Solidarity

Dear Friend,

I’ve been thinking a lot about solidarity - (unity or agreement of feeling or action, especially among individuals with a common interest, of course). This weekly missive assumes that fellow feeling, and yet there’s something more to the notion of solidarity, at least to my mind. We’re in this to support each other because we have good work to do and there’s no time to lose. So.

Here’s what brought the particular notion of solidarity into sharp focus:

My daughter’s part-time artist-teachers went on strike three weeks ago (and the full-time faculty respected the strike in solidarity).  For three weeks, she (and we) got an education in how threadbare our resources are for those who imagine the future, teach our children both how to become working artists and to know that the work of art is at least as important as the work of having a job.  I’m thrilled that the university saw the light and gave the faculty (most of) what it deserves.  I’d love to think that the university will now harness the solidarity of the entire community in demanding that those in power above them provide the school with the financial means to thrive.  We, as a country, have all the money we need for everyone to have enough.