250 years ago; this country was founded as a paradise for white merchantmen and enslavers. We ain’t going back.
Came across these pictures captured by
@lafko.michael at
@pslphoenixaz ‘s powerful Capital demonstration during the 1/30 #iceout Strike (s/o the homie
@roni_villarreal for clocking it).
I’ve been reflecting on the national dialogue around organizing and an element I feel is missing from mainstream conversation..
It’s not just about showing up, it’s about praxis. Because liberation isn’t a static equation. It is an applied science that requires testing, adaptation, and both personal and collective accountability.
Without focusing on the praxis of collectivism, anti-racism, intersectional allyship, and understanding systemic anti-Blackness, and how it informs the oppression of other marginalized groups, we will fail.
The same applies to discovering how to participate in the political system we seek to affect on both macro and local levels. Partisan Politics is merely a vehicle.. commandeer it.
The same focus on praxis applies to learning to decentralize whiteness from liberal spaces while weaponizing its privilege on behalf of, and in a manner dictated by marginalized communities.
And incorporating Black voices, perspectives, and leadership in a national movement that exists within the framework of the BLM / Civil Rights Movement.
And curbing the ideological absolutism and exceptionalism that drives division amongst leftist groups.
And eradicating the cultural misunderstandings that have historically led to poverty politics amongst folks of the same class who are, in a literal sense, genetic cousins given shared history of marginalized diasporas in the Americas. No person, group, nor culture can face this threat alone and win. Collaboration isn’t as simple as just inviting folks to the table but discovering how to best work in concert through continued application and making necessary course corrections.
Liberation requires intention, attention, and refinement. You organizers are scientists. Thank you.
We need Us. We got us. And to use the quote
@thewerisingproject coined in 2020 as a reminder of our collective power “we keep us safe.”
