We are about a month away from the election, and the work is moving.
We are organizing.
We are registering voters.
We are showing up.
Saturday and Tuesday, We Are the Change Tallulah hosted the Transforming Tallulah Tour. We went into the community to register voters, connect people to resources, and create space for Tallulah to come together.
And if we are honest- the people didn’t really show up like we may have hoped; so, we went deep into the community.
We showed up for the people.
And that matters.
Because this work cannot only be about convenience. It cannot only happen when the crowd is there, when it feels good, or when it is easy to be seen.
It has to be about commitment.
And commitment shows up whether it is recognized or not.
I’m going to be honest- this work is heavy.
There are moments where I question if any of this is working. Moments where I wonder if all of this effort- every call, every event, every conversation- has actually made a difference.
Because the truth is, a lot of this work happens without applause.
Without recognition.
Without immediate results.
And still- we keep going.
At the same time, we are a community that is carrying real weight. We are grieving. We are navigating loss. We are dealing with real-life challenges while being asked to care about the future of this city.
That is not small.
So no- this work is not easy.
But that does not mean it is not necessary.
Because even now, with one month left until the election, we should be clear about what this moment requires.
We need plans.
Not ideas. Not slogans. Not surface-level conversations.
Plans for jobs and industry.
Plans for our youth.
Plans for housing.
Plans that are specific, actionable, and already in motion.
And we need a community that understands that change is not something you watch- it is something you participate in.
But here is the part we cannot ignore.
If we try to do all of this from a place of exhaustion, frustration, and isolation, we will burn out before we ever see the results.
Rest is not a luxury in this work.
It is necessary.
Because this is not about one event.
It is not about one election.
It is about building something that lasts.
And that will take more than moments of energy.
It will take consistency.
It will take people willing to carry this work together.
Even when it is quiet.
Even when it is hard.
Even when it feels like no one is paying attention.
Because the future of Tallulah will not be built by who shows up once.
It will be built by who keeps showing up.
Remember, We Are the Change- Tallulah. In solidarity,
Xiomara K. Bell
watcTallulah.com
