Gambling on Green

Introduction

To be a good global citizen is to have a balanced perspective.

I've found that identifying how different things interrelate helps me understand how people's actions can reduce the pain of recent events, from pandemics and climate degradation to financial inequity and war. Focusing on interconnectivity helps me to see beyond the devastation. It helps me dare to see glimmers of hope and possibility based on how humans can compassionately respond to these events.

Of course, those glimmers of hope don't negate the realities, tragedies, and impacts that persist.

The potential for a global health crisis loomed for decades and yet somehow still felt like a surprise. COVID-19 directly affected everyone in a manner that many of us had not experienced in our lifetimes. People lived through the illness and death of loved ones, severe business disruption, shutdowns, lockdowns, and of course a lingering sense of unease during travel and in social gatherings. The ways we interact with each other, as well as how we perceive how our health choices affect those around us, are forever altered.

Personal health choices continued to be the subject of scrutiny as the United States Supreme Court overturned Roe vs. Wade in June 2022. Although some corporations swiftly committed to covering costs for employees who need to travel out of state for reproductive healthcare, many Americans still feel vulnerable, angry, and violated at decisions surrounding our health and privacy.

Then there ...