The VA of the Future I See

The Good Listening Project - Jenny Hegland - The VA of the Future I See poem.jpg

This person described himself as a dreamer.

As he spoke, he painted a particularly clear and vivid vision of the future he saw possible for the VA.

He worked in diversity, equity, and inclusion, and his passion for the work was evident and inspiring.

“It’s too easy to fall back on 1960. Martin Luther King and the pioneers did their jobs. They inspired and influenced us,” he said. “But we can’t keep going back to 1960. I think we’re at a moment of inflection. 2020 had to be a painful year to awaken a slumber. Now it’s time to re-imagine what our role is in this new period of inflection, in this new civil rights era. And kindness is what will take us to 2021 and beyond.”

Listener Poet Jenny Hegland

Veterans' Affairs Center for Development & Civic Engagement

October 2020

The VA of the future I see

is the VA I want it to be

I see a VA where 100% of our people

are physically and psychologically safe

I see a VA that’s diverse and fairly represents

those we serve in our communities

I see a VA where not only doctors, but all of us,

find our purpose in helping to heal our Veterans

I see a VA where we’re asking: what about cultural health?

(as much as we’re taking physical temperatures)

I see a VA where millennials and Gen Zers choose us

because we include them; we understand them

I see a VA where employees choose us

because there’s no other rational choice

I see a VA where employees are free

to innovate; not trapped by dogma

I see a VA with less structure, hierarchy, rules;

more openness, inclusion, principles, acceptance

I see a scientific VA; an intelligent VA;

a microcosm of our nation, holding hands

I see a VA that’s evolving, transforming, progressing

into alignment, civility, consciousness

I see us awakening, re-imagining, re-emerging from a slumber

into our role in a new civil rights era

Always, walking in kindness--

we’ve got this.

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