See you in 2023: The Cost of Not Making Resolutions

New Year's Resolutions might seem arbitrary, but so are our borders and immigration policies and Title 42 and and and ...

As we look ahead to 2023, we wanted to take this week to ponder what we might collectively aspire for in the new year.

We are excited to start sharing some of the responses you’ve sent in over the past two months. If you would still like a (free) postcard like this one, let us know where to send it.

A “resolution” feels too strong a word for lives that are continually placed in limbo.

Earlier this week, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled to maintain Title 42, a Trump-era policy that has expelled more than 2-million immigrants including those seeking asylum due to global violence and unrest.

This decision not only continues to put families at risk but also, likely, curtails the options for negotiation for DACA policy in the near future (something we mention in a recent op-ed).

When each day can feel uncertain, the finality of a “resolution” feels out of reach. Instead, an aspiration - a hope we might strive toward - feels like the best we might proffer in this moment. In this spirit, we invite you to dream with us New Year’s aspirations:

• Aspire for a life lived in safety.

• Aspire for a more humane treatment by my neighbors.

• Aspire to get to see my family in person again.

• Aspire_____ [share your aspirations below].

Regardless of how this country views your legal standing within its domain, what are your aspirations for 2023?

Propina

Each week we offer a small propina—an action item, a token of gratitude, a suggested media product, something for you to take away.

We are so grateful for the enthusiasm and response we’ve received in the three months since we launched La Cuenta. We have big plans for 2023.

If you’re a new reader, check out some of the costs we’ve described in past weeks:

• The cost of a toxic relationship with America

• The cost of trying to make a living wage

• The cost of the “undocu-” label

• The cost of human imagination

We’ll be tallying up these costs in the months to come. If you have costs, questions, or ideas you’d like to contribute, please get in touch.