I am very excited to launch the first issue of The CC Journal: Making Noise for Social Change. It has been about five months since we found Compassionate Courage, and we are proud of all that we have accomplished so far. To catch up on all our work and our various initiatives, read this piece in our newsletter. It is also the time to announce the launch of our new campaign, Checking In, which comes from our Checking In survey findings. Not surprisingly, our survey tells that most people are looking for a real check-in from friends and family. So, we hope you will join us in this campaign, check in with people around us, and be there for them during these difficult times.

I have so many people to be grateful for the start of Compassionate Courage and the clarity I now have in what we need to do to heal divisions in communities and organizations. When I look back to last year's events, I know my personal experiences with racism led me to envision the Compassionate Courage approach. I worked hard to turn my pain into something positive, and I was never alone in this process. What started as a discussion group with Middlebury Institute alumni post the killing of George Floyd became an organic space for people to come and explore their passions. The pandemic gave us the space (and time) to connect online as there were fewer competing commitments for all of us. Whether designing our logo, deciding on the colors representing our work, or speaking up on various social issues, every group member fully gave themselves to the process. I have benefited immensely from having a group of people around me to share my ideas, vent my frustrations, express my challenges, and receive encouragement.  As people came and went, each one left behind a considerable mark; their commitment to heal the deep divisions that plague the world continues to motivate our team today. We remain dedicated, support each other, and the safe and brave space we have created is my pride.

There is so much sorrow and suffering in the world today, and it is easy to be paralyzed by a sense of hopelessness. But we at Compassionate Courage have chosen to fight these negative forces. In the words of Sr. Helen Prejean, when you act, there is hope, and when you don't, you feel overwhelmed. So, we choose action, work with hope in our hearts, and continue to serve. If you want to join us to execute a specific project through Compassionate Courage or, if you want to invite us to run a training for your organization or community, do write to us using the form on this page.

I hope you enjoy our articles in this issue. We welcome your thoughts, suggestions, and contributions to our future issues. The form on this page will get your messages on the newsletter to us.

Stay courageous, be compassionate, and do act.

Pushpa Iyer
Founder-Coordinator
Compassionate Courage
10.18.21