Eyes drooping, coffee yet to kick in, you struggle to keep your head up as the steering wheel serves as a brace for your sleep-deprived body.

News from Florida jolts your otherwise comatose being awake. Another school shooting. Day after day, we’re hit with tragedies, and so you may ask…

Sara, why bother continuing to run the marathon toward gender equity when other pressing issues lie at hand? School shootings amass themselves like mosquitoes in the rainforest. Third world
countries and the U.S. both deal with astronomical levels of poverty. Racism is heartbreakingly relevant all around the world. I endeavor not to elevate feminism above other issues; indeed, a fourth wave of feminists has risen up to fight social in-justices on many spectrum’s.

Because these individuals  – both men and women – recognize the gravity and reality of injustice, they take it upon themselves to advocate for justice on all fronts.

Genocide breaks my heart. Poverty breaks my heart. Racism breaks my heart. I become overwhelmed at the endless possibilities and opportunities to fight for social justice. As such, I do everything that I can, and though it never feels like enough, I remind myself that I cannot do everything. However, until complete gender equilty is reached, I will not give up.

Why? When women’s voices are heard equally and on the same playing field as those of men, women are that much more empowered to rise up and fight other social justice issues. Once this shadowboxed half of the population is fully in the light and respected, then these voices will hold necessary weight when fighting for others.

To wrap up this series, my call to you is this: don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater of misperceived, stereotyped or undervalued feminism. Understand what the movement is. Look up the statistics. If you are skeptical, promote a spirit of understanding and listen before engaging in debate. Everyone is entitled to an opinion, but remember that an educated opinion is imperative.

Listen to the heart of someone. Give them the benefit of the doubt, and extend grace if they are unable to properly articulate themselves. Lastly, I invite you to join. Feminism, a marathon in its last mile, is unique among marathons, in that you can join at any point and be part of the victory. Grab your running shoes, because we’re about to run mile 26, and we will not give up until every last shoe has crossed the finish line.