Wed, May 27, 2020
Read in 3 minutes
Bogotá Hub, Colombia Originally from Bogotá
I am not sure why I felt that this time I had to organize some words for y’all.
I am sure that these have been hard days for everyone. It seems unbelievable that a month ago we were meeting bears and laughing inside of a glamping where we fulfill the Colombian saying “where one can eat, two can eat”. In our case, where there are 10 beds, 20 can sleep.
Quarantine has brought good days and others with not so much joy. Anxiety, frustration, fear and boredom have not been strangers. They have played more visits than one would like.
But just when we were receiving the first news about the quarantine, the Happy Team showed up to fill us with hope and smiles with a calendar of activities for the Hub. Then, with infinite creativity and entrepreneur spirit, Vane and George came up with an online platform to drive resources to other entrepreneurs. Majo and Dani reminded us that there are many people we can - and should - help. Juanjo gave us writing classes. Andy managed others to join him to donate blood.
This time of “calm and quietness” has allowed me to reconnect and remember why I decided to run for Curator. It was for the shapers, for you, because if anyone in the world inspires me is you all. Each one in their own way. I am inspired in your ability to think of others, even when you have difficulties of your own. I am inspired by how you’ve managed to use your privilege to help the most needed. But most of all, I get inspired from how we connect to help each other.
Each month, close to our monthly meeting, I question what does it mean to lead this community. Of course, during this last month that question has bounced in my head every week. Yet this time I didn’t have to think much to find the answer: I just had to see you shapers.
If I have learnt anything with SietePolas [my feminism blog] and Equivalientes [our gender project of the Hub], is that self-care comes first. Leading a shapers’ Hub during a pandemic is making sure above all that every single one in the Hub is alright; telling you that mental health is the most important thing to keep hope that EVERYTHING will pass. Specially if you are living alone, or you are out of a job, or you got stuck for a month in a hostel in Cusco.
Mental health is not a linear thing but one has to work on it every day, and not put unnecessary burdens of what one has to be doing or feeling. If anyone needs to talks, here are 30 persons that are willing to hear; as Alejo and Juan showed us during our retreat.
After making sure that you are alright, I hope also that your families and friends are good too.
And lastly there is our project and the network. Thanks Ka for helping us transform our projects into digital messages. I am sure that during the next month we will find the way to move all of our projects to digital.
In the meanwhile, I encourage you meet our international community now that - literally - everyone is in their house. I’ve had the opportunity to join cook-outs, meditation and workout groups. Or Alejo that organized a poetry night. One of the biggest benefits of being a shaper is its community, and I am completely convinced that any person would be lucky to meet you. I, surely, am.
I feel profoundly thankful to have met you, to be part of this community, and to call you friends.