Survival of the Friendliest
By Liz Jansen, Executive Director
I have a 3 year old who is into nature documentaries. One morning during his winter break, we watched Inside the Mind of a Dog on Netflix. At the beginning of the movie, they talk about the evolution of dogs from wolves. The theory is that wolves, an apex predator like lions and bears, realized that humans were becoming more and more of a threat as their hunting tools and tactics developed. As a form of survival, some wolves started developing relationships and friendships with humans. This relationship building between a handful of wolves and a handful of humans eventually gave us dogs, an indispensable part of our social makeup.
The documentary labels this “survival of the friendliest,” a theory that posits that being a big, bad alpha (aka survival of the fittest) is costly and not the best way to survive. The best way to survive is actually through adaptation, connection, and relationship.
Of course, it doesn’t take much to connect this theory to what we’re up against as a society. With a bunch of wannabe alphas—a bunch of fragile egos with immense power—running this country, we can all clearly see the limits of survival of the fittest. From continued climate catastrophe, continued gun violence, the inability of more and more Americans to afford basic cost of living, to surging levels of homelessness, the list goes on and on. We’re seeing in real time what happens when we view society as wealth to be mined rather than as a series of interconnected, interdependent relationships.
This year Women Unite! is leaning into this concept of survival of the friendliest, this core belief that relationships and connection are the only things that are going to get us through the days, weeks, months, and years ahead. To help foster these ties, we’re regrounding ourselves in some of our founding practices.
In 2025, you’ll see more opportunities to participate in mutual aid, outreach and engagement events that amplify and support work that’s already happening across the city, and chances to meet up with Women Unite! and our extended community in-person. To learn about our upcoming events and activations, check out our events page.
Of course, we’re under no illusions that these events and engagements are going to heal the magnitude of hurt we’re all dealing with; but that was never our promise, that was never on our to-do list. Our goal has always been and will continue to be making our corners of the world kinder, gentler places. This year, we remain committed to those values and invite you to join us in the work.
As always, stay kind, stay generous, and stay radical.
