Like many of us, especially Black and Global Majority women, I don't give myself anywhere near the amount of grace I extend to others.
So I've been beating myself up about not having done all the things I wanted to in the past few weeks. Or even told people what I'm planning for the first quarter.
Even though I had a good reason - the bug I got before Christmas has proved difficult to shake and has resurfaced again, so rest is the order of the day, as it should be.
But though my socials have been quiet, I've been harnessing my introvert power of listening and paying attention, so here are some disparate thoughts:
The people decimating their DEI programmes never really cared and were just as performative as we thought. This is not a surprise. And I'm still waiting to see how long the commitment of those who have recommitted publicly lasts in the face of a punitive regime.
The US is entering a period of known unknowns - where someone who was pretty disastrous in his last term will have fewer checks and balances - make that practically none. Will we give the same scrutiny to the homegrown dictator as we give to those in other countries?
Related to that, it's going to make life much harder and more dangerous for those in his sights. The bigots have already been emboldened and are getting worse. Advocates, it's time to show what you're made of.
People are still getting shadow banned and deplatformed for talking about freeing Pal-S-Tine, Sudan, Congo and for highlighting oppression, racism and anti-Blackness. As always, my answer is to have my own spaces for discussing issues - don't build your house on rented land.
Finally, community is where it's at. None of us can do this alone. And I'm not just talking about the SHHARE community, but about all the communities. It's time to start thinking about how we make more impact together.
Onward!
Sharon Hurley Hall is an anti-racism educator, author of I’m Tired of Racism, and founder of the SHHARE anti-racism community and of Sharon’s Anti-Racism Newsletter, which provides tools and lived experiences to fuel systemic change. A seasoned professional writer and journalist, she leverages over 30 years of experience to mentor introverted leaders, and is co-founder and co-host of the Introvert Sisters Podcast. Her recent work focuses on helping Black and Global Majority women achieve high-impact visibility and professional influence without the exhaustion of performing extroversion.
© Sharon Hurley Hall, 2026. All Rights Reserved. This newsletter is published on beehiiv (affiliate link).