Dusting ourselves down

Hello, it's been a while. I hadn't particularly planned to be writing a newsletter today but people have been telling me that they missed them. And then this day seemed as good as any for a return to a newsletter about making a difference and working to leave the world in a better place than we found it.

I'm not sure I'm going to manage weekly but do let me know if I should start them up more regularly again.

I'm back out in the wild having been fully occupied since May 2023 working on Richard Parker's successful campaign to become Labour's first West Midlands Mayor. ChangeOut is back and I'm available for project work and interim contracts. And coffees. Just reply to this email if you'd like a chat.

I spent a bit of time in the US last week doing some campaigning in a beautiful, autumnal Philadelphia.

When I got back, several people asked me how I thought the campaign was going. I had to say that I simply didn't know. I joined the campaigning at the Get Out The Vote end of things so you're generally only speaking to your side's supporters to check they've made a plan to vote and they're still on board. I was in Philadelphia, in an area called Gayborhood, where you could accidentally stumble upon a Swifties for Kamala rally. I didn't see a single Trump poster. I honestly didn't have a clue how things were going to go.

But, much as I had hope in my heart, I couldn't help having nagging doubt in my gut. As a veteran of the EU Referendum campaign in Lambeth in 2016, it turned out that the doubt was right.

I'm not going to give you my hot takes. It feels like a time to grieve right now, for what might have been, and to nurture hope for a common, global humanity and our solitary little planet that seem so very fragile right now.

Day of the Week 📆

It's Trustees Week.

I'm on the hunt for a board role that I can really get stuck into. Let me know any charities that are recruiting trustees or a chair. Something focusing on climate justice, human rights, reproductive freedom would seem fitting.

What am I reading? 📚

I'm reading "Walls Come Tumbling Down: The Music and Politics of Rock Against Racism, 2 Tone and Red Wedge".

Music, anti-racism and fighting the far right.

What am I watching? 👀

I watched Threads a few weeks ago which brought back some grim memories of watching it when it came out in 1984. It holds up fairly well, I think. It's on iPlayer for the next 11 months.

What am I listening to?👂

I was amazed, AMAZED, I tell you, not to hear any Philly sound while we were there. Every bar and cafe we went into seemed to be playing the Smiths, instead of the O'Jays or Teddy Prendergrass.

So here's appropriate: The Sound of Philadelphia from the album Love is the Message by MFSB (Mother Father Sister Brother) featuring the Three Degrees.

Joy-giving things 😍

I've spent today making arrangements to meet up with friends, planning a cake I'm going to bake on Saturday, and listening to music with the volume up loud.

And I'm certainly going to remain inspired by the words Nimble, Relentless and Joyful from the poster above.

Lots of love

Lucy

I write this newsletter because I believe in sharing progressive ideas that help us work towards a truly equal world.

Share it with your friends so they can read it too 📣

Thank you!