It was the iconic Fred Rogers that told us, “Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.”
At Good Good Good, we’ve made that the foundation of our work — to know that even in times of extreme hardship, there are always people looking to do good in the world, people ready to receive the good, and most of us at the intersection of taking action.
This past year has been another “unprecedented” year (ugh), full of overwhelming challenges and large-scale catastrophes. But what keeps us moving forward, what keeps us afloat amidst so many unknowns, is the potential to respond, problem-solve, and care for one another.
2022 ushered in violence and fear — threats to healthcare (the Supreme Court struck down Roe v. Wade), ongoing climate change (climate disasters rocked areas across the globe), political unrest (Russia invaded Ukraine and continues to inflict unrivaled human rights violations) — and so much more.
But in these heartbreaking moments, we cling to hope. We must.
From entertainers using their platforms to help others, and protesters and activists fundraising and speaking out to change the future, to community members providing necessities to their neighbors at war, or leaders fighting to end gun violence — this issue celebrates just a tiny amount of the work at the center of it all.
What we love most about sharing and celebrating good news is that it’s messy and real; it’s full of hope, failure, triumph, and resilience. It helps us step into a new day with the unwavering belief that things do get better.
And it’s helpers like these that solidify this hope. As we step into another year navigating these unparalleled trials — and the enduring humanity that accompanies them — we look to them.
Every year we highlight helpers in a number of categories — and this year we’ve chosen these categories:
- Education Helpers
- LGBTQ+ Helpers
- Art & Media Helpers
- Healthcare Helpers
- Ukraine Helpers
- Gun Safety Helpers
- Climate Helpers
- Equality and Justice Helpers
- Community Helpers
In this post, we’re highlighting Government & Equality Helpers and simple ways to make a difference:
Government, Equality, and Justice Helpers To Know —
Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson
For 232 years, no African American woman had served on the U.S. Supreme Court. That changed in June 2022 when Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson was sworn in, becoming the 116th Supreme Court Justice and the first Black woman to hold the position.
Judge Jackson was nominated by President Biden earlier that year and was later confirmed by the U.S. Senate.
Her experience includes being confirmed with bipartisan support to both the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit in 2021 and district court judge for the U.S. District Court in 2013, and served as Justice Stephen Breyer’s law clerk.
Judge Jackson is now the first-ever Supreme Court justice to have served as a public defender.
Her historic confirmation marks a moment of long-overdue progress for representation in the judicial branch of the U.S. government.
We’re celebrating her landmark nomination and a Supreme Court that represents America a little better now.
January 6th Committee
The January 6th hearings, led by the U.S. House Select Committee, are the result of a year-long investigation into the unprecedented domestic attack on the U.S. Capitol.
The committee, led by Chairman Bennie Thompson (D-MS) and Vice Chair Liz Cheney (R-WY), was tasked with investigating and examining evidence developed by Federal, State, and local agencies.
From the beginning, the committee understood that some watching would approach these hearings with a level of skepticism, however, they urged Americans to open-mindedly listen to the evidence presented — which overwhelmingly came from Republican testimony — before reaching any form of judgment.
A key element of the committee’s responsibility is to release a comprehensive report and propose recommendations — including legislation — to ensure that any future attempts to stop the peaceful transfer of power will never happen again.
Thanks to this House Select Committee, and those bravely providing witness testimony, people watching have the opportunity to process the full scope of what transpired, seek accountability, and protect the democratic process.
Supporters of Immigrant Communities
The number of migrant arrivals reported along the U.S.-Mexico border surpassed 2 million in August, an all-time high driven in part by unprecedented levels of people fleeing from Cuba, Venezuela, and Nicaragua, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
This year alone, we’ve witnessed the horrific deaths of 46 migrants in an abandoned tractor-trailer outside of San Antonio, Texas, the busing of thousands from border states to northern cities, and the status of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) policy — which puts more than 600,000 young individuals at risk of deportation.
There are, however, helpers like RAICES, United We Dream, and Artists Athletes Activists stepping up in this time of crisis to provide essential resources and legal aid to migrant and immigrant communities.
Community members in cities like New York and Washington D.C. have also set up mutual aid efforts (South Bronx Mutual Aid and Sanctuary DMV) specifically to address and support the needs of new arrivals.
3 Ways To Advance Social Justice in Your Community:
- We recommend listening to “Intersectionality Matters with Kimberlé Crenshaw” or “Undistracted with Brittany Packnett Cunningham,” both explore a range of topics and sit down with activists and scholars to discuss today’s most pressing social justice issues.
- Seek out organizers and activist groups in your community to learn from one another. Meetup is a great online platform for locating activist groups near you. meetup.com/topics/social-justice
- In addition to voting (and helping others to register to vote), getting involved with your local government and becoming a voice for important causes is key to advancing social justice.
She Should Run developed a great toolkit to help get you started: sheshouldrun.org/starter-kit
