This morning we wake knowing more about the country we live in. Some of us are in shock, some outraged, some in mourning. But too many lives are at stake, as well as the future of our planet, for us to sink into despair. The election is over, but war, racism, xenophobia, corporate greed, climate change, inequality—to name just a few challenges—are still with us.

Our work for peace at home and abroad is needed more than ever.We must join together with communities in struggle and grow a culture of peace and love.

There are many lessons to be learned, and we cannot afford to live in anger and fear. Don’t mourn, organize. We have tools at the CODEPINK website and a team standing by to help you.

We need YOU to be a leader for peace in your community. Strengthen or build a local CODEPINK group. Hold a pop up for peace to discuss the hard questions that will be arising in the next few months. Grow your local peace economy so you can be there for the communities that will be impacted by the hate unleashed in this election cycle.  

Today, while we struggle, we can also pledge to stand by the communities in our society that are under attack. We stand by our Muslim friends. Our black friends. Our trans friends. Our disabled friends. Our immigrant friends. Our LGBTQ friends. Our Native friends.

Let us learn from the the indigenous community at Standing Rock in North Dakota, people whose way of life has been under attack for centuries and yet still they come together to protect all that the creator has given.  They are generous and loving. They are doing their inner work on their righteous anger. They are seeking to move toward forgiveness. They are in prayer together. They live in gratitude. They are loving and protecting Mother Earth. CODEPINK will be with them to cook a feast of Thanks on Thanksgiving day and to learn from their example.

By digging deeper into our potential for love and gratitude, our capacity for compassion, we will find our way from despair to action.

Alice, Alli, Ariel, Chelsea, Ciara, Jodie, Mariana, Martha, Max, Medea, Nancy, Paula, Sam and Samira