In June, at the 2018 Rotary International  (RI) Convention in Toronto, Canada, I heard a speech by an inspiring young man from Chicago, Illinois. The founder of Justice Informed, Xavier Ramey is a Rotarian and a social justice activist and strategist. A noted public speaker he has given a Ted Talk and given the keynote address at a number of high profile events.
    His speech to RI that day focused on the difference between the possible and the probable. It was given for the purpose of inspiring Rotarians to continue our work building a more equitable world as a means for achieving a more peaceful one.  He urged us to work to make the possible probable for more people all across the world regardless of their color, gender, age or religion.
    One of the keys to doing this, he advised, was that we must first acknowledge instances of achievements being possible but improbable. Then we must examine our own place in the situation, as well as our own biases whether intentional or not. Only then can we work for change.
    Several of the examples he gave that day of achievements that have always been possible but not always probable – including the election of a black man to the office of President of the United States and a woman recieving a nomination for the same office - I’ve witnessed come to fruition in my lifetime. I had never thought of either as improbable. In my, perhaps naive mind, they always were probable.      
    It made me think about what else I had incorrectly assumed was probable. Over the course of the last six months I’ve found myself thinking about Ramey's speech often and applying its principals to my own life experiences and actions. In several cases, I’ve found that some of the greatest disappointments in my life were rooted in my own misunderstanding, and or disregard, of the difference between the probable and the possible as it existed in that moment and exact circumstances.  
    I have led a very privileged life compared to most. As a white woman born into a hardworking middle class Midwestern family living in an excellent school district, I've had more than my fair share of institutionalized advantages. But I have also at times aspired to achievements that, although possible, were not in fact probable in the particular community in which I was living and working at the time.  
    The improbability of these achievements  I know for certain in some cases came not from my lack of qualifications and proven track record of hard work but from factors outside of my control – mainly, my gender and age – and the decision of those in power to hold those against me based on their own prejudices and presumptions.  These experiences left me feeling helpless and outraged – and feeling more than a little sorry for myself.
    Thanks to Ramey’s words, I’ve found that instead of continuing to dwell on these injustices of the past, I want to double down on making what was unattainble for me attainable to others in the future. This has taken away the feelings of self-loathing I had and replaced them with feelings of empowerment.  Ramey’s words have inspired me to reframe my perspective and to take a hard look at my actions - what I say and do, and why. I’ve  challenged myself to action to make the changes I want probable.
    This has involved acknowledging my own biases and preconceptions and then moving beyond them. Sometimes this has meant changing my approach to ensure I am truly offering opportunities to as many, different  types of people as possible and truly giving everyone an equal chance at attaining them. Most importantly, I’ve begun to speak up and speak out when I see others falling short. This can be very hard but change is often not easy or comfortable. As Ramey advised, we must become comfortable being uncomfortable to truly see the possible become probable.