Social Impact Grief: How to Mourn AND Organize in 2025

Fund the People: A Podcast with Rusty Stahl

Remember that old activist saying, "Don't mourn; organize"? Well, what if you're feeling deep disillusioned and disempowered by attacks on nonprofits and communities you love? Feeling dread as you witness beloved institutions and ideas get damaged or destroyed? How are you going to sustain morale through all this?

This episode offers language, tools, and pragmatic resources to help you or your team mourn, so that you can continue to organize. Our guest Meico Marquette Whitlock shares the concept of social impact grief. Whitlock discusses how this emotional response to setbacks, policy reversals, and systemic resistance is part of changemaking work, but often goes unacknowledged, creating a dynamic among activists he describes as "driving with the parking brake on."

The discussion includes practical strategies and exercises for both individuals and organizations to get back into gear. Meico emphasizes that grief isn't linear and shouldn't be avoided, but rather embraced as fuel for continued work.

The episode concludes with information about Whitlock's books, retreats, and consulting services, which position self-care as essential for sustainable social change work.

BIO:

Meico Marquette Whitlock is The Mindful Changemaker and The Mindful Techie. He works with changemakers who want to improve their well-being so they can sustainably increase their well-doing in changing the world. He's the author of the Amazon bestseller How to Thrive When Work Doesn’t Love You Back: A Practical Guide for Taking Care of Yourself While Changing the World and The Intention Planner. He has worked for more than two decades across the nonprofit, public, and private sectors, during which time he has used information technology to improve well-being in underserved communities as a software and web developer, communications director, trainer and facilitator, and mindfulness teacher.

According to his website, Meico is a former triathlete, loves salsa dancing, and makes the world’s best vegan chili. He holds an M.S. in Information Science from the University of Michigan and a B.A. in Political Science and Spanish from Morehouse College. He is also a certified trauma-informed mindfulness teacher.

Related Episodes:

• Nonprofit Staff Resilience and Well-Being in Turbulent Times with Loretta Turner

• Wellbeing as Strategy: Reimagining Philanthropic Practice with Laura Bacon

• Happy Healthy Nonprofit People with Beth Kanter

Resources Discussed in Episode:

Services:

• Speaking engagements

• Coaching and consulting for individuals

• Coaching and consulting for organizations

• Virtual Wellness Retreat for Changemakers (August 2025)

Publications:

• Mindful Techie website

• Newsletter (scroll down main page to “Sign up for Updates” just above footer)

• Book: How to Thrive When Work Doesn’t Love You Back (here’s a digital preview of the book)

• Book: The Intention Planner

Social Media:

• LinkedIn

• YouTube (includes Meico’s podcast, “Dear Mindful Changemakers”)

• Instagram

Online Courses:

• Leading Your Team Through Change and Uncertainty

• Cultivating Well-Being & Resilience in Challenging Times

• 2025 Life Planning Masterclass & Guide for Changemakers

Post-Election Email Series:

In the episode, Rusty mentions that Fund the People used Meico's tips to help their team debrief after the election in fall 2024. Here are the emails Meico shared at that time. Although the election is in the rear view, the messages and tips are still relevant:

• Protecting Your Digital Well-being in Stressful Times

• Navigating Workplace Grief, Disruption, and Uncertainty

• Self-Care for Team Leaders in Difficult Times

• What to Say to Your Team Post-Election Day

• Grow Not Weary in Well-Doing: You Were Made for Times Like This

• Managing Your Team’s Post-Election Stress

• Easing Your Team’s Election Anxiety

• Finding Balance in Turbulent Times