I don’t know about you, but I’m tired. So tired.
I’ve spent over two decades working in the social impact space. And in that time, we’ve seen real momentum — from marriage equality to shared wealth-building. But COVID laid bare deep, long-standing inequities — from limited access to health care to widespread financial insecurity. The conversation has shifted from shared goals to individual needs. And that shift, coupled with our diverging values and beliefs, has only pushed us further apart.
On days like today, when I’m grappling with issues that feel too big — from the contraction in cancer research and public health funding to the inability of working families to meet basic needs — I often return to South Africa.
My family arrived there in the early 1900s and again in the 1930s, both times as refugees escaping religious persecution in Eastern Europe. I grew up in Durban, a coastal city on the Indian Ocean, home to the Zulu nation and where Gandhi spent 21 years shaping his philosophy and political ideals.
It was a complex place to grow up. Every “ism” — from racism to antisemitism — was woven into daily life, from the design of neighborhoods to the structure of schools. As a child, I promised myself I’d be an upstander, not a bystander.
I was in high school when Nelson Mandela was released from prison. It was one of the most joyous days I can remember — a marker of freedom, justice and collective hope. The Truth and Reconciliation process didn’t undo the past, but it opened the door for the country to begin moving forward. And in 1994, when I was first eligible to vote, I joined millions of South Africans — many casting their ballots for the first time — in shaping our shared future.
Mandela’s release came just a year after the fall of the Berlin Wall — another powerful symbol of change and unification. I’ve been thinking about those events a lot lately. Apartheid was defined by institutionalized segregation imposed by colonists. German division was rooted in ideological control and state repression.
And yet, both countries broke free from oppression and broke through to a new day — not perfect, but full of possibility.
When today’s challenges feel too overwhelming, I hold on to that. I return to the memory of those moments — to the joy, the relief and the belief that something better could be built.
Looking ahead at the social, economic and political challenges we face — nationally and globally — I believe we can learn from these case studies.
1. Social change happens both within and outside the system
During apartheid, global pressure through boycotts, divestment and sanctions (BDS) played a powerful role in delegitimizing the regime — but internal resistance was just as critical. Activists like Nelson Mandela, Desmond Tutu and Helen Suzman worked from within legal, religious and political institutions to shift public sentiment and push for reform. In East Germany, internal protests like the Leipzig Peaceful Revolution helped bring down the Berlin Wall.
2. Diverse voices must be at the table for justice to prevail
In South Africa, it wasn’t just politicians who led the transition — it was educators, artists, clerics and community leaders. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission, led by Archbishop Tutu, gathered stories from all corners of society. This inclusion helped build trust and ensure a more representative democracy. In Germany, former dissidents, clergy and ordinary citizens were integral to rebuilding a unified nation grounded in civil rights and accountability.
3. There must be a reckoning with the past, a realization of the present and a reimagining of a shared future
Healing doesn’t happen without truth. South Africa’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission didn’t erase wrongdoing — it acknowledged it, documented it and invited the country to move forward with transparency. Germany has done the same through Holocaust remembrance, the Stasi Records Agency archives and civic education. These processes help citizens understand historical harm and embed accountability into the future. I was recently in Berlin, and that self-awareness remains as strong as ever.
4. Beyond change, we need clear pathways to opportunity and prosperity
Political freedom alone is not enough. South Africa’s post-apartheid struggle has shown that justice must be matched with economic opportunity and social inclusion. Germany’s post-reunification investments in the eastern states — in infrastructure, education and economic development — helped narrow divides. Structural investment in underserved communities is essential to sustaining the hope that change brings.
While progress is rarely linear, history shows us it’s possible. We’ve lived through moments where division gave way to unity, where injustice gave way to hope and where real, difficult, collective change took hold.
We can do it again.
