| Hello,
This year, many of us will be participating in Thanksgiving with family and friends that we have not seen since before the pandemic. After such a long time apart, this is a time to reconnect as a community and to reflect on what we are grateful for. Several research studies have found that a regular practice of gratitude, or an attitude of gratitude, is said to have far ranging emotional, social, and health benefits. In fact, benefits associated with gratitude include better sleep, more exercise, reduced symptoms of physical pain, lower levels of inflammation, and other benefits.
The HECHO team is practicing gratitude during this time of year and we are grateful for the collective push for a sustainable and just future, for our community’s efforts in the movement to conserve public lands, and for our cultural connection with nature.
Beyond being grateful today, our team is holding space for Native American Tribes and Indigenous people whose care and history has taught us the importance of clean water, clean air, healthy wildlife, and landscapes to enjoy. We give thanks for the opportunity to learn the name of the original inhabitants of the land we live, hunt, fish, camp, and hike on. We are grateful for the people, animals, and plants that give us strength, inspiration, nourishment, and hope.
We invite you to read this article underscoring why Thanksgiving is a day of mourning for Indigenous communities by visiting the link here: https://wbur.fm/3r1ezaT
And encourage you to visit this blog that includes resources about how we can center Indigenous rights and sovereignty in our work: https://bit.ly/3xcvrfE
As we begin our journey into the new year, we wish you and your family health, safety, and healing.
Thank you,
Camilla, Gabe, José, Amy, Bianca, and Laura (Your HECHO Team) |
