It’s no wonder that there is a collective sigh of relief as we leave 2020 behind. We watched in horror as our economic system showed its true colors in hyperbole. The lack of national leadership and an incapacity to muster a compassionate response to what should have been a moment of boundless solidarity asphyxiated working class families across the country. The shadow side of our nation was brought to center-stage so that even those most complicit in fueling inequity in its myriad forms were forced to contend with its shared impact in one way or another. In such a complex interdependency – that continues to hemorrhage profits for the rich on the backs of its poorest workers – we can’t deny that we are all connected, for better or for worse.
For decades I have worked alongside educators, activists, and community organizers who have refused to be silenced as they fight for the abolishment of state sanctioned police brutality, systemic educational and environmental racism, and the long-standing institutional violence inflicted upon Black and Brown communities. There is no serendipity in this year’s cacophony of clamorous protests across the globe that called for racial justice. This was the culmination of years of methodical work and sacrifice so that there might be some form of retribution for this slow rolling genocide.
2020 has felt like the game that has gone into too many extra innings. My call to action in 2021 is to start a new game. I am glad to see that folks are proceeding into the new year with caution, knowing that the calendar is an arbitrary construct and all of the challenges around health, economic hardship, and racism don’t dissipate with the stroke of midnight. The following list is an invitation to join with me in 2021.
- Stay connected.
My goal in 2021 is to be healthy enough to support organizations on the frontline of systemic change. In order to do that I know that I need to feel connected to others in deep ways. My mental, physical and spiritual health needs to be on point. The pandemic has made this infinitely more difficult, but it has also made it all the more crucial. Be intentional about who you connect with and how often. Make sure that you are making choices that are restorative to your spirit. As awful as it is to have so much of our connection mitigated by Zoom and FaceTime – think about your purpose and how there are actually new untapped opportunities available that can deepen our work. In 2020 two of my clients were able to emerge out of working silos and approach work differently by activating statewide coalitions. They rebuilt their programming, reaching new levels as thought-partners and co-facilitators, connecting youth from distinct regions of the state. Personally, I have found my dearest friends who live out of state to be more available to connect than ever before. As far as strengthening healthy interdependence, 2020 has brought some silver linings. - Teach and learn history.
As a former history teacher, I am mortified by the lack of understanding of how we arrived at this historical moment. If you know the role that colonialism has played in the founding of this country and in the lives of your family, neighbors, students, clients, and co-workers, please find non-antagonistic ways to share it with those who are products of the mainstream American education system (which is riddled with inaccuracies and half-truths). If you have learned about the global reach of America’s genocidal colonialism from 1492 to present day and the unbridled violence it has unleashed across the world, please share those first-hand accounts and historical facts with those who may not have been exposed. If you understand the concept of late-stage capitalism, please share with those who are experiencing its absurdity as some haphazard weather pattern passing through. If you are lacking this knowledge, start a learning circle with folks. What better way to connect? - Chant down meritocracy and grit.
Whenever and wherever you can, challenge the notion that the onus is on the victim. Consider creating spaces for intergenerational conversations about intersectional oppression. In order for our culture and thinking to shift our philosophical conversations need to include teens and elders alike. Please see #2. - Do some serious planning around alternative economies.
Let’s stop pretending like our economic and educational systems are effective and “normal”: Humans have existed for 200,000 years while capitalism and the American education system are both around 500 years old and were intentionally designed to serve white land-owning men exclusively. This is not rhetoric or opinion. Please see #2. - Be clear on your intentions, practice, and to whom you are accountable.
Name these in painful detail and share your model with others. Call people in and shore up your reserves. Reimagine wealth and abundance beyond the confines of monetary capital. Explore indigenous paradigms of mutuality and reciprocity as a way to fuel sustainable communities. Crisis is the best way to keep us in a perpetual state of survival. If there is a way to support others to come up for air and be at the table for these conversations, make it happen. - Make art and imagine new approaches to your work.
We are in desperate need of reimagining our world. From urban design to fiscal policy, from home life to education, from leadership to public safety- how we build communities, care for our earth, and raise our children has to evolve. Artists and creatives are our biggest asset. If you’re not an artist, hire an artist, feed an artist, or house an artist. Make sure you are turning things over, upside down and inside out to unlearn the confining ways we’ve been conditioned to think about life, prosperity, and success. - Avoid dismissing others because of the words they use.
Too often we write someone off because they’ve said the “wrong” thing. In a world of memes and reactions that come in the form of single clicks – push beyond “scrolling over” people in real life. It takes time to really hear what someone is saying, and it is uncomfortable to work through misunderstanding. Give these conversations space and time. People use the words that are available to them. If it isn’t causing you permanent harm, stretch to become multilingual and understand what they mean and how they came to use those words. - Play more.
Play allows us to use our creativity while developing our imaginative, cognitive, physical and emotional strength. Play is important to healthy brain function. Play allows us to interact with the world around us in ways that releases stress and allows for creative problem solving. Play makes us laugh. - Embrace curiosity.
Curiosity is the antidote for fixed thinking, depression, and judgmental thoughts. Cultivating our own curiosity allows for creative problem solving and leads to infinite learning about yourself and others. Curiosity is good for our mental health. Approaching your work with an open mind is more transformative than seeking the “right” answer. Generating more questions than solutions is also the mark of deeper level learning. - Go outside.
It’s no secret that being in nature has a profound effect on mental health. Challenge the need to be perpetually productive and replace it with a sincere commitment to be healthful in 2021. According to health researchers, exposure to nature reduces blood pressure, heart rate, muscle tension, and the production of stress hormones. At the center of indigenous cultures is the humble acknowledgment that we are part and parcel of the natural world. We are not here to destroy, decimate, profit from, or dominate. We are here to learn from and steward its gifts. Care for nature as it cares for you. Find intentional ways to cultivate these practices.
Whenever starting anything new we need to take more pauses to integrate new ways of creating and thinking. Be kind to yourself and others. Give grace and expect plans to fall apart. Let’s share our specific values and practices with each other in order to refine and strengthen our collective work. I’m looking forward to forging new paths in 2021 and bracing myself for the continued challenges that will surely come. In the words of Alexander Hamilton, “Those who stand for nothing fall for anything.” Let’s stand together and get this ish done.
Featured Artwork: “We Got This” by Trust Your Struggle (Cece Carpio, Robert Liu-Trujillo, Nisha Sethi), with Priya Handa.