For those distressed by the state of America and our Constitutional crisis playing out every day, I urge you to listen to the wise and patriotic words of Senator Elissa Slotkin's (D-MI) response to President Trump's State of the Union on March 4, 2025. Senator Slotkin did not waste one word in touching the issues a vast majority of Americans, primarily middle class, are experiencing. While I found myself nodding throughout most of her eloquent yet fundamentally Constitutional response, I was immediately struck by her call to "not tune out" as many of us have and her further advice to "organize" by picking "just one issue you are passionate about and engage."
These words struck at the very heart of the truth that our democracy needs democracy to save it. Although ignoring the news may bring some peace, the devastating headlines still break through and become part of nearly every conversation. It can be disheartening, to say the least, and at most, cause a complete loss of hope. This is when action is needed most, as Senator Slotkin urged. collective action around the most critical issues is required to address inequalities and protect democracy. Just as generations of Americans before us fought to preserve our democracy and advance greater equality, organization and collective action were behind every accomplishment and advancement.
While at times I give up hope, Senator Slotkin's words affirmed my understanding of not giving up yet organizing around an issue that we can overcome with collective action. As an example, I am dedicating myself to sparking collective action to reverse climate change impact, and here's how I am doing it, which inspires you on an issue you're passionate about.
I first began to study the impact of climate change and how one person like me can help. As many know, the earth is experiencing its hottest years, which is in direct contrast to what needs to be occurring to reverse the climate change impacts of more intense storms, droughts, and natural disasters such as wildfires. Regardless of the American government reversing the decision and climate change actions at devastating speed, most weather experts believe the earth is beyond government or technological intervention.
Most experts highlight the only solution that can reverse climate change: collective action to reduce meat and dairy consumption and driving—the biggest generators of destructive greenhouse gases. The optimal reduction is humans replacing meat and dairy with just three meals a week and driving one day a week of one's choosing. By replacing meat and dairy with just three meals a week and planning our driving better, we can collectively and quickly reverse climate change.
Then, I considered how I would focus and organize the effort to stir collective action with something as tricky as replacing meat and dairy in our eating plans. One of the answers occurred naturally in my daily life, and that was my eating plan. As the primary cook for my family and entertainer for friends, I was already cooking and making their favorite comfort foods with less or no meat, gluten, and dairy. While looking to make our bodies healthier, I also adopted eating practices experts believe we need to cool and heal the planet.
At the request of friends and family mystified about how I made their favorite foods cleaner yet still tasty, I began to write down and share my recipes with replacements for red meat, gluten, and dairy. Soon, this effort caught interest and is being developed into a forthcoming cookbook and a current website called Comfort Foods Made Clean. I hope that sharing recipes in such a way inspires people to find delicious ways to deliciously improve their own and the earth's health with their favorite foods made cleaner.
As I further focused on how I could organize around climate change, I converted the advice of climate scientists into a nonprofit initiative and website called www.onedayaweek.org. The goal is to inspire people and the media to remind others that we can reverse climate change impacts by replacing animal meat and driving one day a week. My focus on one area, as Senator Slotkin recommended, could have positive adoption by citizens as the only solution left, regardless of what governments do and don't do.
The same opportunity is available to you. Whether you choose climate change, the housing crisis, immigration, local school board agendas, helping the homeless, or any of a myriad of issues facing our country, please consider re-engaging around and focusing on one issue. There is little doubt that with time and focus, you will contribute, like me, in ways you never expected. Almost immediately, you will feel much better with such a focus than "doom scrolling," as Senator Ellisa Slotnik highlighted, is the only action many of us are taking. Instead, suppose many of us are simply focused on solving one issue among the most critical issues we face. In that case, our democracy will not just survive; it will thrive.
Michael Dru Kelley is a writer, media entrepreneur, co-founder, and principal LGBTQ+ shareholder of equalpride, publisher of The Advocate. Michael is innovating again to help people eat cleaner for a healthier body and planet. Michael can be followed on Instagram @MDKPtown and his forthcoming food brand, social handles, and cookbook, comfortfoodsmadeclean.com.
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