Flying High on HMC and BUST connection

Yesterday, on my way to class, I ran into Tina. I was really tired, I didn't feel like going to class, and it was nice to run into a familiar face.

She said, "Hey, you're in BUST!"

Me: What.
Tina:Yeah, I was reading the letters to the editor, and it said something about the Healthy Models Coalition, and I thought, "Hey, I know someone who's into that," and then it had your name and I was all, "oh."
Me: ...what...the...holyfuckingshit

The next 24 hours I have been absolutely pumped with excitement.
For those of my two or so readers who are unfamiliar with BUST, it's a feminist fashion/music/pop culture magazine that has a nationwide readership--and, according to another letter to the editor in that edition, even has some readers internationally.

Hence my freaking out.
Anyway, I was already almost late for class, so I had to sit through 1.5 hours of slow (albeit captivating) lecture on sociocultural anthropology of Indigenous peoples of Latin America. Before class I texted Kyla and Claire, meaning of course that they had to wait an hour and a half before THEY could get the details too (Now that I'm thinking about it, I probably should have waited--but I was so excited coherent thought left me).

After class I called up Kyla, walked to the bookstore to buy the magazine and as I'm sputtering out half-words to Kyla, I searched for the article that had me in it.

It's the VERY FIRST letter to the editor--almost the first written thing in the entire magazine, apart from the table of contents and the Editor's letter.

As I'm reading it, I recall about two months ago having sent this very letter to the editor, my thoughts being, "I really want Healthy Models Coalition in print in BUST magazine. How can I do this? I know, I'll find an article in BUST that's sortof similar in feel and somehow put in Healthy Models Coalition...maybe that will work." I remember scrupulously nitpicking my words, trying to make the letter as short as possible but still say everything I wanted to broadcast, and at last I remember thinking:

"There is no way they're going to publish this--its so transparently an advertisement for HMC"

And yet. I read my own writing in BUST and laughed at how crazy the world is.

I'm still in a daze. Today I wrote two more sample letters for the website, wrote an announcement to everyone in the HMC, posted it on Facebook and the HMC website, wrote everyone I know to spread the word about HMC and to spread the word on boycotting bad fashion magazines.

Next step: I need to write a petition. I need to print out pamphlets. I need to come up with a coherent speech to tell everyone when I go canvassing next Saturday.
I need to stop checking the HMC website and Facebook for encouraging comments. I have to assume that at least some people who have received my emails are excited about what's going on too, that I'm not alone, that someone else will also show up next Saturday to accompany me while I canvass, because I'm nervous to do it by myself. I have to get myself to believe that even if no one else shows up, I can still successfully talk to store managers on my own. I have to assume that even if none of them take me seriously, that at least one of them will start to think differently.
I have to assume that someone not in San Diego will also do some canvassing.
I have to assume that someone read the email I sent them, that someone cares.

I'm honestly a little depressed when people I know haven't responded to joining the HMC facebook group--(My self-doubt speaking: why aren't they joining? Don't they think this is an important cause? Don't they care about me?)

I have to be strong. A leader. So weird.

I take heart though when I see that there are 12 whole pages of members on facebook, some people not even being friends of me or Kyla.

Just today: 6 new members on the facebook group. I wonder if they joined because of BUST.