The Way Through Is Community

Guest Post – Jason Lacsamana, Director, Programs and Partnerships

2025 was hard. For many of us, especially in the communities we serve and stand with, this past year brought deep challenges, including federal policy rollbacks, political instability, economic strain, and emotional fatigue. It was a time of protecting, reacting, and preserving what we could.

And yet, here we are because of our resilience, perseverance, and the underlying knowledge that we weren’t doing it alone. 2026 is not the year to start with the typical “new year, new possibilities” mindset.

What I’m carrying into this new year is not a neatly packaged optimism, but a more profound belief in something that has always been true for our communities. Our strength is in numbers and in solidarity. The way through isn’t pretending things are fine. It’s not pushing past the pain or minimizing the uncertainty. The way through is community.

We are not naive about the road ahead. The impacts we’re seeing now won’t vanish in a year or, unfortunately, even in three. The damage extends across generations. But so does the power of collective action, of healing in relationship, and of showing up for one another.

That’s why in the new year, I’m centering two things: our responsibility to each other, and our commitment to healing.

When communities face crisis after crisis, healing often gets put on hold. But we cannot sustain the work or build something more substantial if we don’t make space to rest, restore, and support one another intentionally. This applies to the organizations we fund, the partners we walk alongside, and to ourselves.

The challenges are real. But so is our ability to meet them. Together.

This year, let’s continue to build toward something better. Not alone, but arm in arm. Because even in struggle, when we struggle together, there is hope.