Dacia Jones

This week we are on the road with Paddles & Pines, a collaboration between Expeditions in Education and Friends of the Boundary Waters.

Check us out at www.expeditionsineducation.org/paddles--pin...

We didn’t wait until it was our turn to hurt. We leaned in, we lifted up, and we chose to care before it was convenient.

Good people are still out there. Be one. Stand beside them. Speak up. Make your presence a safe place, a strong place, a kind place.

The moment’s calling. Let’s rise to meet it.

So here’s what I’m holding onto today—and maybe it’ll speak to you too: We are all living chapters in a much bigger story. And one day, we’ll look back and ask ourselves: “Where was I when it counted?” Let’s be able to say we showed up.

Sometimes it sounds like a quiet, steady “No, not on my watch.” Sometimes it looks like showing up, even when the room feels tense. Sometimes it’s just saying, “I see you. You matter.”

We don’t have to fix everything. But we can refuse to pretend we don’t see what’s broken.

And maybe you wondered if speaking up would even make a difference.

It does.

Being a decent human doesn’t require perfection, just participation. We’re not here to win popularity contests—we’re here to live with courage. Courage doesn’t always roar.

When good people lose their footing—not because they’ve failed, but because they’ve dared to stand—our voices matter more than ever. Maybe you’ve seen it. A friend passed over, pushed out, or worn thin for telling the truth or refusing to play along.

That kind of living may have gotten us by for a time, but it won’t get us through this. Not now. Not when people are being silenced, sidelined, and steamrolled for choosing integrity over convenience.

Every time we choose silence in the face of wrong, we give it room to grow. As Elie Wiesel said, “Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim.”

Right now, what we don’t need are more people quietly keeping their heads down, taking care of their own, and hoping it’ll all work out.

There’s laundry to fold, bills to pay, mouths to feed, and a dozen reasons to stay quiet when someone else’s world is shaking.

But here’s the thing: silence feels safe—until you realize it’s not. It doesn’t shield you; it just shapes you.

Sunday Reflection: Let’s Be Found on the Right Side of the Story

There are days when the easiest thing in the world is to look the other way. To say, “That’s not mine to carry,” and get back to the comfort of our own corner of life. And I get it.

💙 I stand with Ukraine.
🍎 I stand with educators.
🌲 I stand with park rangers.
🫶 I stand with those who are struggling to stand.

My friends list may be dwindling, but my faith is not. Doing what is right is never the wrong choice. #StandInTheGap #WWJD #FaithInAction #DoWhatIsRight

I won’t abandon my values just to go along with the crowd. The status quo has never been my guide. My foundation, my constant, has always been this: What Would Jesus Do? The answer is simple—He would stand in the gap. And so will I.

@bethmoorelpm.bsky.social @drmoore.bsky.social

Steve and I raised our girls to stand for those who couldn’t stand for themselves. To give a voice to the voiceless. To step in when the world turns away.

STAND IN THE GAP. I grew up knowing right was right and wrong was wrong. Every summer, I traveled to Mexico to work alongside good humans building homes & churches. I spent my time in disaster relief, helping those who couldn’t help themselves. It wasn’t about charity—it was about humanity.

YouTube video by Expeditions In Education Thanks to Our National Park Rangers

📽️ This tribute video is just a glimpse of the amazing rangers we have met along the way. These dedicated public servants inspire us every day—let’s show them our appreciation! 💙👏
- [ ] www.youtube.com/watch?v=HGwt...

🏛️🌍 𝐌𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐚 𝐂𝐡𝐨𝐢𝐜𝐞: Visit, volunteer, and leave no trace. Whether you’re hiking a trail, picking up litter, or supporting park programs, every action counts. 🏕️✨

🎤 𝐔𝐬𝐞 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐕𝐨𝐢𝐜𝐞: Thank the incredible park rangers and public land stewards who work tirelessly to preserve these spaces. Let your representatives know that conservation funding and responsible policies matter. 📢🏛️

Our Voice, Our Choice: Protecting Our National Parks & Public Lands!

Our national parks and public lands are treasures that need our support. We can all make a difference through our voice and choice—because these places don’t protect themselves.

They are on the list.

THANK A RANGER PROJECT! Our Thank A Ranger Project is growing in a BIG way! A huge shout out to Colleen Rooney, an incredible Expeditions in Education board member and Ambassador, for spearheading this initiative within our...

Help us THANK A PARK RANGER! docs.google.com/document/d/1...

I used buffer for #ParkChat a few weeks ago. It's wonderful.

We’ve sent close to 1000 letters. Keep them coming! ❤️📫📩📝

5 Calls Spend 5 minutes. Make 5 calls. Make your voice heard.

📲 Make it even easier! Download the 5 Calls App (5calls.org) to get scripts and direct contact info for your representatives. It takes just minutes but makes a huge impact!
Our voices are powerful. Let’s make sure they’re heard. Tag a friend who needs to see this, and let’s get to work! 💪🌎

Funding cuts and policy changes have real consequences—remind them that these services are essential.

📍 Find your representatives and their contact info here:
lnkd.in/enz4z2Aw
lnkd.in/edcURW-G

2️⃣ Hustle – Use your voice! 📞📩 Write or call your representatives and demand action. Whether it's national parks, public lands, schools, or immigration policies, your voice as a constituent matters. Let them know how these issues impact your community, your family, and your future.

Let them know how much their work means to you and how their dedication impacts lives. Make it personal. They need to hear that we see them, we value them, and we stand with them.
📧 Find contacts here: 👉 National Park Service Contact Information lnkd.in/eyHrxYRb

1️⃣ Heal – Show appreciation for those working tirelessly behind the scenes. Take a moment to send a card, thank-you note, letter, or email to National Park Service rangers, U.S. Forestry workers, educators, and others in public service.

Heal & Hustle for Our Parks—and More!

Right now, we are fighting for our parks, but this call to action applies to all public services that impact you—U.S. Forestry, Education, Immigration, and more. Our voices matter, and here’s how you can take action:

If you are outraged, stand up. Speak out. Fight for those who can’t. Our silence is compliance, and I refuse to be silent any longer.
This is not right. And we can’t let it continue.
#ProtectOurParks #SupportOurEducators #StandUpSpeakOut #ThisIsNotOkay

Who have we become as a nation? If we are not caring for our children, our poor, our homeless, our land—then we are failing as humans. This is not just policy. This is people’s lives. This is our future.