Good Mistakes

For making better decisions, foster the safety to fail

John Lewis was a portrait in courage. Already weathered by his experiences standing up to hatred and racism across the Southern US, he faced his hardest test yet on March 7, 1965 before the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama. He stood with 600 others on a march to Montgomery when the marchers were attacked by state police. Lewis sustained a skull fracture and many others were injured in an incident to be later known as “Bloody Sunday”.

Recently I watched a documentary about the life of John Lewis. He never stopped fighting the good fight, even up till his passing last July. If there was one theme that could capture the full breadth of his life’s work, it would be summed up by his quote:

“Never, ever be afraid to make some noise and get in good trouble, necessary trouble.”

He understood that to make change means disrupting the status quo. To disrupt centuries of institutionalized racism meant an even greater change in culture, society, and politics. The only way to ensure change builds momentum and leads to an end to racism and injustice would be to confront people and systems intent on maintaining the current order. Good trouble was John Lewis’ way to bring about positive change.