It feels ludicrous to be starting a gender equity non-profit at this moment in time. The idea for RANGE was born out of the hope that we would learn from the pandemic’s gender equity and caregiving crises and create real solutions for the future. For a brief moment, it felt like all of society was finally paying attention. However, ‘returning to normal’ also seems to include how we normally ignore these problems. Then came the Supreme Court decision that overturned Roe: We didn’t just go back ‘to normal’ -we went back 50 years. Women, who are still trying to restart their career trajectories and still struggling with childcare issues from the pandemic, have now lost the ability to make decisions about their own health and futures. Things went from bad to worse. Right now it feels like an endless cycle of rage and exhaustion. So why is RANGE even still happening- What is the point?
The point is hope. Hope isn’t a passive wish, it’s a discipline*. Hope isn’t the idea that things will magically get better, but it’s the idea that every day the small actions we do can lead to change. It’s about not giving up on the idea of a better future, but rather using that to motivate continued daily work. RANGE is also born out of the realization that there are smart, creative people out there already with ideas on how to solve gender equity issues within their fields and communities and they need our help to turn those ideas into a reality. Our grants, even if small, can help. We can support and amplify problem solvers.
What drew me to the field of emergency medicine was a desire to solve problems- to help in tangible, practical ways. Sometimes the problems are simple to solve; suturing a laceration, or splinting a broken bone. Others are harder to solve; lack of access to healthcare, lack of stable housing, and gun violence. Despite the enormity of those problems, with each patient, we strive to help them- to solve the problems we can while advocating for bigger solutions beyond the bedside. Even though the hardships of gender inequity feel even harder, if not impossible to solve right now- there are people and groups tackling the larger issues in smaller, practical ways. That’s what propels us forward. That doesn’t mean we don’t reach for bigger solutions and strive for a better future- it means we get there one grant at a time with focus, with determination, and with hope. -L.K.S.
Please join us as we fight on.