I’m onto the next adventure! A quick video to let you know why I’m leaving my current position at NDY, what I’ve learned, and where I’m going next. Don’t be a stranger! Follow me on Instagram and Threads @djenderbender . See you around!
Transcript
Hello, and welcome back to the Not Dead Yet vlog. My name is Jules Good, I use they/them pronouns, I’m a white person with short blonde and brown hair, I have a nose piercing and I’m wearing a plaid button-down shirt. And behind me, perched on the back of my chair, is my bird, Chompers. He is a gray cockatiel with a yellow head and orange cheek circles . And for one last time, I am the assistant director and policy analyst at Not Dead Yet.
That’s right, my friends, as of October, I am stepping down from my role to pursue other opportunities. I’d like to tell you about what I learned, why I’m leaving, and where I’m going next. This role has been an incredible learning and growing experience for me. I came to Not Dead Yet with a piecemeal background in community organizing, policy advocacy and analysis, assistive tech, and accessibility consulting. Since then, I’ve had the privilege to be a part of advocacy against assisted suicide in several states and the opportunity to reframe discussions around assisted suicide to get a younger and more diverse array of people and organizations involved in this fight. I have learned so much from people who have been doing this work for longer than I’ve been alive , and I am eternally grateful for all of the knowledge, mentorship and care they have passed on to me.
So why am I leaving? Well, to start, not many people know this, but I’m only 23 . I am at the wee beginnings of my career and longing to sink my teeth into a wider variety of issues. I’d also be lying if I said a year of doing this work full time hasn’t taken a toll on my already not so great mental health. Being surrounded by murder and suicide and constantly pleading for the basic needs of vulnerable people is not for the faint of heart, even with the support of an amazing team of colleagues. When I really sat and thought about my ability to engage with this crucial work for the foreseeable future, I realized I needed more balance between focusing on this issue and the myriad other issues that impact it, like health care, racial justice, and societal ableism. That’s why I’ve decided to work with Not Dead Yet in a small part-time capacity until someone takes my current role, at which point I will continue to advocate against assisted suicide in my personal capacity.
My next adventure is as the programs associate for the Autistic Self Advocacy Network, which I could not be more excited about. I have looked up to ASAN for years and the opportunity to help grow their grassroots organizing work is super exciting. I am so thrilled to work with a team of fellow autistic people approaching this work with an intersectional lens.
Before I close out, I have several people to thank. John Kelly, thank you for your incredible work fighting against assisted suicide in Massachusetts. Your intellect, zest, and humor have taught me so much about how to effectively organize around this issue. I am so grateful for your leadership. Ellen, Pam, Brian, and Mary from Second Thoughts Massachusetts. Thank you for welcoming me with open arms to your meetings, for cheering me on, and most importantly, for constantly showing up to do this really difficult work. I look up to you all. Anita Cameron, thank you for being the most badassed organizer I know. You do this work from a place of deep love and passion, and you have touched so many people through your advocacy. You have made me a more thoughtful activist and I appreciate you deeply. Diane Coleman, oh, thank you, thank you, thank you , for your mentorship over this last year or so. When I first told people I was working for Not Dead Yet, they gushed about you, and I absolutely see why. You are so brilliant and your intellect and passion shine through in everything you do. You have taught me so much about strategy, policy analysis, and the power of community organizing. I know I will use everything you’ve taught me in my work for the rest of my career.
And lastly, to the faithful hundred or so folks who watch these videos, thank you. Your feedback and discussions about the content have given me so much to think about. Knowing that I’m not just shouting this information into the void has given me hope on darker days. Please continue to share these videos far and wide, talk to your people about disability justice, and follow Not Dead Yet on social media to stay up to date on how you can get involved with advocating around the crucial issue of assisted suicide.
I would really love to stay connected with y’all as I move onto the next big thing. You can find me on Instagram and Threads @djenderbender, and that’s spelt D-J-E-N-D-E-R-B-E-N-D-E-R. I’m also hoping to start making video content about disability issues on my own YouTube channel. if you follow my other social media, I’ll post links there. Thank you so much for watching and for all of your support over this last year. See you soon.
