Solidarity
MAY WE PRACTICE SELF-CARE AS FUEL FOR COMMUNITY CARE.
This week I've been turning to this compassionate phrase:
May you practice self-care to fuel community-care.
The phrase invites us to first take good care of ourselves.
To take time for rest, reflection and to tend to our discomfort, hurt, anger and tears - all while practicing curiosity, acceptance and compassion.
It then invites us to practice community-care, through compassionate, intentional action.
Understanding that it is essential that those of us with white privilege actively take action against racial injustice, while listening to and following Black leadership, I share with you some actions I'm taking to stand in solidarity with the Black community:
Listening to Black voices:
I’m grateful for Jamila Reddy’s message encouraging gentle self-care. Jamila is a Writer, Meditation Teacher and Self-empowerment Coach.
I’m grateful for this message from Dr. Larry Ward, encouraging us through working with racial inequity. Dr. Larry Ward is the director of the Lotus Institute, co-author of Love's Garden: A Guide to Mindful Relationships, and author of the forthcoming book America's Racial Karma.
Financially supporting mental health in Black communities:
Donating to the Loveland Therapy Fund - providing financial assistance to Black women and girls nationally seeking therapy.
Donating to the Black Female Therapists Free Therapy Initiative - providing an online community for Black mental health and a directory for Black female therapists. Donations fund free therapy services for the Black community.
Black Emotional and Mental Health Collective (BEAM) - providing programs to advocate for the healing of Black communities.
Financially supporting organizations intervening in racial injustices against the Black community:
Campaign Zero - working to end police violence.
Black Lives Matter - working to eradicate white supremacy and build local power to intervene in violence inflicted on Black communities.
The Bail Project - a National Revolving Bail Fund, which is a critical tool to prevent incarceration and combat racial and economic disparities in the bail system.
On-going engagement with anti-racism and racial justice education from Black individuals, with a commitment to paying for this education:
Engaging with the work of @rachel.cargle, a public academic, writer, and lecturer, Founder of the Loveland Foundation, and Founder of @thegreatunlearn - a learning community with a monthly self- paced syllabi curated by Rachel Cargle. You can dive deeper by joining The Great Unlearn membership patreon community providing further racial justice education, highly recommended.
Engaging with the work of @Iamrachelricketts who offers a series of Anti-racism webinars.
Engaging with the work of @laylafsaaed - author of Me and White Supremacy, anti-racism educator, international speaker, and podcast host on the topics of race, identity, leadership, personal transformation and social change. Layla offers anti-racism online classes.
And here is a list of other actions we can take to stand in solidarity with the Black community, including resources for Black people in mourning.
May we practice self-care and let it fuel our community care.
In solidarity,
Michelle
