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ellie krug
writer, lawyer, human
The Ripple June 2016
Vol. 1 No. 1
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Welcome to the Inaugural Issue of The Ripple!
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Dear Friends: This newsletter has been a long time in coming! I've wanted to connect with readers and audience members for quite a while, but haven't had the time or resources to do that until now. I hope you enjoy what you read below; my goal is to share some about what I'm doing through my writing and speaking/training but more importantly, I hope to fulfill what's become my remaining life's mission--to make this world a better place through compassion for others and one's self.
Thank you for reading The Ripple! Please let me know what you think!
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Some know that I'm an adherent of the advocacy engaged in by the "Special K's"--Dr. King and Robert F. Kennedy--who reminded that we have an obligation to work against injustice and marginalization on behalf of everyone who lacks a voice of their own or a place at the table. Even when I was a child, Dr. King's and RFK's words rippled to me. Today, both as a writer and as a diversity and inclusion speaker, trainer/consultant, my words sometimes ripple to others. It just seems fitting to name this newsletter The Ripple. I hope you agree!
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Pulse Orlando: Sparking Urgent Advocacy
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Sadly, June 12, 2016 is now a day of remembrance for the LGBTQ community. The horror of that day will no doubt reverberate for months to come.
My heart has been broken; I'm sure that readers too, are impacted.
For me, a major takeaway from the Pulse Orlando tragedy is that so much remains to be done toward instilling the need for greater compassion and acceptance of everyone, regardless of sexual or gender identity or race or religion or a host of other things that we use as a means to sort and marginalize others. We must change the way we think and act toward others who are "different."
Moreover, there is an urgent, compelling need for this change now; it can't wait.
As we hear more about how the perpetrator of this tragedy was conflicted over his sexual identity, it becomes increasingly clear that teaching about the need for self-acceptance and self-compassion is, in essence, "human rights work." We very well may have witnessed the consequences of what can happen from hating one's self. As I've often said, it's so much easier to hate others when you hate yourself.
I have dedicated the rest of my life to the work of helping expand perspective about accepting all humans and embracing/valuing our differences rather than using those differences as a basis for marginalization or worse. I believe in opening human hearts and encouraging the human spirit. In a small way, I hope that such work can honor those who so needlessly died; perhaps that work--by me and many others--can prevent similar tragedies from happening in the future.
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If you've heard my "Gray Area Thinking" presentation, you know my advocacy is geared toward giving all humans the dignity and respect they deserve. While there’s a very real on-going civil rights movement for transgender persons right now, the other civil rights struggle—for persons of color—actually never ended. We all know that gay and lesbian people figured out how to win over much of larger society on same-sex marriage; in my view, the lesbian and gay community has an obligation to work with the black and other marginalized communities to assist in their struggles for an authentic place at the table. We are, as Dr. King wrote, “Tied in a single garment of destiny.” You can read more about my thoughts on this in my June 21 blog piece here.
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With every issue of The Ripple, I hope to highlight a person who's made a difference in the world through their impactful words, actions or leadership.
Without question, the person who's offered greatest impact this issue of The Ripple is the "Stanford Rape Survivor" who submitted a 7000 word "victim" (I prefer "survivor") impact statement following the conviction of Stanford University student Brock Allen Turner for a January 2015 rape. Here are some of the Survivor's many heartfelt words as reported in early June:
To sit under oath and inform all of us, that yes I wanted it, yes I permitted it, and that you are the true victim attacked by Swedes for reasons unknown to you is appalling, is demented, is selfish, is damaging. It is enough to be suffering. It is another thing to have someone ruthlessly working to diminish the gravity of validity of this suffering.
Readers familiar with this case will recall that the trial judge sentenced Turner to six (6) months in prison, sparking outage. Fortunately, that sentence in no way diminishes the power of the Survivor's words.
The entire text of the Survivor's statement can be found
here.
I'd be remiss if I didn't also highlight two bystanders, commonly referred to in the press as "two Swedes on bicycles," who spotted Turner atop the unconscious Survivor at the time of the rape and chased and held Turner for police. If only more people could be willing to intervene on behalf of persons in need....
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I
recently had the pleasure of hearing Macalester College Professor and Chair of African American Studies, Duchess Harris, JD, PhD, speak about the origins of the Black Lives Matter movement--something that I didn't understand goes back throughout American history. Dr. Harris is a phenomenal presenter whom I highly recommend; her talk will both educate and motivate you to work for the tangible change that's needed in our country. You can read more about Dr. Harris here.
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I have a number of Odds and Ends for this issue, in part because I seek to elevate my speaking/training/engagement work to the next highest level.
Help Wanted: I'm looking for a smart, tech and telephone savvy person to help with marketing and outreach. This is a part-time paid position where I can also offer mentoring. Suitable candidates are welcome to send a resume/references to elliejkrug@gmail.com.
Space Wanted: I often hear that people would like to attend one of my talks; however, I usually train on site at an employer and the venue isn't open to the general public. If anyone in the Twin Cities metro is aware of free or low cost space that I could use as a speaking forum, please let me know.
On the Horizon: This newsletter is the first step in a three-part process of elevating the Ellie Krug "brand." (Remember, that's about increasing impact, not ego!) My next step is a series of "Thinkcasts" (podcasts with practical tips on how to live more openly and with compassion). After that, the goal is to convene and facilitate retreats centered around the concept of "Pause, Authenticate, Go Forward." Stay tuned! (As some would say, "Ellie you have high hopes!")
Recent Writings: For those who don't follow me on Facebook, my words recently showed up in Lavender Magazine with columns entitled "310" (re: my sober story) (here) and "Whoops and Cheers for Hope and Compassion" (here). I also authored an "Ellie Tip" entitled "Three Reasons Why Employers Should Recognize Pride Month" (accessible through my June 3 blog post here). Feel free to share and let me know what you think.
Upcoming Talks/Trainings: I have many things scheduled, including diversity/inclusion training ("Gray Area Thinking") for the Iowa court system on June 23 and September 22 in Des Moines; "Trans 101" at General Mills headquarters on July 26; and several presentation at the annual conference of State Judicial Educators in Burlington Vt. on Sept. 27. You can find my complete speaking/training schedule on my website here.
Summer Reading: Finally, I know that some have read my book, Getting to Ellen: A Memoir about Love, Honesty and Gender Change (2013), but many have not. I would appreciate you considering this as an option for your summer reading list and if you'd like a personally inscribed copy, please email and I can send you one. Otherwise, the book is available on Amazon, Kindle, Nook and Apple iBooks. Than you for considering this!
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Finally....
The Ripple is a work in progress, so please, I welcome your suggestions and comments! Also, if you'd prefer not to be on the mailing list just email me (elliejkrug@gmail.com) and let me know. If you like what you see, please feel free to share word of this newsletter with others.
Have a Happy Pride Weekend in Minneapolis (June 24-26), everyone! Thank you for helping to make the world a better place!
ellie
Encouraging an open heart and thriving human spirit
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Ellen (Ellie) Krug
319-360-1692
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