Unless you’ve been under a rock these last few days, you know that this world, our country is in a terrible state. The police violence towards Black people, leading to on screen deaths, has ignited the long simmering flame of the underserved and unheard people. The protests, riots, and the fighting back and being heard is just getting started. In my opinion, it is going to be a long and tumultuous summer. These types of uprisings are not new to Black people. Our ancestors fought for their rights, and the ancestors before them did the same. What has also always been there in the midst of the chaos, what continues to be here in the midst of the madness is Black joy.
In spite of the heaviness that is all around me, I have made it a point to tap into what makes me feel good. What gives me some peace and what keeps me sustained are the things that I’ve chosen to focus on these past few days. The writer and activist Audre Lorde said “Caring for myself is not self-indulgence, it is self-preservation, and that is an act of political warfare.” I wrestled with the feeling of guilt for not taking in every single news story or going out to this protest or not posting every single meme or photo of the uprising on my social media feeds. Truth is, I am TIRED and I need, for my own sanity to see and do something that will lighten my world, if only temporarily. I’ve also come to realize that this small act of rebellion does not make me out of touch or oblivious to what is happening around me. But it makes me protective of ME and my mental and emotional wellbeing so that I will be strong enough to fight the next battle that is surely to come.
I sincerely hope that my fellow Black folks, specifically Black Women will find a moment to indulge in radical self care and healing. We carry so much of the movement on our backs, and we always have. We rally first when it’s time to go to action, we are there last to pick up the pieces and rally for our fellow Black women who’s lives were taken by the hatred of this system. Let our Black joy be a form of resistance right now. Find some, even if its just for a little while.
I love us. Here’s to joy.
