Nevertheless We Persisted

Nevertheless We Persisted

YA/adult nonfiction
"US Senator Amy Klobuchar, author of the forward to Nevertheless
We Persisted, was on the Senate floor February 7, 2017, a day that
will live on on infamy. That was when it was said about Senator
Elizabeth Warren [who I seriously hope will become the first woman
president] "She was warned. She was given an explanation.
Nevertheless she persisted." Those very patriarchal, patronizing words
were supposed to stifle Elizabeth.
The effect was more like tossing gasoline on a conflagration and
hoping the fire will go out. It rallied a lot of people beside
Elizabeth. Nevertheless she persisted trended on social media.
People thought of times they had succeeded because of not giving up.
And that culminated in a powerful book with the same name.
"In these pages you'll read about a woman who lost her young
brother far too early and a paraplegic athlete who coaches basketball
in war-torn countries. You'll learn from hard-working underdogs,
unlikely leaders, and incredible people who took on whatever life
threw at them. They all faced adversity. They all rose above it.
And they all inspired others to join them on their journeys of hope."
There are more than forty of these amazing stories. Some of my
favorites are:
*They Didn't Succeed--I Survived by Fanny Starr. After days in a
cattle car with no food or water, no bathroom, and no room to move
Starr and her family arrived at Auschwitz, (WWII Nazi concentration
camp) where they were sent in different directions, some to be gassed
to death. At one point Starr and her sister were standing in a huge
group of prisoners on an open field. What looked like ashy snow was
falling. She realized that it contained the remains of beloved family
members. Out of sixty members of her extended family, only five
survived the Holocaust.
At 96 Starr has this to say: "To this day, I do not know how I
survived. I have a mission to tell the world about evil after being
victimized over and over...I want people to care for each other and to
be kind to one another. Though individual acts of kindness may seem
small, even forgettable in the moment, they can mean survival to
someone.";
*Sometimes You Are Better Off Not Knowing by Binta Niambi Brown.
"My high school guidance counselor told me not to apply to Ivy
League schools and elite conservatories, to ignore their various
recruitment efforts, saying that, no, I would not be admitted, and
that even if I did somehow manage admission, I would not be able to
survive academically or socially at those schools..."
Brown was the born free descendent of slaves. She grew up in a
place where the Confederacy was considered heroic and very low
expectations were held for black students. At the time she received
the above quoted advice she'd excelled in honors classes and
participated in symphony orchastras.
and *The Accidental Activist by Gavin Grimm. Grimm came out as
transgender the summer before tenth grade. By the time school resumed
he had legally changed his name and was planning to start hormones.
At first things went well. But then his mother heard about a school
board meeting "...at which a public conversation about my genitals and
restroom usage would be had and I was not notified first." That
meeting was followed by an even more viscious one. People's worst
fears were played on. The resulting policy was as bad as you'd expect
under the circumstances. That was the moment Grimm dedicated himself
to fight for the rights of transgender students.
"...it isn't just a conversation about whether or not Gavin
Grimm would be able to use the boys' restroom before he was out of
high school. It is a conversation about perseverance of transgender
youth all across the nation. Many of them--in fact, most of them--do
not have the good fortune to go to an affirming school. Even fewer
have the platform to fight back..."
Those are just a few of the amazing stories you'll find in
Nevertheless We Persisted. If you're badly in need of inspiration,
this fine book is a must read. But don't just read it and set it
aside. Think of and share times you've had to work hard to overcome
obstacles. Help friends and family members recognize and feel proud
of instances where they've persevered.
On a purrrsonal note, when I go on campus to work the supper shift
I'll be surrounded by people who will be excited about the 3 day
weekend coming up, maybe asking me about my plans. I'm totally not
feeling it. I'll work Saturday brunch and return to home alone.
Eugene will be at camp. Joey and I used to keep each other company
when Eugene was up to camp. Now I'll be rattling around in the big
old trailer. It probably doesn't help that I'm sorting the memory
laden stuff in Adam's old room so the kids will be able to turn it
into a man cave for their dad. Maybe Eugene will come home in time to
go to the barbeque his sister usually puts on. Then I'd be able to
put flowers on Joey's grave. That's one thing to look forward to--
honoring the best little cat in the world who loved me. Or is it
loves? I guess it depends on what happens after death and I have no
clue what that is.
A great big shout out goes out to you, my readers. Have a wonderful
and safe long weekend. Just remember what it's all about. These days
too many workers are getting totally screwed by corporations that are
mistakenly considered people and their buddies in gubmint. It's going
to take commitment and perseverance on our part to achieve a country
where labor affords all a means of adequate sustenance and dignity.
jules hathaway



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