"If you can dream—and not make dreams your master;
If you can think—and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build ’em up with worn-out tools.”
If (Rudyard Kipling)
In 2024 I joined Substack and have since been rewarded with newsletters, essays, and notes on a wonderful array of subjects; photography, joy, history, and of course, politics. The Substack platform is an embarrassment of literary riches, so much so that I sometimes feel overwhelmed by the quantity and quality of so many excellent writers. To say I have imposter syndrome hits a little too strong.
But I have also noticed a downside.
After having lived in Washington, DC for close to thirty years, I easily and willingly fell into the trap that the nation’s capital was the center of the universe, that local news was national news. However, entering my third year in the other Washington (the state) and living across the country on the west coast has resulted in developing a healthy perspective on the daily outrages.
As with so many media outlets, corporate and independent, much of what I see are the myriad predictions of the new administration’s utter destruction; the steady and foreboding drumbeat growing louder with each passing day: “he’s going to abolish this, he’s gonna cut that,” “there’s a civil war coming.” The inevitable and soul-crushing conclusion that one man will be the death of us all.
The authors I tend to read are, admittedly, left-leaning anti-trumpers (that’s why I follow them!) but I’m exhausted with the doom and gloom; especially with the feeling of helplessness and hopelessness with which I’m left after reading about his latest tweet, hare-brained proposal, or utterly incomprehensible pronouncement.
I don’t mean to make light of Substack writers (and others across the media ecosystem) who call him out and propose strategies to resist, but fighting against those in Washington, DC who use power in appalling and destructive ways feels…hopeless, futile, in vain.
So, rather than give into, or worse, indulge in the daily doom and despair, I’ve rededicated myself to, as Kipling advises, treating “Disaster and Triumph” as two sides of the same coin. Most of us understand that resisting and/or opposing this utterly incompetent and dangerous administration involves taking direct action: voting, getting out the vote, writing and calling elected officials, and protesting in the streets. And while all those things are vital, focusing on indirect actions that help bring about long-term change can be just as effective.
Soon after Joscelyn and I moved to the Pacific Northwest (PNW), we began searching for things to do-not just leisure activities but volunteer opportunities. Having spent our careers in public service we were naturally drawn down that path. We had met when we were Peace Corps recruiters and understood that successful volunteers are motivated by both altruism and self-interest. We’ve since found volunteer activities that feed our sense of purpose, a desire to leave behind something positive, and that simultaneously feeds our souls and egos. But they also support a community ecosystem of interdependence, trust, and prosperity.
In October 2022, I began working as a photographer with Kulshan Community Land Trust (KCLT) photographing clients to support the organization’s website and newsletters. Prior to moving to the PNW, I had no idea how community land trusts (CLTs) operated. I soon learned how KCLT makes buying a home affordable for residents across the region. CLTs are the epitome of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) policies as they grew out the Civil Rights movement and serve traditionally serve excluded communities. Home ownership inevitably leads to stable, strong communities regardless of peoples’ backgrounds, nationality, or skin hue.
As Peace Corps Volunteers, the idea that we were implementing long-term change, and not providing charity, was drilled into our heads from the very beginning. Sometimes, however, direct aid is required. Joscelyn began working with Coffee and Sandwiches Together (CAST), a loosely organized coalition of like-minded volunteers serving sandwiches, water, coffee/hot chocolate packets, and assorted snacks on a near daily schedule to anyone in need. A true grassroots effort, CAST provides an essential safety net for people who might otherwise go hungry.
Now retired from a career in public health, Joscelyn has become involved with food availability and distribution issues in the PNW. We live in a fertile agricultural region rich with food resources. Almost a year ago, she began volunteering with Bellingham's Food Bank, an organization working to make structural change to equitable food access and reduce hunger by “1) creating access to high quality, desirable food and other essentials 2) building a responsive regional hunger relief network, and 3) disrupting racism, as food justice is social justice.”
Additionally, during the summer and fall, Joscelyn is involved with the Food Bank’s gleaning program, an activity that recovers tens of thousands of pounds of fresh, local produce that might otherwise rot in the fields and redistributes it to families across the region.
As a newly arrived photographer to the Bellingham arts and music scene, I’ve begun turning my lens toward regional and emerging artists. My days covering shows for ParklifeDC in the Washington, DC metro area taught me much about the music industry, particularly the daunting challenges that musicians face. During the Covid pandemic, with national acts curtailing or even abandoning touring, ParklifeDC and I turned to supporting local musicians as much as possible.
Although I long ago abandoned my hopes and dreams for making the cover of the Rolling Stone, I’ve been quite happy seeking out the venues and artists making diverse and compelling music in the PNW. Reviewing performances (still with ParklifeDC), experiencing exciting new music, and sharing photos with the bands has been extremely rewarding and reminds me that photography is less about taking pictures and more about building relationships.
In a twist I never imagined, we’ve recently begun working with Happy Tails Happy Homes, fostering rescue dogs, with the intention of placing them in their forever homes. So far, we’ve fostered two shepherd mixes, Honeybun and Coco, successfully preparing them for and placing them with loving families. Having lost our sweet Quintana earlier last year, fostering seemed like a good way to welcome a new dog into our home though we weren’t ready to make a long-term commitment just yet. But that time is coming soon, and we’ll undoubtedly join the ranks of countless foster fails who’ve welcomed new dogs into their lives.
But other than finding a new pet, what’s the benefit for Joscelyn and me? We’re not getting paychecks from our volunteer activities, or any sort of public recognition. But then, we never expected or wanted any of that. Finding and becoming part of a new community was one of our first goals after our cross country move in 2022. Today in 2025, as we slowly embrace that new community, we’ve confirmed that supporting those causes and groups that reflect our values, we can help sustain positive long-term change in our little corner of the world.
Remembering that “all politics is local,” supporting food security, pet adoption efforts, and the arts helps to build diverse, equitable, and inclusive communities. Resisting the damage wrought by a malevolent administration and expressing our outrage, anger, and fury is vitally important but can lead to cynicism, doubt, exhaustion and ultimately, defeat. Volunteerism is clearly not for everyone and certainly is not a substitute for direct action, people have jobs, kids, demands that inhibit the ability to take up new activities, even if the desire is there. But each one of us can choose to recognize what brings us joy and hope in our own lives, dedicate time and/or money toward them, and that we no choice but to “stoop and build it all up with worn-out tools.”
Let’s get to work.
(All photographs @ Mark Caicedo/PuraVida Photography except as noted)
Exactly, Mark. I love that you and Jocelyn are digging into so many good projects and works and making the PNW a home. The din from the East Coast is certainly what one expected after our country elected who they did to be the president. There is a lot to be done!