Equity Turned Up

Let's try a Dry July as we invite building a love story with our livers.

Ah, July. The month of barbecues, beach days, and backyard boozing.

The month where "just one more drink" becomes a summer anthem.

But not this year.

This July, I decided with a bunch of my friends to embark on a journey as dry as a desert and as sober as a judge.

Yes, folks, I committed to Dry July, giving up liquor for the entire month to honor our friends and family and to continue on my health journey.

Cue the dramatic music and heartfelt cheers.

Why would I, a self-proclaimed non-connoisseur of craft beers and fine wines, give up the nectar of the gods?

It’s simple: love and liver.

I wanted to support my friends and family, many of whom have been cutting down or cutting out alcohol for health reasons.

Plus, I figured my liver could use a vacation as I continue on my health journey to avoid the pitfalls of heart disease, stroke and diabetes my mother, grandparents, famous people, and others suffered through.

However, going dry wasn’t just a health decision; here are some expected or unexpected benefits many of us might experience:

Waking up without a hangover is like discovering a secret superpower. Who knew mornings could be so… enjoyable?

Leave conversations, all of them, with not just the highlights. Who knew that staying sober could make you a better listener and conversationalist?

Your bank account will be thrilled. No more pricey cocktails or impulsive online shopping sprees after a glass (or three) of wine.

Dive into or rediscover some hobbies. Dust off your guitar, take extended walks, try (and fail) to bake bread, and picked up knitting or something. Okay, so maybe knitting wasn’t for me, but it was worth a shot.

Sticking to Dry July won't always be easy, but my action plan to stay on track includes some handy tips:

- Invite your friends and family, or buddy up because misery loves company, and together we can cheer each other on and share the highs and lows of going dry.

- Mocktails can be magic by exploring the world of mocktails whipping up non-alcoholic drinks that taste just as good (if not better) than the real thing. Plus, they’re way more fun than plain old water.

- Keeping busy helps to avoid temptation with planned activities that don’t revolve around alcohol such as hiking, museum, or a DIY project.

- Remind yourself why you’re doing this by writing your reasons and keep them handy for when the going gets tough.

- Celebrate successes by rewarding yourself with fancy dinner, spa day, or a new gadget for sticking it out to make the journey more enjoyable.

I'll likely return to drinking, but I assume that I'll go about with a different might set.

But one thing’s for sure: this Dry July journey will demonstrate that we're stronger than we think, and sometimes, the best way to show love and commitment is by giving something up – even if it’s just for a little while.

So here’s to you, Dry July.

How to Thrive in Dry July When Everyone's Pushing Drinks On You — Sober Powered Learn how to navigate social situations without alcohol during Dry July with this survival guide for dealing with peer pressure, drink pushers, and socializing.

Equity + Inclusion Lab presented by Jelani Consulting, LLC A half-day workshop centered on navigating intercultural connections.

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Launching May 2021! We're inviting to join our network of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion professionals, consultants, and experts from across different industries, sharing our talents, insights, lived experience and expertise with our community.

Join Now! https://ctcracialequity.org/business-listings/

Our goals are to inform the Greater Austin/Central Texas community about available DEI resources and serve as a networking tool facilitating connection and engagement among DEI professionals.

Be sure to join us for the final episode of The Path to Equity: Aftershow tomorrow March 9th hosted by the Central Texas Collective for Racial Equity!

The discussion will center on Political Influence & Involvement -- how can we best wield our individual and collective political influence toward meaningful systemic change and how can we ensure that political candidates and elected officials promote and pursue a racial equity agenda?

Our panelists are:

Jeffrey Travillion, Travis County Commissioner, Precinct 1
Chris Harris, Director, Criminal Justice Programs, Texas Appleseed
Paul Saldaña, President & Principal, Saldaña Public Relations
Vanessa Fuentes, Austin City Councilwoman, 2nd District
Meme Styles (Taliaferro), MPA, Founder & President, MEASURE

REGISTER HERE: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/path-to-racial-equity-the-aftershow-tickets-132474439615

Path to Racial Equity: The Aftershow Path to Equity: The Aftershow, hosted by the Central Texas Collective for Racial Equity, will broadcast on Facebook Live each Tuesday