Use your imagination. 💭
Issue #68
I almost skipped writing a newsletter this week. The only things I've been thinking about and reading about are racial justice and police brutality. The only conversations I've been having are about how to better show up for the Black community. I didn't feel like writing about art or creativity, or sharing the progress I've made during #1000wordsofsummer. Those things still matter, of course, but they can wait. They aren't urgent.
I haven't always been the best activist, but I've been trying and learning and growing for many years, and one thing I've learned is that you can't fix everything all at once. This can be frustrating for people, because we like a quick win, a feeling of accomplishment. We want to be congratulated and patted on the back. But that's not the world we live in. That's not the fight you're joining.
Building a better world is like everything else I've been writing about and around since I started this newsletter. It requires commitment and dedication, the humble willingness to keep working, even when you do something imperfectly. It requires, above all else, imagination - the ability and desire to consider different solutions, a way of living that emphasizes care and community and accountability. It's hard work, but there can be joy in it, too.
So post a black square, and make sure you also sign a petition. Take a selfie at a protest, and remember to vote on election day. Share memes on your Instagram Story, and have uncomfortable conversations. Buy a stack of anti-racist books, and then actually read them. The most important things you do won't always visible. That's okay; do them anyway. It'll be worth it, I promise. 💛
Protest of the Week
Wilmington is not a huge city by any means but, like many cities of all sizes around the world, we've been having nightly demonstrations, protests, vigils, and marches in our downtown area and on the steps of city hall. I attended one on Thursday, and it felt good to stand outside and yell for justice. (Most people were in masks, which is good as COVID-19 numbers in NC continue to rise.) I plan to go back this week and help register voters. Maybe I'll see you there?
Relatable Reads
How Much Do We Need the Police? NPR. "[P]olicing has become more intensive, more invasive, more aggressive. So what I'm calling for is a rethink on why we've turned all of these social problems over to the police to manage. And as we dial those things back, then we can think more concretely about what the rest of policing should look like and how that could be reformed." Yes, yes, yes. 🚨
In Defense of Looting, The New Inquiry. "The mystifying ideological claim that looting is violent and non-political is one that has been carefully produced by the ruling class because it is precisely the violent maintenance of property which is both the basis and end of their power." It's not often an essay completely changes my mind about an issue, but this one did. ⚖️
A Black Lives Matter Co-founder Explains Why This Time is Different, The New Yorker. "[W]hat we are witnessing now is the opening up of imaginations, where people are beginning to think more expansively about what the solutions could be." 🌍
A very good this Twitter thread for white people about activism burn-out and how to stay in this fight for the long haul. Also, would you please sign this petition to remove the Confederate statues that litter my city? I and many others would be so grateful. ✊🏽
A Tiny Challenge
There are plenty of challenges, actions, and opportunities out there. Pick one thing, and do it. Bonus points if it makes you uncomfortable.
See you next Sunday. 💌
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