Being Critical to Make Change
This poignant James Baldwin quote has been on my mind the last few weeks:
"I love America more than any other country in the world, and, exactly for this reason, I insist on the right to criticize her perpetually."
And it's not just because today is the 4th of July, although that certainly weighs in to the equation.
A few weeks ago I shared this sentiment with a friend at the AWHONN convention as we lamented some absent qualities.
This reflection on when, how, and why we are allowed to criticize powerful institutions and organizations has continued to pop up for me.
And it is BECAUSE of their potential that I feel called to do it. We are not dried up and dead or beyond repair…We can regrow.
I am worried about our healthcare system.
I am worried about the path our country is on.
I am worried about how nurses are treated.
I am worried about patients' access to care.
And because I want to be a citizen of a country that cares well for each other, I criticize when that doesn't happen.
As one friend shared yesterday after the Big, Beautiful Bill passed Congress,
"My heart hurts so much; this country is so disappointing."
And I replied, "SO disappointing. Squandering all our possibility."
And because I want to belong to a professional nursing organization that shows up to embolden us in difficult moments, I criticize when that doesn't happen.
My friend Kortney shared about wishing AWHONN reflected "the urgent issues nurses are facing every day, especially those working in maternal health and policy spaces".
And I agree with her wholeheartedly.
And because I want nursing as a profession to prepare us and provide anticipatory guidance to care well for ourselves while caring for others, I criticize when that doesn’t happen.
I wrote "I Thought I Was Here to Help" as a memoir, a lament, and a call to action because I believe in nursing's limitless potential to lead. Now more than ever we need to figure out how to advocate for the change we want to see, for ourselves and for our patients.
It's easy to get lost in the overwhelm of negative situations, challenging behaviors, and corrupt policies that dominate our news cycles and social media feeds. AND I believe that we make a difference each time we speak up and out about what we want to see change. We are fueling our own resolve to do things differently and giving others hope that change is possible. This is powerful.
I would love to hear how you all are navigating the current moment or how you might be challenging and criticizing to build a better future.
In solidarity,
