IF WE HAD TO CHOOSE ONE WORD . . .
to describe the collective mood it might be anguish. We feel the palpable energy. The one that asks: "Are we really here? Again?"
The hard truth is that we've never not been here. As Ashtin Berry said, "Freedom ain't free! Every right and privilege afforded to you was paid for. And the taxation for those rights continues to be charged, the fact that you don't feel the weight of it doesn't mean that cost is inconsequential, it means it's not coming out of your account. The social taxation of privilege cashes on the back of the most marginalized!"
Anguish not only from being confronted with the images of destruction, confronted with the reality of 'going back to normal' - what has been imagined for us already within the systems of oppression that exist - but also, anguish because we have yet to figure out what shape the work takes and integrate it into our every day lives.
Our sense is that it feels defeating because so many of us are already stretched to our limits - feeling utterly depleted and exhausted. Whether you don't have the resources to keep going, or don't have the energy to imagine a better world - let alone figure out how to get there - you may feel the weight of the world on your shoulders.
That feeling is by design. And for the first time in a long time, we see the light. If you don't have the energy, let us sit with you. We are here. We can do this together.
But where do we go from here? You can't do it alone. And we can't do it without you. So let's join together so that each small and manageable action fuses to form an insurmountable wave of humanity.
Last week, we heard from many people with insights to share about how to make applying for jobs more equitable. We have always been better able to provide service because of what you, dear readers, share with us. Thank you for being in community and in reciprocity with us. We'll be back with more on that next week.
This week, we're sharing three examples of our own action in the realms of Personal, Professional, and Political - noting that they all overlap, intersect, and strengthen one another:
PERSONAL
I light a candle every night and take a minute to hold space for all the lives impacted by systems and structures of oppression. Our bodies are on Earth for a brief time, but we are all made up of energy, so I can invite the energy of these souls to be with me, sit with me, cry with me.
I breathe in their pain and suffering. Their trauma. Their bodies violated and discarded too often and too soon.
I hold my breath and sit with them. I let myself feel it all.
I breathe out. My breath is my commitment to carrying on their life and legacy by dismantling the systems that inflicted suffering upon them and expressing gratitude for all of the joy that I experience so that they can share in that energy that everyone deserves.
This act fuels every other direct action I take (for example, joining a meal train, showing up to an event hosted by a local organization, disrupting conversations with my family when I see systems of oppression present, etc) builds a web of care that is the foundation of this lifelong work.
PROFESSIONAL
Each week, we at Suarez Family Brewery (my other non-GFJ job) start our staff meeting with a 10 minute conversation on how systems of oppression show up in our community (be it our county, our operation, or ourselves).
Last week the question was, "In what ways do we participate in cultural appropriation or cultural erasure?" Next week, the question centers around how we as a business participate in the gentrification of our local area, and how that gentrification impacts each of our personal lives and the lives of others.
These 10 minutes seem small, but the conversations are eye opening and spark insight and ideas that bleed into our everyday work, little by little.
POLITICAL
I added 4 contacts in my phone: 1/ for my Congressional rep, 2/ for my NY state senators, and 1/ for the White House comment line. (For the representatives, I included the numbers for each of their offices, so that in the event of a full mailbox, I can move on to the next one.) In the White House comment line contact, I included the hours they are open (Tuesday - Thursday 11 AM - 3 PM) and set an alarm for 12:24 PM on those days, to remind myself to make the call within that window.
I call every day to express my thoughts - there is no shortage of things to tackle, and repetition on certain subjects builds momentum. My calls have changed over time, as I build my communication skills and strengthen this particular muscle. Each day it gets easier. The calls take less than 5 minutes.
I have a friend who also calls, and we text each other as soon as we finish, to share information that we've learned (especially when we get a real live human on the phone). I get a little dopamine rush every time I feel the power of doing something together.
I also share these contacts with people I know who have the same representatives and have an interest in calling. Some have shared that this practice makes it easier for them to call every day. These are small actions, but they make a difference over time.
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If even a small fraction of you reading this commit to just 10 minutes of time, we can dismantle these systems. You can't do it alone. And we can't do it without you.
We believe that everyone is creative, regardless of how you spend that creative energy. This community is filled with your creativity, art, and humanism. Reply to this email and let us know what small things in your daily practice feel meaningful.
Together,
Tay + Dor
photo by Christine Han for GFJ Stories
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