Thanks to my two delightful grand-daughters pacing in the last hundred yards, I finished the Goleta Beach Half-Marathon June 21 in 2:40:18:

Friends and Family,

There is a saying in the world of marathon running: to make it through, you have to find the peace inside of pain. You are past mile 20 but there are still six miles to go. You can feel the strain in every leg muscle and your tired body is telling you it wants to stop. This is the moment to dig deep; to remind yourself why you are doing this run and to remember all the training that has gone into this effort. With that awareness, you are able to accept the agony that goes with every step and push on to the finish line.

It is similar in politics, especially now. The psychic pain that accompanies refusing to look away from the genocide in Gaza, the kidnapping of immigrants, the forward march of US-style fascism, and so much more is intense. There is a constant pull to act out of pure outrage or to give in to despair. In order to keep fighting with focus and strategy it is imperative to take both physical and psychological deep breaths; to stay calm and concentrate on struggling effectively with eyes wide open to the painful realities that make it necessary.

I will be digging deep on both of these battlefronts during my upcoming half-marathon run to raise funds for Convergence Magazine, a project dedicated to helping radical activists find strategic focus in this fraught moment.

The Block and Build framework that Convergence has promoted has been embraced by many organizations and projects immersed in the urgent fights underway. And Convergence is now poised to double the size of its two-person staff, adding a full-time Managing Editor and Operations Director. Last year Convergence grassroots fund drive met its goal of raising $50,000. This year the target is double that. Please help make that happen with a one-time or recurring donation.

Contributions to Convergence are tax-deductible. You can go to the Convergence site to donate or you can contribute by sending a check to Convergence at 490 Lake Park Ave. #10062, Oakland, CA 94610.

Thanks, Peace, and Hope,

Max