Author: Michael Tino

Justice requires persistence. It requires fortitude to speak truth to power, sometimes again and again and again, until that truth is understood.

How have you experienced someone speaking truth to power?

“Gonna keep on moving forward, keep on moving forward, keep on moving forward,
Never turning back, never turning back.” – Emma’s Revolution

What music inspires you to keep going?

The gentle persistence of water is a wise teacher. It can easily give way, bending around the stones in its path. It will change directions to find a way to keep flowing to its destiny. And, over time, it can literally reshape the Earth just by flowing . . . patiently . . . persistently. -Lori Stone (CLF)

How might you be more like water? 

My mom used to tell me every time I wanted to give up that it was too early. Because I was naturally good at some things, I thought not being good the first time in others meant I was failing. One day she said to me, ‘You will never learn if you don’t practice. Persistence is the gift.’ -JeKaren Olaoya (CLF)

How has your persistence been a gift to you and others?

Persistence is the will to survive. It is the audacity to bend the arc of the universe towards justice. It is community care, stubbornness, and courage in the face of injustice. Persistence takes many forms in many different circumstances.

What does persistence mean in your life?