Staying Afloat and Building Stronger Relationships
By: Daniela Bueso, Mesoamerica Program Director
It is hard to keep your head above the rising water these days. Every day, I wake up thinking about the state of the world, humanity, our planet, and the future generations. My wheels are spinning every day: how can I help more? How can I guarantee the communities and the partners we work with stay afloat and have a dignified life? How can I continue to help protect our planet? How do I just focus on the things that are in my control, and try to stay positive?
Whether it is work-related, family, or friends who are going through hardship at this time, it is hard to think about this ongoing battle and storm we have to get through.
But I found out that I wasn’t alone, and that many of us working in our sector have to keep swimming against the current, together.
I just came back from a very special and productive trip to Mexico City, where I had the pleasure of connecting and creating a new relationship with our newest nonprofit partner, Red MOCAF. Together, we signed a new partnership agreement to work with two new Indigenous communities from Oaxaca on communal forest restoration and empowering Indigenous women through economic alternatives. Making it official that TWP is establishing new roots in Mexico.
One of the best gifts that we have as TWP is our ability to build bridges, networks, and create long-lasting relationships, and this trip continued to prove that. Whether it was through shared meals, walking through plazas, having a celebratory mezcal, or getting to know locals at a deeper level, it made me feel at peace knowing some incredible people want to continue fighting.
I came back inspired after talking to community leaders, funders, and allies who work tirelessly every day to fight their own battles, restoring their ejidos or communal forests, protecting their watersheds, finding local economic opportunities to not have to migrate elsewhere, or empowering more women to become leaders; realizing there is a lot of solidarity. But what impacted me the most was that everyone talked about community, friendship, trust, and having dreams or goals they aspire to achieve. So it is time to do the same.
Hay que dormir con los ojos abiertos, hay que soñar con las manos… hay que soñar en voz alta, hay que cantar hasta que el canto eche raíces, troncos, ramas, ramas, pájaros, astros…
- Octavio Paz
