I began this year a little nervous, as I knew it was going to be an ambitious one. We were developing a new strategic plan and renewing our big partnerships with the Dutch government. When I think back now to that self, I shake my head: I really had no idea.
We are an organisation led by women. Our gendered roles as carers have made these last several months quite exhausting as frontline health care and education have shifted home due to lockdowns and social duties intensified. We've tried to support each other as colleagues, switching to fully flexible hours, letting go of non-essential projects, and taking a common leave week in the summer, but it's confirmed what we know: women have too much work to do and there isn't enough help.
At the same time, this has been a time of revolution. We've shown it's entirely possible to change the way we live and work if we decide to - to value care, reduce air travel, work together for the collective good, prioritise life and relationships over profit. Virtually overnight, we completely restructured our ways of living and being. The Black Lives Matter-movement inspired us further, showing us that we could reach even deeper for justice and liberation.
I’m therefore facing the coming year with a renewed conviction that significant change is possible. If we go for it, a feminist driven 'new normal' is dawning on the other side of the crisis.