A post election offering
How do I live my values, over and over again?
I woke up this morning in an intense fog, emotionally and literally. As I walked my dog, I couldn’t see across the small lake near where I live. It was cast in a thick white haze. I’ve been thinking (and over thinking) all morning (for weeks). Yet I have nothing pithy or unique to say about hope and love and organizing and power building that hasn’t already been said.
So without further ado, here’s a list of how I try to live out my values, resist power structures, and build strong, trusting communities on an everyday basis. I hope it inspires you to reflect on what you do to live out your values too.
For my friends
Intentionally build friendships. Host dinners, parties, and gatherings for friends.
Be there for my friends in times of joy: buy their art, read their writing, attend events they organize, send them cards, text them with lots of exclamation points
Be there for my friends in times of hardship: Talk to them on the phone, listen to their voice messages, make time to respond to texts, help them move out of apartments with exes, strategize how to handle stressful relationships
Express gratitude in a genuine manner. Tell people when I appreciate them, and why.
For my community
Show up for protests and rallies. Invite friends.
Organize. Right now my energy is focused on grad worker union organizing. In the past I was more focused on reentry support and mutual aid organizing for formerly incarcerated people. Tomorrow – who knows.
Donate to organizations whose work I support – prioritizing smaller, community based organizations, mutual aid, and independent media. Donate directly to people when I can – unhoused people, online fundraisers, sending money to friends.
Center the voices and expertise of marginalized folks in all work I do. Prioritize research projects that are community-driven and community accountable.
Talk to people who stop me on the street – who ask about my dog, my tattoos, ask me for money, ask where I got my glasses.
Talk to my neighbors when I see them. Try to say more than a simple hi or nod.
For myself
Spend time in nature. Spend less time on social media
Write, even if no one reads it. Write to process my feelings, write to express my rage, write to figure out my opinion on something.
Be vulnerable and ask for help, support, advice, or time to rant when I need it. Offer to be that person for someone else.
Be open to criticism, especially when I’ve unintentionally hurt someone.
Continue to learn and reflect on where oppression shows up in my own thinking – in the past few years, I’ve been particularly intentional about challenging fatphobia, ageism, and deconstructing beauty and body image.
Do my best to get enough sleep. Try hard not to feel guilty for resting, or only using rest to “be more productive” later.
We need each other. And showing up for each other takes time, energy, and intention. There are so many things each of us can do on a daily basis to resist and demolish structures of violence and power and actively build the world we want to live in (including resting!). We must play the long game. Community and love will always outlast empire.
