Building Resilience for the Long Haul: ALF Insights Faculty in Conversation

ALF Insights facilitators are a diverse group of leaders deeply engaged in the local nonprofit, government, and philanthropic ecosystems, each working uniquely to drive change. Like many, they were challenged and dismayed by the results of the 2024 election and the potential consequences for the nation and the communities they serve.

As a new presidential administration took office and a wave of executive orders began to reshape the civic landscape, a group of eight ALF Insights faculty and contributors came together on Zoom to reflect on what it would take to stay engaged in the work of change-making over the long haul.

The discussion—which I moderated—centered on resilience, what it looks like for these leaders, and how they plan to sustain themselves and their work in the face of uncertainty.

Participants

Jenny Niklaus, Chief Facilitation Officer / ALF Insights Lead Faculty, ALF Silicon Valley (Class XXIV)

Shiloh Ballard, Director, Santa Clara Valley Water District (Class XXVII)

Megan Fluke, Executive Consultant; ALF Insights Faculty Member

Akemi Flynn, Chief Impact Officer, ALF Silicon Valley (Class XXVII)

Darcie Green, Nonprofit Executive, Health Justice Advocate (Class XXVIII)

Rev. Michael-Ray Mathews, Principal, The Prophetic Foundry (Class XLI)

Tanja Powers, Leadership and Transformational Coach (Class XLII)

Melissa Cerezo, Urban Planner (Class XXXVIII)

Demone: Looking back at where we were just a few weeks ago, many people felt numb or in denial. That stretch between the election and the inauguration felt like a "lame-duck" period—almost like a buffer that gave people space to process their emotions while still in disbelief. When we think about resilience, do we sometimes block out certain realities to cope?

Michael-Ray Mathews: It's really important to shift focus when feeling deeply triggered and struggling to manage our emotions. I'm unsure if that's the same as blocking out reality, but I see it as an invitation to change our perspective. That could mean doing something that takes your mind off things or even just looking elsewhere—maybe stepping outside, taking in a vast landscape, and reminding yourself how small everything is in the grand scheme. Sometimes, you just have to slow down, pause, and let your nervous system catch up.

Tanja Powers: Michael Ray, what you just said about the nervous system resonated with me. When I hear the phrase "blocking out," it makes me think of dissociation, which I try to avoid. Instead, I want to acknowledge my feelings, notice where they're showing up in my body, and allow that awareness to create insight—helping me shift my perspective in a way that feels intentional. That might mean focusing on my breath, stepping outside, or doing something that helps me reconnect.

Demone: For those of us deeply committed to social justice, the Trump administration's policies—like mass deportations, threats to birthright citizenship, attacks on trans and queer communities, and the rollback of civil rights—haven't just been dangerous; they've also been incredibly demoralizing. For those of us doing this work every day, it can be exhausting. How do you personally deal with feelings of powerlessness in your daily work?

Megan Fluke: I find it helpful to stay engaged in the positive work I'm already doing, whether consulting, coaching or just strengthening my community. Building and maintaining those connections is so important—not just for now, but for the future. There's important work ahead that we can't even see yet, and I want to make sure we're resourced and ready for it rather than burning ourselves out too soon.

Melissa Cerezo: When I've felt powerless, I've realized that those feelings are temporary. Building my self-awareness has helped me track those moments—when I start to feel small, I remind myself that this isn't my everyday reality. When I see powerlessness in others, I believe it's essential to meet people where they are—acknowledge what they're feeling while also reminding ourselves of our resilience. We've been here before. White supremacy has been around for 500 years—this is nothing new. In many ways, it's just recycled oppression. But we carry the strength and wisdom of those who came before us. It's in our DNA. We just have to tap into it.

Demone: How does rest play a role in sustaining and rejuvenating social movements? Specifically, how does rest help you stay refreshed and ready to continue advocating for your community? Darcie, I'd love to hear your thoughts on this, as I know you've been reading and reflecting on this topic.

Darcie Green: Rest is essential for sustaining and rejuvenating social movements. It helps me stay refreshed and ready to continue advocating for my community. Without rest, burnout becomes inevitable, and we can't show up as our best selves for the work that needs to be done. I've been reflecting a lot on this, and I see rest not as a luxury but as a necessary part of the fight for justice. It allows us to recharge, think clearly, and sustain our efforts long-term. I'd also love to hear how others incorporate rest into their activism.

Demone: Do you ever feel guilty about taking that time for yourself? This is such a highly motivated group of leaders—does rest ever come with a sense of guilt, and if so, how do you navigate that?

Michael-Ray Mathews: not anymore. I left a full-time job a year ago. (laughs) I sleep a lot, and it's great.

Melissa Cerezo: One of the challenges I've noticed in myself and other leaders is how grind culture is celebrated. There's this unspoken expectation that if you're truly committed to the movement, you're committed to constant hustle—no breaks, no rest. Maybe the real challenge is shifting away from glorifying the grind and learning to celebrate rest and joy for ourselves and each other. We must create a culture where rest is valued just as much as hard work.

Megan Fluke:  What comes up for me with this question is my experience as a coach. When I was working as an Executive Director, I used to pull all-nighters, thinking I could still show up and be of service the next day. But now, in my coaching work, that's not possible—I have to sleep. If I don't, I can't be fully present for others.

Demone: What responsibility do organizations have in building resilience for their staff? With the growing focus on wellness and well-being in the workplace, how do we support our teams' resilience without compromising the critical work that needs to get done? How do we strike that balance, especially in social services, where the stakes can be incredibly high?

Akemi Flynn: Wow, there's a lot to unpack there. In organizing, we often ask, What is the world you want to create? Not just what is the world you are in? And that's relevant here. It takes imagination to shift away from what we've always known. One of the tensions I've experienced—and have heard others express—is about building a work culture that values wellness, belonging, and bringing your whole self to work. But people interpret that differently, creating challenges in a team setting.

So, for me, it's about navigating that balance—having clear expectations while maintaining openness for real conversations. What does a culture of belonging actually look like? What does it mean for each team member? It has to be a dialogue, a process of developing mutual understanding.

Demone: This is a time that calls for bravery. As a community leader, how do you encourage yourself and others to be brave in a political moment like this?

Shiloh Ballard: For me, pushing myself to be brave starts with focusing on what I can do to make a difference. When I sit with my feelings of uncertainty or anxiety, it doesn't help. I have to stop and ask myself, What am I going to do about it? What can I impact, even in my small sphere? Sometimes, that sphere ends up being bigger than I realize.

I take the same approach when it comes to encouraging others to be brave. I ask them, What can you impact? What action can you take, no matter how small it might seem? And honestly, that's part of why I ran for office. I'm very local and believe in making a difference where you are. You can influence things by engaging with your neighbors, making them feel heard, or even offering to take someone's kids for the night so they can have a date night. It's those little acts that build community and make the world a bit better. It's all about what we can do right in front of us—those are the things we can impact.

Akemi Flynn: I like to think of bravery and courage as something we cultivate together as a community. The American tradition often paints bravery as something individual, like the image of a lone hero—usually a white guy on a horse defeating others. But if we reclaim bravery as a collective, community-driven value, it changes everything. It helps us prepare and build our capacity in all areas, whether physical, emotional, or otherwise.

I think bravery and courage can be contagious—we can choose to make them contagious. We're always picking up cues from those around us, whether we realize it or not. In moments like this, we should think less about how we or our organizations or communities can be the "heroes" and more about how we show up in ways that encourage others to show up, too. If we could shift from thinking of bravery as something reserved for a lone hero to something we build and practice together, then we could all be more brave and bold as a community.