Many consultants know that there is a lull in business between Thanksgiving and Valentine’s Day.
Throughout the holiday season, many special projects and initiatives take a backseat as staff are balancing the standard operations with holiday PTO, or other organizations see in increase in end-of-year giving or holiday programming.
Come January, everything that was put off late last year comes back with a voracity and staff re-adjust to routine. By February, organizations are ready to take on or resume special projects again.
While this could be an exploration of America’s workplace sensibilities (perhaps another time), this is a personal reflection on what I’ve been up to over the past twelve months.
Upon the 2025 presidential inauguration, a slew of anti-trans and anti-DEI policies were enacted or rumored. We began to see ICE raids in increased number and chaos (of course, many of our neighbors have experienced this for over two decades since ICE was established).
The line between the professional and the personal blurred even more. My friends and neighbors advocated for Worcester to become one of the first transgender sanctuary cities in the nation, though it remains to be seen that that actually looks like in practice. Federal regulations inflicted fear into my colleagues and our community at the health center I work at part-time. My own city councilor and people I know personally made national news for trying to intercept ICE kidnapping a young mother and her children. Local Hispanic festivals were cancelled for the safety of our neighbors.
If the calls stopped coming in for diversity and inclusion work, particularly LGBTQIA+ inclusion, what was my professional role in this?
I put myself on hiatus.
I continued working with organizations committed to health equity, youth empowerment, and preserving Latino culture as a grant writer. I became even more involved in my local drag and burlesque community, producing the first-ever Worcester Draglesque Festival.
As we turned the corner into 2026, resistance and resiliency became the new normal. I have seen diversity and inclusion job postings come back to LinkedIn. I got my first cold call in nearly a year for a workshop. A colleague is bringing together national inclusion champions to take on projects in the environmental sector.
While the same realities exist, there is less unknown. The trauma exists and will ripple for generations, but it is no longer looming over us. We are building up our calluses to go in for another round.
While my visible ALK Consulting work paused for most of 2025, there was momentum behind-the-scenes. Without external validation, it was difficult for me to recognize what I was doing.
Sometimes progress is silent and small. Sometimes it is a period of rest to come back at full capacity. Sometimes it is covered in sequins and eyelash glue.
Sometimes I need to take my own advice.
Photo Credit: Yona Browne, 2025