With so much happening on multiple levels in our world, and with a historic election just around the corner here in the US, I’ve been thinking a lot about the principles behind diversity, unity, and stability.

I had a startling experience just this weekend that drove it all home.

We’d driven four hours out of the city to celebrate my birthday in the Sierras. While cooking dinner on Friday, we heard sirens. Standing outside, I could see a thin column of smoke rising from the woods in the valley just below the cabin.

Word was that the fire was moving away from us, down the valley, but we should be ready to evacuate in case the wind turned.

We got the call just before midnight.

We packed the car, rushed next door to help the rest of the family, and quickly made our way off the mountain along the narrow, winding road.

We watched in awe and shock as plumes of smoke and red sparks rose from the hillside just below the road amidst an eerie, orange glow.

Years of drought, warmer winters, and a recent blight that claimed huge stands of pines had made the forest a veritable tinder box. One errant spark and the mountain was ablaze, jumping roads and spreading miles across the wilderness.

We arrived home at four in the morning, safe but shaken.

All of this filtered into my reflections about the challenges we are facing as a society, as a species, and the coming elections here in the US.

There is a simple yet profound principle in environmental science: diversity increases stability and resilience.

Originally observed on a large scale in ecosystems, the principle applies to a range of other contexts. Diversity in the human microbiome increases overall health. Genetic diversity of a species increases the population’s ability to adapt to change.

The same is true at a community level.

A diversity of voices and perspectives increases the richness and resilience of a society. Excluding voices renders it a dry landscape: unstable and flammable.

In roughly eight weeks, the United States will hold local and national elections. Fair and free elections are one mechanism in a democratic society to honor diversity and to increase the stability and resilience of a nation overall.

Participatory democracy means working together to make every voice matter—creating ways to hear and honor the needs of all regardless of class, race, gender, sexual orientation, ability, or economic status. True inclusivity even includes the voices of non-human beings and future generations.

So I’m writing you today to invite you to join me in making every voice matter.

Can you take a few minutes to ensure your voice is heard and to support your neighbors and fellow citizens in having a voice? Check out a short list of ways to help below.

In kindness,

Oren

An Unrelated P.S.

When COVID hit in March I began sending an email once per week. For the next few months, in order to have more time to focus on supporting participants in my fall online course, I’ll only be sending an email every other week.

Help Make Every Voice Matter

1. CONFIRM that you’re registered to vote.
2. Request an absentee ballot.
3. Call / text three friends or family members. Ask them to do steps 1 & 2.
4. Consider what time and resources you might have to contribute:

• Donate to help get the vote out. Here are two non-partisan orgs where you can make a tax-deductible donation to support democracy:
• www.Voterparticipation.org
• www.WhenWeAllvote.org
• Join me in writing postcards to voters around the country. Check out:
• Vote Forward
• Dharma Vote
• Mom’s Rising: Postcard campaign
• Volunteer to become a poll worker
• Get involved at a state level to increase voter turnout

Feel free to forward this email.

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