Since the COVID-19 pandemic was declared in early 2020, much has felt out of our control as we’ve watched the virus spread quickly and widely around the world, and we’ve all seen and felt the impacts on our communities.
Yet, from wearing a mask, staying home when feeling unwell, keeping two metres distance from others, restricting travel, getting vaccinated, and more, the pandemic has forced us to think about why we take the measures we do to keep ourselves and others safe—and how the measures we take impact the health of our population.
So, while much is still out of our control, this year, let’s focus on what we can control—our individual actions.
In our last blog post, we stated our battle cry for 2021—to protect the health of our communities, now and for future generations.
This year, let’s redouble our commitment to the health and safety to not only ourselves, but also of our families, friends, neighbours, community, and society.
Let’s think about how our actions this year will move us toward a healthy, thriving, equitable society.
Let’s think about how we can educate and empower those around with us with not just our voice, but more importantly, our actions.
Sure, we need the big changes—improving our systems, structures, and policies to shift the focus toward positive and equitable health—investing in the promotion of health and prevention of illness, rather than on treating and fixing illness and injuries, and throwing resources at problems after they exist.
Nevertheless, like Margaret Mead famously said, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”
This year, we must remember that it’s up to us to be part of the solutions that will create a healthier, more equitable society for us all.
It’s up to us to eliminate stigma by tweaking our language about people who use substances.
It’s up to us to stop the spread of misinformation.
It’s up to us to participate in civic engagement that promotes the people and policies that represent the world we want to live in.
This is how positive change happens—one person, one decision, one action at a time—leading to collective impact.
You will make thousands of decisions this year—now’s the time to consider the lens through which you will make them.
As we enter 2021, join us in our battle cry to protect the health of our communities, now and for future generations.
Your individual actions this year do matter and are important.
The truth of the matter is that we need you.
Your family and friends need you.
Your community needs you.
Our future needs you.
Come along as we continue this conversation on Instagram. Follow us @bccdcfoundation where we’ve just begun wrapping up our 21x21x21 campaign—21 ways to Activate Health over 21 days in 2021.
But don’t worry, we’re not done. In fact, we’ve just gotten started. So, give us a follow and invite your friends to join us this year.
Let’s Activate Health the most effective way we know how in 2021…together!