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Hello Friends,

Last week I said that we are the Vision Keepers and the Promise Holders - the ones who nurture, guide, and hold the vision for our communities. We claim this role because we know the work of nurturing is not small. It is ancient, expansive, transformative.

But claiming this role comes with a responsibility: the responsibility to set the narrative.

Because if we are not setting the narrative, someone else is. And today, the narratives being told do not serve the needs of all.

As Montessori educators, we guide children to see themselves as agents of peace and stewards of the Earth. We teach them that diversity is a strength, not a threat. That equity is a pathway to belonging, not a burden. That inclusion is essential for a thriving, connected world. That we have the ability and responsibility to make a difference.

Yet, we are living in a time when there are voices, loud and persistent, setting another narrative. A narrative that frames diversity as divisive. A narrative that labels equity as unfair. A narrative that casts inclusion as dangerous. And a narrative that says they are in control and we have no agency.

Maria Montessori lived through times such as these. She chose to write a different narrative for the future. She sought to create a new education that would allow the true nature of the child to reveal itself and to be liberated from the restrictions imposed upon it. Her schools were closed by regimes that feared the power of education to build humans resistant to manipulation.

And now, the same forces are at play. They use the tools of manipulation to confuse and divide. This manipulation often takes the form of gaslighting—a tactic designed to make us doubt what we know to be true.

Gaslighting can look like:

• Denial of reality: “That’s not happening,” even when we see it with our own eyes.
• Twisting the truth: Reframing actions that harm as if they protect.
• Minimizing emotions: “You’re overreacting,” dismissing valid concerns and sowing self-doubt.
• Shifting blame: Convincing us that standing up for justice is the real threat.

But... we are the vision keepers.​
We do see clearly.
Because we are the ones who observe.
Because we are the ones who recognize the value in all beings.
​Because we are the ones inspired by the fearless dottoressa herself.

Setting the narrative requires resiliency. It requires us to name what is true, even when others try to obscure it. It requires us to hold steady in the face of confusion.

This is not easy work. But it is the work we are called to do as Montessorians and as citizens of the world.

I know there are a wide range of readers here. If you are new to the concept of gaslighting or have been grappling with dealing with it in your own life, here is a downloadable journal that you may find helpful: Reclaiming the Narrative- Gaslighting Awareness Journal.pdf It has a little bit of background information along with journaling pages with prompts that you can use for self reflection.

Maria Montessori reminded us that “An education capable of saving humanity is no small undertaking.”

And that education begins with us - our clarity, our courage, and our ability to hold the line against forces that would dim the vision of joy and flourishing for all.

So ask yourself:
Who is setting the narrative in your community?
Are you allowing someone else to shape the story?
Or are you stepping forward as the vision keeper you were meant to be?

1. ​Stay emotionally regulated.​
2. ​Find your role in the social change ecosystem.​
3. Reclaim your power to shape the narrative.

The future belongs to those who can see it clearly. And it is through your clarity, your care, your courage, that the narrative will reflect what truly matters: a future where all on this beautiful jewel of a planet can thrive.

-Seemi

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PS You are welcome to forward this email. It isn't published on our main website but here is a shareable link if you prefer to use this: https://pages.trilliummontessori.org/posts/who-is-setting-the-narrative​

PPS: If you're finding yourself getting increasingly uncomfortable with these emails, thank you for hanging in there. If you'd rather leave, you can do so here: REMOVE. (Heads up, the next one may push you much further out of your comfort zone.)