| WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE PHOTO...
of hands kneading dough...what do you imagine?
Do you imagine that it's missing a key ingredient, and will fall apart...or taste terrible?
Do you imagine a beam of sunlight is going to pass in through the window at any moment and turn it to mush?
Our guess is that you imagine something quite different: the many delicious possibilities for this dough.
Cooking is therapeutic in part because it's a tangible example of constructive possibility. Your small actions, some added up over days, weeks, months, or some as simple as a few minutes' work, leads to nourishment, delight, sharing. Not coincidentally, it can help us process grief, trauma, anguish, and despair.
In a culture based on binary thinking and the status quo, we imagine our individual efforts won't make a difference because there are structural forces at play. But this conveniently absolves so many of us from making real change.
We are often reminded of Desiree Adaway's refrain, "Let's go get free." This in turn reminds us of Monique Melton's teaching that Black liberation is the root from which our collective freedom grows.
For our BIPOC community members, especially, we offer the words of Marisa Renee Lee and Chanel Miller. And for all those who are able to do something other than prioritize rest and joy: Now is a time for awareness of all the ways we are living in the destructive imagination of systemic oppression and greed. Now is a time for constructive reimagining.
The time is not only now, but every day. Today is the first day of Black History Month. What resources are you committing to Black liberation?
Whether you are looking for a place to start, or continue, we will meet you there:
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The title of this week's NY Times interview with Robin Wall Kimmerer says it best: You Don't Have to be Complicit in our Culture of Destruction.
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"The more marginalization someone experiences, the more suspect and even criminalized their pursuit of pleasure may be." - The Center for Body Trust
Join Angela Braxton-Johnson for the first ever BIPOC affinity group session of No More Weighting: the body trust e-course, starting February 20th.
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"The antidote to despair is not tuning out; it's engaging your creative power to change what causes despair." - Nicole Lee, Inclusive Life
Doing the Work Together is a free webinar and conversation about white folks doing the work of antiracism. Join Nicole Lee and Laura Halpin for the discussion on Wednesday, February 1 at 7:30pm ET.
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Tyre Nichols' life was stolen. Keenan Anderson's life was stolen. Tortuguita's life was stolen. Honor their humanity by learning about who they are and fighting to make sure others don't see their same fate. Watching and sharing videos of their murders do not honor their humanity (Ashtin Berry elaborates).
Learn about abolitionist steps in policing and reimagine a world where funds go to uplifting humanity rather than exerting power over it.
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Understand why the Monterey Park shootings feel like an attack on Asian America.
Notice how the mass shootings of farm workers at Half Moon Bay highlight some of the inhumane conditions of farm work in this country.
Contribute to one of the funds for the victims from Monterey Park and / or Half Moon Bay.
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Attend the Shine Bright School, where you can Pursue Black Liberation as an individual, a friend group, or as a team of coworkers / organization.
Learn more about the Responsibility of White Wealth in an intimate, four-month writing, conversation, and learning circle for white women committed to collective liberation with Toi Smith.
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“We must transform ourselves to transform the world.” - Grace Lee Boggs
To reimagining together,
Tay + Dor
photo by Christine Han
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