These days, I often hear people say, “I’m overwhelmed by everything happening in the world. It’s chaotic, it’s heartbreaking. What can I do? Where is my place in all this?”
It’s a question rooted in exhaustion and longing—for direction, for meaning, for hope. When the news feels relentless and the world seems to be unraveling, it can be hard to process current events without sinking into rage or despair. But moving through those feelings—toward clarity, hope, and action—is essential. The only way forward is to stay engaged, to safeguard the society we want to see.
When I find myself spiraling, unsure how to even start untangling the weight of it all, I call Diane Middleton with the hope she’ll invite me on one of her steady four-mile walks. Diane is a seasoned organizer who has weathered crises before. She is relentlessly optimistic and forward-thinking. Talking with her is part therapy, part reality check, and part ignition—a spark that keeps me moving forward. We could all use a little Diane to help turn our rage and sorrow into hope—and hope into action.
I asked Diane to share her perspective—not just for me, but for all of us—on where we are now and how we can change the course of a country headed down a path none of us want to follow.
Diane: The world may feel unrecognizable right now, but history reminds us: We’ve seen echoes of this before—and we’ve found our way through.
Even the staunchest supporters of our administration are starting to admit: This isn’t what they signed up for. The country is pushing back. Protests are erupting in every state, in cities and towns that once stayed silent. In one upstate New York town of just 5,500, neighbors poured into the streets when a woman who had worked at the local pizza parlor for 20 years was deported. People are done watching quietly from the sidelines, because when injustice comes for one of us, it comes for all of us.
The first step is to recognize and acknowledge that when we get stuck in pure sorrow or pure rage, that’s where burnout lives. The harder path—the one that demands hope and the courage to stay focused on what must be done—is choosing to pursue justice anyway. Reaching that third step—hope—isn’t easy, and we often grapple with how to get there.
Many of you already know that United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has set up operations on Terminal Island, right here in our own backyard. While it’s easy to get swept up in headlines from across the country and around the world, the most urgent place to start is at home.
In the Harbor area, neighbors have come together to form the Harbor Area Peace Patrol (HAPP) in direct response to recent ICE raids. Their message is clear: Our community will not stand by while people are quietly picked up or disappear. Not here. Not in our town.
HAPP is made up of local volunteers who refuse to accept an ICE foothold in their neighborhoods, and they have the support of our city councilmember, Tim McOsker. On September 20, they held a community meeting and orientation to mobilize residents. Their goal is to create a rapid-response network, using social media to alert neighbors about possible ICE presence, including vehicle license plate numbers.
Because here’s the thing: ICE doesn’t want to be seen. And the one thing we, as everyday citizens, can do—lawfully—is observe, report, and help keep one another safe.
My takeaway from my chat with Diane is: There are no shortcuts to resistance. Like those who came before us, we may not know precisely how to fight the attacks on our standard (values) of living, but they pressed on, believing that victory lay ahead, and so must we.
I attended the HAPP community meeting on September 20 and left feeling prouder of my community than ever. What I’ve always known—and what that day reaffirmed—is that we will not stand by or stay silent in the face of this—or any—administration’s abuse of power.
To join HAPP, find them on Instagram @harborareapeacepatrols. spt
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