Solidarity comes from the word “solid,” which refers to the cohesion between molecules that maintain a constant shape. That is what we are: part of a whole. To behave as a solid, we must stick together, show respect and empathy for others, and show solidarity.
When we show solidarity, we nurture our desire to be part of a community that understands another person’s need is our own, even if it does not affect us directly. When we show solidarity, we plant the seed whose fruits we will harvest in the future if we need them. When we show solidarity, we teach through our lives, become examples to follow, and become leaders for everyone watching us. When we show solidarity, we bond not only with those who need it most, but also with ourselves and with those who believe they do not need it. These last people see themselves reflected in our mirror, and we awaken in them the need to belong to that community, which becomes more solid every day, grows, and gains strength. Our solidarity guides all those who come after us, who are learning that the more solidly we hold together, the stronger we become; that the stronger we become, the more we grow as a community; and that the more we grow as a community, the less likely it becomes that we will be cut down.
Let us practice solidarity. Let us identify how we can help those less fortunate, and do it. Let us remember that everything is relative: to us, they are the less fortunate; to others, we are. By practicing solidarity, we become a solid, invincible whole capable of achieving anything.
“When I is replaced by WE, even illness becomes wellness.”
Malcolm X