You are receiving Ellie Krug's Monthly Newsletter, The Ripple
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ellie krug
writer, lawyer, human
Human Inspiration Works, LLC
The Ripple
Vol 7 No.7 August 2022
Inspired by the words and deeds of Robert F. Kennedy
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Stretched But Still with It!
Dear Friends:
As you might expect, my life has become quite hectic. I started this newsletter last week as I sat at MSP airport waiting for a flight to Boston. Then there was a rental car drive to Portsmouth NH, where I spoke first thing the next morning, only to then drive back to Boston with the hope of returning to Minneapolis for a talk the next day. That was on top of a talk I gave to 200 property managers before getting to MSP.
All of this is in addition to door knocking for my school board campaign and working to elevate my name in a race that has 12 candidates (including two incumbents) vying for four seats.
The good news is that the local teacher’s union and OutFront Minnesota (the state’s leading LGBTQ+ advocacy organization) have endorsed me. I continue to hear that my credentials and message put me ahead of the other candidates. Still, there’s so much to get done and I always feel the pressure of needing to do more for better name recognition. This is particularly so in advance of a public candidate forum that will take place on October 6—something that I’m fretting about because of how my voice will distract potential voters.
If you want to support my campaign, here is the website. My great thanks and gratitude to those who have already supported me—thank you so very much! And thanks for understanding about me talking about this in two newsletters in a row (and before we’re done, it will be a third newsletter too…).
Whew. Yes, I'm stretched but otherwise, I am good. I'm still with it! I continue to be amazed by the number of strangers who show up to help me and offer words of support. Label me extremely grateful! And I continue to be hopeful that we can make history by electing the first transgender person to a school board in MN and only the third trans school board member in the nation.
Please know that even with all of this, I haven’t been diverted from caring about you. Be well, my friends!
ellie
Note: The above content was prepared by the Committee to Elect Ellie Krug, 5201 Saddleback Circle, Victoria MN 55386
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Goldie's Bagels in Coloumbia MO: A Meal for Anyone Who Needs It | |
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I came across a Tweet with this sign posted, advising about how Goldie’s Bagels in Columbia, MO, will give a meal to anyone who needs it. Because the print on the photo is small, here’s some of the text:
“If you are without funding and would like a bagel with schmear and/or coffee, please place an order and ask us to charge it to our Neighbors Account. We’re happy you’re here!
The bakery, founded in 2020 by Amanda Rainey, created the program such that if a customer cannot pay for a meal, bakery team members will charge the meal to a “neighborhood account.” That account is replenished by donations from other customers.
In this story by the Columbia Missourian, Amanda reported that charitable giving is a cornerstone of her Jewish faith—it’s called an ethical obligation, Tzedakah. The highest form of Tzedakah is to give not knowing who the recipient may be. Amanda views that as providing dignity to the recipient.
Word about the Goldie’s Bagels neighborhood account went viral when a customer snapped the above picture. Soon, people from across the country were reaching out to see how they could support Goldie’s neighborhood account. However, Amanda redirected those donors to their local communities—that, in itself, was charitable. And very smart!
Hmm. Do you think local restaurants in your community could create similar neighborhood account programs? I’d love to see this ripple across America! Remember, 98 percent of humans have good empathetic hearts, and when we’re given a pathway on how to exercise those hearts, we show up in droves!
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Inclusivity Tip of the Month
Having to Work for Inclusivity
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Last week I presented Gray Area Thinking® to a conference of 200 team members from a property management company that staffed its people at multiple remote sites. The room was set up in rounds with eight or so seats per table.
I asked, “Who here is sitting with someone they work with day in and day out?” Immediately dozens of hands shot up. I approached one table and engaged with a woman, whom I’ll call “Julie.” Given that the conference had many people Julie didn’t know, I asked why she didn’t decide to branch out to meet someone new rather than sit with the same old people in her orbit. Julie answered, “Because it’s comfortable.”
That was exactly the answer I was looking for.
One of the biggest challenges to human inclusivity is our innate desire to avoid bumpiness/to keep from feeling uncomfortable. This is contrary to inclusivity—remember, which I define as “the extent to which a human feels that they matter”—because often, we need to take risks to engage with those who are “Other” compared to “Us.” (And by the way, we can make anyone “Other.”) When we engage, we make people feel that that matter, but our need for security and routines works to keep us from taking necessary risks to foster inclusivity.
Yes, inclusivity takes work, often a lot of work. Yes, we sometimes don’t know where things will lead if we engage with someone “different.” On the other hand, some wonderful things can transpire—we find that we have things in common (in Portsmouth, believe it or not, I engaged with two different people who raised chickens! What a laugh that produced!). In the end, we’re all basically seeking the same things in life. That’s the constant that underscores inclusivity.
But inclusivity absolutely takes work. All of us are already overwhelmed with so much and it may seem totally unreasonable for me to ask that you do more work. Yep, I know that. Still, nothing will change, and for sure, no change will stick, unless we’re willing to work to become familiar with those who are “Other.” I am absolutely positive of that!
Please, do the hard work. Our country, our democracy, depend on it.
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See this Tweet about Judge Frank Caprio of the Providence, RI Municipal court giving a 96-year-old father a break on a speeding ticket; the father was driving his 63-year-old son to his cancer treatment (warning, your eyes may start to water watching this…). Also, here’s an NPR story about RIP Medical Debt—which buys up the medical debt for lower income folks. The organization was started by two former debt collectors turned idealists! | | |
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Last year, I met a woman walking her two white dogs on the next street over; Jack and those pups interacted nicely, and I was “Hi, How are you?” to the woman, without ever asking for her name (Ha, don’t we all do that?). Well, it turns out that shortly thereafter, the woman, Katie White, entered the Mayo Clinic waiting for a heart transplant. Fast forward to many months later, I had Katie, now a grateful transplant recipient, on my radio show—listen here, you will simply love her story and how she became an artist through the Mayo’s “Art at the Bedside” program. (Thankfully, Katie and I are now friends, too!) can check out the interview with Katie here. | | |
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See this Washington Post piece, “Is Being Transgender a Medical Condition?” by Jennifer Finney Boylan, who lays out how state legislatures are working to bar gender affirming care for trans people as a way of erasing my community. How horrible! And see this NYT story about a black Baltimore family who experienced “property appraiser racism” where their home was valued nearly $300K less because an appraiser compared their home (located in a white neighborhood) with homes from historically redlined black neighborhoods. The family, two PhDs—with the husband teaching at Johns Hopkins University on redlining—decided to turn the tables on the home appraisal industry. A white university colleague placed all-white human photos in the home and met a different appraiser who valued the home at $750K (versus $480K by the first appraiser). A lawsuit has ensued. Remember, lawyers can accomplish much good! | | |
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Here’s a wonderful Tweet about electric cars for wheelchair users—how ingenious and how very badly needed! Also, long-time Ripple reader and Ellie Krug friend John Edwards sent along word about “Annie’s Foundation” out of Johnston, Iowa. The organization’s stated purpose is, “We read banned books. We want you to read banned books too!” The banned book they highlight on their website? Night by Elie Wiesel. Can you believe that the 1986 Pulitzer Peace Prize recipient’s book about the Holocaust has been banned? What madness, friends! Now you know why I’m running for the local school board!
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Finally....
The Ripple is a work in progress, so please, I welcome your suggestions and comments! Please share this newsletter with others, too!
Please consider reading my book, Getting to Ellen: A Memoir about Love, Honesty and Gender Change; if possible, order it through your local bookstore. And, if your book club reads my book, I'm happy to come for the discussion via Zoom!
Thank you for helping to make the world a better place! I'm at your side, cheering you on, I promise! Please have compassion for yourself and for others.
ellie
Encouraging Open Hearts and Thriving Human Spirits
Human Inspiration Works, LLC: We make "inclusion" an action word
www.elliekrug.com
www.humaninspirationworks.com
Note: Prepared by the Committee to Elect Ellie Krug, 5201 Saddleback Circle, Victoria MN 55386
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Ellen (Ellie) Krug
319-360-1692
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