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| ISSUE NO. 707 |
| WE HEARD FROM SO MANY OF YOU . . . last week, after we wrote about the grief of small businesses closing, and the many issues that impact those decisions. While there were plenty of readers who sat with us in our sadness, the primary element of all our correspondence was: balance. Some folks talked about beloved small businesses that have closed, or the places they currently frequent and can't imagine living without. One person shared about a favorite place that was shuttered, only to be reopened with fresh management. Still others wrote to share that when small businesses ask for help from their community - in one case, an unaffordable rise in insurance premiums - the community delivers by way of cash donations, an investment in keeping open the doors of a place that welcomes you in. All of this was swirling in mind this week as we finished reading Ijeoma Oluo's latest book, Be a Revolution: How Everyday People are Fighting Oppression and Changing the World – and How You Can, Too. We take it as no coincidence that a phrase mentioned in that book - "relational economy" - was also mentioned by one of our newsletter readers. The book is a series of interviews with people who are striving to make a difference in the world - the very source of meaning that we had in mind when we founded Good Food Jobs. And it is filled with the kind of perspective and inspiration that are priceless to anyone running - or working in - a small business of their own. The testimonies in Oluo's book contribute to this sense of balance. An interview with Laura Clise, the founder of Intentionalist, sums up the value of small business community when she explains how they 'reinforce or reweave that social fabric' when the modern world pulls us apart....while Céline Semaan, founder of Slow Factory, cautions that “doom-and-gloom philosophies lead to apathy, lead to policy change that is impacting the Global South.” Oluo writes, “while we work toward much larger changes, we can still start to make important smaller changes today, in our homes, our cities and towns, our states. We can start by listening to those who have long practiced alternative systems and practices of land stewardship.” As much sadness as we process when we see small businesses close, when we face change, when we feel overwhelmed by the intensity of transformation, there is an equal and balancing amount of strength in the people around us - in their ideas, their stories, their energy and wisdom. As Grace Lee Boggs is quoted as saying, “A revolution that is based on the people exercising their creativity in the midst of devastation is one of the great historical contributions of humankind.” There is a seemingly relentless assault on the belief that our individual effort is 'enough'. But this assault obscures the truth of our interconnectedness, and the power that each of us holds. As Center for Cultural Power founder Favianna Rodriguez shares, “One person can change culture. It is possible to change culture through one story. Which means that we need an abundance of stories. We need your story.” Thank you for sharing your stories this week, and always. Every person's work in this world is a story told in myriad ways - through service, support, talent, dedication, failure, loss, triumph, and the great unknown. Each of you allows us to take Oluo's advice to “be intentional in cultivating and maintaining loving and supportive relationships. Give them the time and energy they need. Treat your relationships like the essential component to our collective survival that they are.” Together, |
tidbits...resources on anti-racism, environmentalism and food culture AKA stuff we're reading / listening to / watching / noticing / thinking about / captivated by this Tuesday . . . Toi Smith in conversation with Brionna Ned - aka The Everyday Lawyer - on law, capitalism, and everyday life. We highly recommend Sharanya Deepak's food and culture newsletter, Vittles. |
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