouri is both impactful and urgent. And so, we ask: What will it take to change the world? What happens if we remain unchanged? How will our loved ones be affected if we allow anger, fear or hopelessness to prevail? We believe there is only one answer to these questions: more love. A love that is enduring, inclusive, and transformative.
Ashrei strives to embrace love in all its forms. Sometimes, love provides comfort and joy; other times, it demands humility, patience, and even the courage to transform. Yet, wherever love is present, exclusion, division, and violence cannot endure. We know that true community is built on understanding, compassion, and the commitment to uplift all people without exception. We remain committed to inclusive love and dissolving the divides that separate us. At this pivotal moment, our path forward must be guided by compassion, openness, and unwavering commitment to community. This means challenging our own privileges, confronting discomfort, and choosing a broader, more inclusive circle of care and responsibility. It requires us to examine how we contribute to this community and how our systems might better serve everyone, especially those among us who are so frequently excluded, ignored or silenced.
As we work to build a radically inclusive community, we will remain steadfast in our commitment to love and respect all people - those who agree, those we struggle to understand, those we fear, and those we do not yet know. Ashrei knows that through this commitment, we can transform our society, fostering a place where everyone belongs. In every interaction, every decision, let us choose love - knowing it has the power to change hearts, bridge divides, and create a world that serves us all.
Guided by love, compassion, and this vision of radical inclusivity, Ashrei’s mission to empower and activate the St. Louis community and partners throughout Missouri by promoting economic justice, relieving suffering, and interrupting cycles of poverty, holds renewed meaning as the year comes to an end. We will continue to create a community where no one is left out, where division is replaced by unity, and where our systems serve the common good. Through partnerships, advocacy, and community-driven initiatives, we will build a stronger Missouri, fueled by a dedication to justice and equity for all.
Let’s build this future together. Let’s choose love, courageously, over and over again.
Sara Ruiz, Executive Director
