Hi, there!

Am I seeing you tomorrow??

If you RSVPed to our Impact In Flux event, I’m so excited to get into it all with you:

The mingling. The conversation. The ideas. A couple dranks. It’ll be a time.

And if you’re not in NYC or didn’t get a spot, our conversation will be shared via the Issue Space podcast, so you can catch up on everything we dished. Stay tuned. ✨

And now, a little encouraging word for you…

Here’s a story that came in through the Something Sweet submissions that feels resonant for the time. In it, an Issue Spacer (still need that fandom name…) faces an unexpected loss, a community looking to her for direction, and her own proverbial empty tank.

But, as happens so often in this work, she manages to find the little perspective shift she needs to get through the moment, just in time.

Read on for her story.

Something Sweet

So often, “holding space” in social impact means working through the hard stuff. But we owe it to ourselves to capture the good times, too. The Something Sweet series highlights uplifting moments and memories in impact work shared by members of the Issue Space community.

In this edition, we hear from Sana Shahid, Organizing Community Manager.

…

I have worked across the progressive landscape, from electoral campaigns, to community organizing, to multi-issue advocacy. The work I'm most proud of is getting to build an engaged, vibrant online community of people across the country who were seeking a political home to make an impact with.

We ran close to 5k deep. These were thousands of people who joined this community seeking belonging, direction, and hope.

And honestly, sometimes I didn't have it.

There were days when the despair set in. And one night, soon after Justice Ginsburg had passed on, that despair and hopelessness started knocking on my door.

I could just see the trouble we were about to be in. And with thousands of volunteers from the community I managed looking to me, as the facilitator of this sacred space we'd built together, for direction...I was at a loss.

Until I spoke to a mentor in Houston.

She shared a time when she was feeling the same way and leaned on her mentor, and said, “My mentor, a woman in her eighties, who had been organizing in reproductive justice her whole life and had a hand in helping Roe v. Wade get passed, told me, ‘If they repeal Roe, then we'll fight again. And again. And again.’”

It was that simple. That matter of fact.

And that illuminated two important things for me:

One — movements are, and need to be, multi-generational.

And two — movement work, especially building a movement, is long. It takes time and oftentimes, we will not enjoy the fruits of our labor. But we do it anyway.

We plant the seeds of the tree we will not get to bear the fruit of anyway.

…

Is there a moment from your social impact work that makes you smile? To submit a story to the Something Sweet series, please use this form.

If You’re Interested…

One Way to Support Issue Space

I have a visceral reaction to subscriptions anymore. I know they’re a wonderful and necessary way for independent working folks to sustain themselves and receive the bounty of the important work they do, I really do. But does anyone else feel like they’re supporting the Entire World in monthly increments sometimes? It can be a lot. I’m processing.

In the meantime, bear with me as I experiment with ways to make Issue Space sustainable for us all.

My first ask is:

If you’ve been enjoying the outputs of the Space — from the monthly essays, to the impact pro interviews, to the podcast episodes and announcements, to the in-person events and Something Sweet — please consider leaving us a gift. Your contribution will power the next suite of content and conversation designed to help professional changemakers grow and thrive, so they can keep going in the good work they do. We’ve certainly never needed it more.

And one more thing…

We keep things vibey here in the Space but let’s just say it — we’re talking about work. So here’s an offering I thought might interest some folks in our community, specifically our People, Culture, and Operations impact pros holding things together. Read on to learn more:

Tailored HR Software Recommendations for Your Organization

Choosing HR software can be overwhelming—with over 1,000+ tools on the market, it’s easy to spend days and still feel unsure.

That’s why thousands of HR teams rely on SSR’s HR software advisors. Instead of spending hundreds of hours on research and demos, you’ll get free 1:1 help from an HR software expert who understands your requirements and provides 2–3 tailored recommendations based on your unique needs.

Whether you're looking for an HRIS, ATS, or Payroll solution, we help you cut through the noise and make confident decisions—fast.

Why HR teams trust SSR HR Advisors:

✅ 100% free for HR teams
✅ Get 2-3 Tailored solutions from 1,000+ options
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From MIT to the Indianapolis Colts, smart HR teams trust SSR to find the right software—without the stress.

Find the Right HR Software, for Free

Join the Space

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🎧 Hear the Issue Space podcast on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, and these platforms. We feature diverse social impact pros on the lived experience of social change work.

🤝 Wanna team up? Brands or organizations who might connect with our community can send partnership inquiries to [email protected].

🗣️  Have an insight about life in the business of impact or an idea for the Space? We’d love to hear from you! Hit that button and get in touch! 👇