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Reference

A lot of the information from this blog comes from "Healing Justice Lineages: Dreaming at the Crossroads of Liberation, Collective Care, and Safety." by Cara Page and Erica Woodland.

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Creative Practice: When And Where Do We Enter

(Political + Spiritual Imperatives for the Future)

While a short chapter, I think it teaches us to stay true to ourselves and who we are and who and what makes us up. We are asked to write down the people that ground us, the spaces that heal us, and to internalize this as we move forward. The goal is to focus on love as a way to liberate and choose love to remember where our power can come from. 

This particularly reminds me of expressing gratitude. This has become more popular recently within the media, as a way to promote mental health in a small way to remember what you are grateful for. For me, similar to this exercise, I am grateful for my loved ones, as they see me for my entirety and choose to love me. They are what makes me powerful, as they are the ones who stand me up when I am falling. I am also grateful for the places in my life where I find joy. Such as the mountain I hike on frequently, because it does not judge me for being my authentic self, and embraces me in open arms. It offers me so much without asking for much in return. 

Additionally, this article relates to the experience of love being radical. Through the act of love, others can be liberated, as you love all parts of the person, and want them to be free of all harm. It is quite powerful, how something so simple, can lead to something so powerful.

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WE

(Political + Spiritual Imperatives for the Future)

Tre Vasquez offers a great poem about who we are and the power of remembering. They show how we are more than just one thing; we are connected to Earth, and we are made up of the very essence of Earth. Because we remember the past, we are still present, as our ancestors laid the groundwork for us. Because of this, we can enact change, and challenge the institutions and histories that challenge us today. 

The multiplicity in this poem is beautiful. I like the idea that when we remember the past, and our ancestors, we can create a better future for ourselves and future generations. We are multidimensional beings that have the power to be dynamic and change-inducing. I think this particularly stands out to me, in the way that I see many people in my generation fighting for equity and basic human rights. I see activists in everyday people with the support of movements such as Black Lives Matter, or critiquing capitalism culture, such as the need to be a workaholic. It goes to show how powerful WE can be when we come together. How WE know we are worth something and deserve to be fought for and to fight.

This song talks about the power of protest, and how coming together can enact change. I think it is a great representation of our predecessors fighting for change. Then the lyrics change to inserting how "I can cry power" in the same way those before us have.

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Our Land as Kin

(Political + Spiritual Imperatives for the Future)

The most prominent section of this chapter discusses the impact that colonialism has had on individuals and their relationships with non-human beings. Individuals have been stripped of land and traditions, practices have been erased, and narratives have been captured. Even to this day, people are being forced to move from their homes, due to colonial influences, and reparations are not being made. It is pointed out that to change is to take stock of our relationship with the environment around us and reshape how we see it. As Tammy Greer, in the chapter points out, everything has a purpose, and if we can’t see it, that is us being ignorant. Creating value for humans and nonhumans is vital to thriving and changing the harmful narratives. 

In one of my classes, we discussed Donna Haraway's concept of natureculture, and how nature is always seen through a society-prescribed lens. It is pointed out how nature can be made to exclude or be exploited. But stepping away from seeing nature as something separate from us, and rather seeing it as a being and as autonomous, is the first step in stepping away from colonialist tendencies. This creates a restored relationship where we are both giving and receiving rather than commodifying or destroying.

"Understanding everything has its place and it has its ways and it has its usefulness and it has its value . . . it’s a value because it exists. Obviously, if we don’t know why it’s there or what its value is, it’s our ignorance." - Tammy Greer

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We Move in a Relationship

(Alchemy: Theory + Praxis)

This chapter was really beautiful as it focused on many organizations that are leading ways to alternative care. Young Women’s Empowerment Project (YWEP) for example, is one that focused on harm reduction. Other organizations focused on environmental racism, alternative forms of healing, harm reduction, nutrition, education, housing insecurity, and consent. The intersectionality of these groups is deeply embedded into each of the frameworks as well. The transformation of care in this chapter is prolific, and inspires the future, for creating change and healing. Many of these organizations, unfortunately, have shut down, due to feeling burnout and being overworked. The idea of healing justice and communal care can be exhausting as it is constant work, and going against the norms.

In an article by Tammy Gan, they discuss the act of rest and healing as radical. Oftentimes this is seen as radical within minoritized communities (e.g. BIPOC and queer) because of the constant weight and obstacles put up just to exist equitably. The author also specifically points out how crucial community care is to healing burnout. But to also combat this is to rest. It seems like the two go hand in hand together. It must be exhausting to constantly put out community care and feel like you can not rest. But as Audrey Lorde puts it “caring for myself… is self preservation.”

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Generational Memories of Care

(Alchemy: Theory + Praxis)

Due to colonialism, capitalism has taken a firm grip on modern life. Because of this, this chapter challenges us to look at new ways we can connect with each other. The first way is through caretaking of all generations and life. The first way can be through protecting generational memory. Whether that be preserving seeds, protecting indigenous communities impacted by contaminated lands, or reclaiming traditions, it is important. Another way can be through looking at ancestral healing methods and practices, and also taking lessons away from elders. Lastly, to stray from colonialism, we can redefine and alter care, focusing on support and healing.

Casa De Salud stood out as something interesting as it marries both Western healthcare with holistic and traditional forms of healthcare, all at an affordable cost. It breaks away from the uniform way of Western healing, into something more holistic. Everyone has different needs, and one way of healthcare does not fit all, and it is also damaging to say it does. Letting this bleed into all medical settings would be vital. Meris Shuwager, a registered nurse, gives advice on how to be culturally competent within a medical facility. Whether that be through respecting patients' religious beliefs, or also respecting that your preferences only belong to you, and not to project on others. At the end of the video, she also mentions other care methods (e.g. acupuncture) and uplifts them, but also takes a Western medicine approach to them, to take certain variables into consideration. Having more understanding of people’s needs and wants is crucial. 

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Healing Justice Movements

(Alchemy: Theory + Praxis)

This chapter focused on five domains of healing justice: environmental, reproductive, harm, disability, and transformative justice. Within healing justice, some variables are key, including being community-led, a response to something, being holistic and challenging the Medical Industrial Complex, and working within a spiritual and political liberation lens. Environmental justice focuses on the equity of all beings, and fighting the racial discrimination happening within environmental policies. Reproductive justice focuses on regaining bodily autonomy, and respect within marginalized communities. Harm reduction has elements in both decriminalization and navigating resources and mindsets around behaviors such as drug use, and sex. Disability justice focuses on critiquing ableism and the capitalist mindset that is intertwined. And finally, transformative justice focuses on healing outside of the carceral punishment system. 

These systems are so important to lifting up different communities, and truly thinking about where many of these systems come from. I think the challenge of these systems and the communal healing can truly uplift people. This is reminiscent of one of my other classes, specifically in the talk about environmental and disability justice. Due to colonialism, certain groups of people have been excluded from certain places. This includes and is not excluded from those with disabilities. There is very much an environment that is built by society that aids in exclusion and discrimination. ADA-compliant trails or other natural features are not built due to the destruction of nature, and people only think in an able-bodied mentality as to what being active in nature looks like (Kafer, 2013). Riva Lehrer has beautiful pieces of artwork that show the true intricacies of the entanglement of environment and ability, and how there is a place for both to exist together.

Kafer, A. (2013). Feminist, Queer, Crip. Indiana University Press. http://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt16gz79x

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Spiritual Conditions

(Origins of Healing Justice)

This chapter begins with talking about the burnout that many Southern communities felt during the mid-2000s, but how much creativity can heal, in a similar way to the body and spirit. Intergenerational trauma is also discussed, with how much trauma can push itself through the bloodline. Historical trauma can even play out, for example in the way Indigenous boarding homes still impact the present population today. Community interventions can help within these events too, as many times people can be overlooked within the medical sphere. Hurricane Katrina also led to an opening of new and past traumas and many people felt the impacts of “post-traumatic stress syndrome” which is rooted in state violence and racism stemming from years past. The importance of healing is crucial, and it is also crucial to understand that one way does not work for everyone. Healing can truly happen when histories are analyzed and remembered, and the resilience of generations are acknowledged. 

While the strategies laid out are crucial to the success and healing of others, the first section pointed out the power of art, and the author mentioned a few names. One of the artists mentioned is Tufara Waller Muhammed who lives in the South and whose goal is to use art as a form of justice and healing. She worked with Calvin Williams to create a song about the resilience and uplifting of all generations. 

“Tell our children

there’s direction

in the river

in the land

Fire whispers

tells our story

touching hearts

and moving hands

Seven generations

we’re resilient

fueled by love

and sowing seeds

We’ll dismantle

all injustice

for our people we’ll be free.

We’ll dismantle

We’ll dismantle

all injustice

for our people we’ll be free.”

This song is transcendent in the way it talks about generational trauma, and breaking through the past, to create a better future to uplift all, in the way many people mentioned above are trying to do.

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The Current that Carried Us (Origins of Healing Justice)

This chapter focuses on three main events of the early 21st century. The first event is the platform that George W. Bush stood on during his presidency. He put a lot of policies in to restrict access to reproductive healthcare and knowledge. The administration also went as far as to limit the spending budget that helped aid in the AIDS pandemic and ostracized organizations that supported sex workers. Additionally, the “family values” and religious elements that were embedded in this presidency, ended up excluding the queer community in more ways than one and unequally targeted minority communities for drug and other crimes. Additionally, imprisonment in the United States increased at an alarming rate, due to policies and laws put into place in the 90s. The “war on terror” started during the Bush administration, leading to the influx of white feminism.

The way that political figures and movements can shape the political landscape for years to come is fascinating. This movement reminds me of the movements going on today around bodily autonomy and abortion access. Roe v Wade was overturned after 50 years, and numerous states changed their laws soon thereafter. As the author points out, movements are rivers, they can go off into other streams, like the stream of today. The past is influencing the present and power is being exerted in numerous ways on bodily autonomy. It is also interesting how individuals are being targeted rather than the system at large, which seems to be a recurring theme. Many are focusing on the act of abortion, but those in support of banning abortions often do not talk about the other questions such as: Why are people getting abortions in the first place? Could making contraception more accessible help? Could comprehensive sex education and destigmatization lower abortion rates? The movement narrows the scope of view, and it suggests that we should take a larger view, including continuing to remember past movements and their impacts.

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Roots of the Medical Industrial Complex (Past: Reckoning with Roots and Lineage)

The Medical Industrial Complex (MIC) is a beast that preys on people and is deeply embedded in capitalism and colonialism. Historically it has been used to keep the “unwanted” away from the majority population, and there are dark histories of testing and abuses. It is also very confined in the way “healthy” “health” and “medicine” are thought about. Additionally, eugenics has wiped populations out, because of these confined, ableist, and racist ways of thinking. Anyone who is seen as a "burden" to society is not regarded highly by society. This is still a recent history too. Within the last 50 years, forced sterilization happened to over 60,000 people, in mental hospital facilities, and continues within sex-working populations. Even with COVID-19, there was xenophobic hate being spewed toward Asian Americans. 

Overall the MIC can spew hate to keep those seen as “undesired” away. I find this most interesting because it sounds like eugenics in disguise as “health” was propaganda toward promoting able-bodied and white bodies. It is disheartening how far some of these studies went without thinking about or ignoring the harm being done. The inability to support and care for all populations is prominent. Taking away someone’s autonomy and oppressing communities are patterns that continue to play themselves out. The biggest thing that came to my mind was the Tuskegee Syphilis Study which took place over 40 years ago and completely took advantage of Black men, and withheld penicillin to continue their unethical study. The power that those conducting the study exerted, and the mistrust that was created, that still had impacts today is huge.

This article also gives a personal account of forced sterilization within the United States, and the deep and complex history it has created. It also continues with the point that despite the events happening in the past, repercussions still play out today, and effects are felt.

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Uninterrupted Legacy of Freedom

(Past: Reckoning with Roots and Lineage)

“Forgetting is a tool of white supremacy”

Between 1960 and 1970 there were many revolutionary movements, including many movements that I have never learned about, or learned a distorted version of. The first one talked about is The American Indian Movement (AIM). AIM’s goal was to go against modern colonialism influences and to oppose yielding to state influences that were often oppressing Indigenous communities within larger institutions. The most prolific organized event was The Trail of Broken Treaties. W.A.R.N. was also mentioned, as an organization that focused on uplifting Indigenous women within the lens of larger institutions and gender inequities. Young Lords was an organization that began in response to the displacement and housing crisis in the Puerto Rican community in large cities. They would be known for the Lincoln Hospital takeover, fighting for access to healthcare for everyone. Finally, The Black Panther Party was created with the goal to diminish the neglect towards the Black community and to uplift the community. They created the Free Breakfast Program, despite the constant attacks from COINTELPRO.

Overall, this chapter showed the importance of history. These organizations should not be forgotten, as they worked so hard to uplift marginalized communities in the face of adversity. The constant challenges faced reminded me of how even to this day, adversity is everywhere, and the attempts to silence are rampant. Critical Race Theory is being dismissed, books are being banned, and certain communities are still being demonized. Even with the disheartening reality, these past organizations can show us that change is possible. It can be hard, and full of effort, but not fighting would not only be letting our predecessors down, but also ourselves. We shall not forget, as it propels us forward to continue on with these movements, and it helps us not repeat the past.

"Attempts to Restrict Access to Books in 2022. An attempt may include challenges to multiple titles" Scale is 0-100, with darker colors meaning more attempts. White being none at all.

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Blackprints for Freedom

(Past: Reckoning with Roots and Lineage)

This chapter stood out greatly to me as it mentions some of the incredibly influential figures who fought for those overlooked in society. One of the most influential figureheads is Miss Major who fought for equality within the intersectionality of gender, sexuality, and race, specifically for trans women of color. She helped with growing The Transgender, Gender-Variant, and Intersex Justice Project (TGIJP) influenced by the Attica uprising. Barbara Smith is a Black feminist who ties a lot of intersectionalities within her work as well. She has worked with Combahee River Collective, where there was not only a community to support one another but also a place to rally and fight for justice. It is also important to point out how they mentioned safety is not always accessible within these frameworks, but these organizations and movements were created more for building community, care, and respect.

This chapter highlighted so much about intersectionality, and it reminded me of the documentary “The Stroll” on HBO. This documentary highlights trans women sex workers' experiences in New York in the 1980s. Often trans women, especially trans women of color, would be mistreated in the hands of the police, and overlooked or villainized by society. Because of this, sex work was sometimes the only option, as being one’s authentic self was looked down upon. Even the gay and lesbian community would look over the well-being of the trans community. The internal community support was prolific though, and the persistence to fight, and lift each other up was quite powerful. Overall it was reminiscent of both Miss Major and Barbara Smiths' organizations and work.

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A House is a Temple

(Past: Reckoning with Roots and Lineage)

This chapter offered a look into the healing power of house music, dance, and community, especially in a time of tragedy. Ultimately giving a wider scope as to what care and community look like. While doctors, nurses, and organizations do so much for communities, the power of loved ones can also do as much care, especially within a club. Farrow mentions that during the AIDS epidemic, many queer people of color came together in these spaces to experience the care and connection much needed. The place would then turn into something spiritual. Layers would be built on top of each other between the dancing, the instruments, the music, and the connections. The author points out the intimacy of that connection on the dancefloor, and the release of emotions through song. The song “Keep Pushin” that was mentioned specifically stood out to me, and it was a cathartic song for many, as it represented pushing through the heartache and tragedies that came with the AIDS pandemic. Tears would be shared amongst many while dancing. It reminds me of all the songs I have cried to, that represent something more than myself. The amounts I have cried to the lyrics from Harry Styles's “Lights Up” saying

“Step into the light

So Bright Sometimes

I’m not ever going back”

Dancing to this song and listening to it can be a spiritual experience, and cathartic as so many emotions are being released. It represents to me embracing who you are, despite the challenges that come with it, and how beautiful that can be. I think this chapter goes to show how not only community is powerful, but how powerful song and dance can be, as they can lift us up, especially in a time of darkness.