Crisis or Re-evolution?
We are in a time of crisis. Not because of a virus, although that’s how it’s portrayed; but because of the glaring reality that these systems were never intended to support us all equally - especially in times of great need.
We believe this virus is signal, not a threat. It is an opportunity to shift into community based systems built on a framework of collective care instead of relying strictly on large government systems to meet all our needs. It is a chance for frontline, marginalized communities to take the lead, and for the rest of us to listen - their tools and insight will be invaluable to everyone in this moment. It is a chance for each and every one of us to rise up in solidarity, stop asking if, and start asking how.
There are no playbooks or how-to guides in this new world. We get to create.
We learned how to survive inside of systems that didn't serve us all, and now they aren't serving most of us, so it feels like we're starting from scratch - and in a sense, we are. Despite how overwhelming that can feel when we've been so used to comfort, it's also incredibly exciting because it means that this moment is a time for creation - on a massive scale. Not creation for capitalist gain, but creation for ourselves, for our communities, solely for our own nourishment and care. Many of us have been given the space to think about what's not working and how we to change it. But we can't just throw money at it anymore, or turn away, because it's so much deeper than that. We have to dig into the work of what it looks and feels like to create entirely new systems that re-assure us this won't ever happen again. But that means we have to balance the scale.
Basically, we're in a state of revolution.
We all feel the impact of this crisis and finally have a moment to pause and prioritize our collective needs - and make sure no one falls through the cracks. What does it mean for us, our jobs, our businesses, our livelihoods? We don't know yet, that's for us to figure out together. But a good way to start that would be to figure out what we need - right now and in the long-term - and how we can turn shift into this moment as an opportunity. It's going to take a lot of deconstructing our self-told stories of scarcity and trying new models that feel hard based on the old system's rules. It's going to take a lot of trust, in our gut and in each other, that things will actually end up better than they were before - regardless of how good they already were.
How do we take care of ourselves and the people around us equally? How do we let go of whatever doesn't serve that goal? How do we examine and challenge whatever privilege we do or don't have and use it to bring more balance?
Whatever happens, we want you to know that we're moving through this together and that we've got this. When we act, we do it with you and your family in our thoughts. We take more time to consider our impacts, we hold ourselves accountable when we make mistakes, and we listen, more than ever, to the voice of the people, for they are the only ones we serve.
With all the power of the people.