By Cheryl Smith
Publisher
Recently I was privy to two calls where very critical information was shared.
One conversation involved information the world needed to hear regarding COVID-19; even though I had concerns about whether or not many would pay attention and take necessary precautions, regardless of who was speaking.
The other call was a ZOOM call hosted by the Hon. Helen Giddings and moderated by veteran journalist Melanie Lawson. The webinar was hosted by the Western Area of Black Women Empowering Black Women and was titled, “Are you Really Ready to Run?”
That session, according to the former Texas State Representative, was the second session of Campaign College, sharing very insightful information for women interested in seeking elective office.
Health and public service are two issues that are worthy of paying attention to.
Which brings me to my truth.
Top officials, who are focusing on science over conspiracy theorists and actors playing roles, are concerned about COVID-19.
We must continue to wash our hands, wear our masks and practice social distancing.
Sure doing so is uncomfortable and an inconvenience. If you wear glasses, they may fog up and if you have long hair the mask could become entangled and you might lose a few strands in the process of removing the mask.
Talk to someone who has survived the coronavirus and they’ll tell you that the minor details that you are complaining about are nothing in comparison to what you could experience at varying stages of infection.
And while there are numerous testing sites, too many are operating at full capacity of staff with too few actually coming in to be tested. Some believe that what they don’t know won’t hurt them.
Fear can be almost as deadly because there are people walking around with the virus but without symptoms; giving them an opportunity to transmit the virus if they are not following safety protocols.
We’ve gone decades without finding cures for numerous ills and we’re looking at a coronavirus vaccine in less than 12 months.
There are optimists and skeptics.
In the meantime and the between-time, we must deal with the inconveniences of protocols that have been proven to be life-saving.
We have to follow the science, as the executive on that all-important Zoom call urged.
Then, we look at the political scene and the dominant role that women continue to play.
Say it with me, “Kamala!”
Rep. Giddings spent 26 years as an elected official. She’s optimistic about the future and the impact that women are having in the electoral process.
For anyone contemplating seeking elective office, the “Are you Really Ready to Run?” call was very beneficial as the panelists talked about the challenges and responsibilities associated with public service.
Sadly, too often folks step into arenas that they are not adequately prepared for, and maybe that’s why so many operate in the impostor realm of life where they fake the funk. That is what happens when you become so caught up in what you perceive as success—headlines, social media likes and cameras.
Let’s face it.
Some people are successful because of the work they put in; while others fake being successful because social media drives everything they do.
Listening to veteran elected officials on the Zoom call, you couldn’t help but reassess your desire to be an elected office if you think the job is easy or glamorous.
Lesson to the wise and unwise who think they know everything: You have to do your homework, become a student of whatever you aspire to be, BEFORE, you venture out.
In those two calls, there was one message that defies foolishness: as long as you live, you can learn, because you don’t know everything.
