I guess the thing that is right at the surface these days is, success for me these days is measured by how available what I have is to others - particularly folk who don’t have the same accessibility as me. I used to have a vision of success, it was pretty modest but didn’t consider reparations, mutual aid, and equality as the foundation. Taking that previous vision and examining it with a lens of liberation and abolition (I am still in the process of how to do this) is completely transforming it - I’m still uncertain about what it looks like. What I do know is it only feels like success if many voices shape it, particularly the voices of those who know oppression and joy in a way I haven’t experienced as a white able bodied person. As Prentis Hemphill says “I don’t know how, but I am willing” I am holding onto this willingness as the major thread in crafting a new vision. Success to me today is letting go of rigidity of thought and being open to what wants to emerge in this new landscape that I am part of ♥️
Thank you for this, Essie! I have mostly been exploring success as an individual idea, probably because that is how conventional success is most often viewed. All of the things you said about how we can support and believe in ourselves are so important and perhaps necessary for being able to look beyond our individual experiences to support collective success. But looking at collective support and well being and meeting each other’s needs is such an important thing in our world that gets easily overlooked when we are all trying to survive and take care of ourselves. I really appreciate this perspective and this reminder.
I guess the thing that is right at the surface these days is, success for me these days is measured by how available what I have is to others - particularly folk who don’t have the same accessibility as me. I used to have a vision of success, it was pretty modest but didn’t consider reparations, mutual aid, and equality as the foundation. Taking that previous vision and examining it with a lens of liberation and abolition (I am still in the process of how to do this) is completely transforming it - I’m still uncertain about what it looks like. What I do know is it only feels like success if many voices shape it, particularly the voices of those who know oppression and joy in a way I haven’t experienced as a white able bodied person. As Prentis Hemphill says “I don’t know how, but I am willing” I am holding onto this willingness as the major thread in crafting a new vision. Success to me today is letting go of rigidity of thought and being open to what wants to emerge in this new landscape that I am part of ♥️
Thank you for this, Essie! I have mostly been exploring success as an individual idea, probably because that is how conventional success is most often viewed. All of the things you said about how we can support and believe in ourselves are so important and perhaps necessary for being able to look beyond our individual experiences to support collective success. But looking at collective support and well being and meeting each other’s needs is such an important thing in our world that gets easily overlooked when we are all trying to survive and take care of ourselves. I really appreciate this perspective and this reminder.
Yes that’s so true - this knowing that if I care for nervous system I contribute to the care the collective nervous system, which is also mine.