Integration: embracing the complexity of ‘why’

Emotionally storytelling invites one to feel empathy, that is to situate ourselves in the shoes of another person. We cannot feel for another if we do not know where the other is coming from.

This is perhaps one of the most important challenges that integration faces if we are dead serious on struggling to become part of the movement to change the world, by challenging the stories that we have been led to believe by the status quo, that benefits from the present state of things.

That is why I guess activists should likewise invest in their beliefs once again, because it is in investing in the core of what drives us that we begin to realize the need to organize not only our movement but more importantly to organize a movement of leaders.



Power is not something that we have, it is a relationship with others. It is a never-ending exercise and process at making relationships work out with others. Oftentimes, this also challenges us also to take the critical stance of being committed to be the nagging voice that seeks authenticity within the web of relationships that exist in the movement.

That is why I believe that we all should make a commitment to the movement for a lifetime that extends beyond work. As professional activists we often see our work within our movements as nothing more than a means to make our living.

I would like to believe that for many that is not the case, that is why we need to keep reminding ourselves that we should think again why we are activists in the first place.

Today as I rekindle my commitment to the movement, I also entrust myself to the cause of passionately asking ‘why’ in all that we do as a movement for change. We cannot afford to fail in making our lifestyle live up to the aspirations of our cause.

Asking ‘why’ challenges us to evolve and if we’re not evolving, then we’re well on our way to extinction.

Embrace the complexity. Ask why.

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Note: The 'movement' I am referring here to is the Environmental Movement.

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