Journal
On Grief
My father taught me grief first. It was easy for him to do because he also taught me love. I grew up in a house full of music with a larger than life musician for my dad. He used to say he’s “too hip for the room.” He knew how to make me laugh the hardest, always made me smile the biggest. I think he was too hip. Probably so. I know he was too mean, too drunk, too angry, too much for me when I was small. I know growing up didn’t help.
Overcoming Internalized Racism & Celebrating Yourself
Hello! I hope you’re well and having a joyful Juneteenth!
I am taking the day today to celebrate simply being Black. Which is something I was never taught to celebrate. As a biracial kid growing up in a white family in a rural midwestern town in the 80s, having brown skin was a constant cause of confusion and sadness. My mom is blond with pale white skin. I was forever longing for her long, straight hair and blue eyes.
There were zero kids of color at my school. Think about that for a minute. No Asian kids. No Latinx kids. No Black kids. Just me.
With my curls that my mom didn’t know how to tame. And my “weird” Nigerian name. And my brown skin.
Self-Care as an Act of Rebellion
I’ve always thought that consistent self-care is an act of rebellion in a society that tells women they need to give and nurture until they collapse. But now more than ever, self-care feels like a meaningful act. A political act. A statement that you are worth caring for. And an essential part of staying mentally and physically healthy enough to stay active and do the work that needs doing.
Because holy shit is there a lot of work that needs doing. We’ve got a racist president to eject from the White House. Systematic racism that we must continue to dismantle. Introspection to do on our role in the current status quo and how to move forward differently.
We can’t afford to burn out. We can’t afford to let ourselves become numb and apathetic. We have to be proactive in taking extra good care of ourselves so that we have the energy to keep putting one foot in front of the other on the path to justice and equality.
In that spirit, here’s our guide to taking care of yourself--body, mind and spirit--in these stressful times.
