I am Cat Rambo, and this is what I believe.
I believe every human being has dignity and worth. That one should treat others with respect, including their pronouns and the pronunciation of their name. That people should be free to live, worship, and connect with the universe as they please. That decency, ethics, and accountability are core values. That understanding and acknowledging one’s own privilege is part of that accountability.
I believe stories matter. That they shape how people think about and understand their lives and the world at large. That they gift us with hope and empathy.
I believe that all paths to publishing – traditional, indie, small press, crowdfunded – are valid for writers and that nowadays more and more people are able to create their own art and tell their own stories in a new way that has created a wealth of great new writing, including many stories that wouldn’t have been told through traditional publishing.
I believe that historically the publishing industry has – like the world around it – disadvantaged people for reasons of sex, race, religion, disability, sexuality, social class, and a host of other isms, and that this has affected who has and hasn’t been able to be published. Because of that, we all need to continue to push towards an industry – and world – where that is not the case.
I believe my students are a major part of my legacy. They provide me with joy and pride as they work and write and do things in a world that is not particularly kind to people who create art. I try to live my life in a way that will not disappoint them.
I believe in the power of thank yous, because they say “I saw what you did and it’s appreciated”. And I believe in volunteering, because giving back to the community when you have the time and resources is a duty as well as often a joy. The science fiction and fantasy world runs on volunteer power, and acknowledging those volunteers is vital.
I believe that I am the product of many influences, including my Unitarian Universalist faith, which draws in turn from Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Humanism, Islam, Judaism, and Paganism. And all of those influences lead me to believe one should strive to leave the world a better place rather than a worse one.
I believe that claiming to be apolitical is itself a political act, and one bolstered by privilege.
I believe that what is happening in Gaza is wrong, and that there needs to be an immediate, and permanent, ceasefire. Over 40,000 have died in Gaza so far, most of them women and children. That is uncategorically wrong and it is symptomatic of a world where other wars are being waged on those who cannot fight back, primarily the poor.
I believe that a system that drives the vast majority of the wealth up to a specific few, rather than benefiting all, is broken and needs to be replaced. And I believe that those wealthy few are doing their best to foster divisions between the groups they’re exploiting, in order to keep anyone from noticing.
I believe in science and the power of rational thought. And that destroying books, whether by burning, shredding, or other means, is a symbolic destruction of the ability to think and learn.
I believe that people trying to hurt other people in petty ways are often – perhaps even usually – deeply in pain themselves, and that generally it’s better to hope they find the help they need than to try to hurt them back. Hate begets hate, which is sad when that hate is a twisted call for help.
I believe that karma is a force that works in this universe and that continuing to send out good energy and positive vibes will stand me in far greater stead than not. Kurt Vonnegut Jr. said “Be careful what you pretend to be, because you may become it.” I have never pretended to be anyone or anything other than what I am. And that’s what I will continue to be.
Most of the last couple of months has been focused on one of several things: finishing the beta draft of Hearts of Tabat, finishing up the second edition of Creating an Online Presence for Writers, sorting through details for the release of Altered America: Steampunk Stories, or SFWA’s Nebulas Conference, which took place midmonth in Chicago, and which