When I look at the world for examples of how to act, I am drawn to people who are deeply committed to the well-being of other people. Many people, myself included, have high ideals about equality and protection of the poor and vulnerable, but what set Dorothy Day apart was her commitment to these ideals, even though actually acting on her ideals met asking nothing for herself and living a life of amazing simplicity that often ran counter to her own prosperity and pleasure.

In my short life so far, I have started to pursue work that I hope will help reduce the damage that climate change is causing to humans across the globe.  The climate crisis was not something people were thinking about for most of Dorothy Day's life, but the way she lived and encouraged others to live is the right answer for a sustainable human life on earth.  Her work was not flashy, but it put ordinary people and their basic needs first and that is something we need to keep doing today.

-Anonymous 

I had always wanted to be a writer. A couple of years ago I chanced upon the note in the DD Guild newsletter looking for volunteer transcribers. Did the work for a year and a half, feeling so blessed to make use of long unused fact checking and textual editing skills from decades ago. Felt SO blessed to do her any little favor. Transcribing her words wasn’t the same as writing a book about her, but it got me through one of the toughest years of my life, and I think it was her special answer to my prayer: here, do the work you CAN do. 

-Harrington Park, NJ