We Shall Overcome: Marching Into Justice

"... If you want to say that I was a drum major, say I was a drum major for justice; say that I was a drum major for peace; I was a drum major for righteousness..."

MLK Jr (from "The Drum Major Instinct" sermon)

For so many of us this is a challenging historical moment:

• War in Ukraine and what the world's response says about who we care about, who we welcome refugees from, which wars "matter" to us.
• Legalized harm against our trans siblings in TX where who they truly are inside is being criminalized, and neighbors are being asked to turn in neighbors.  
• Legalized harm against all children in FL where asking questions and having conversations about the world are being forbidden.

I am glad that I chose to work through the book "30-day journey with Martin Luther King Jr." as part of one of my Black History Month practices. I found many of the devotions really spoke to me especially in this moment and especially as this month unfolded on the national and international stage. 

It was helpful to get wisdom from someone who has been here before, who has stood in the middle of challenging historical moments and still found the presence of mind to keep going. To not let the challenges destroy them. Leaning on MLK Jr.'s faith was meaningful for me.

I am grateful for all those who have gone before, who have stood where we are standing, who have seen what we have seen, who have felt what we have felt. Knowing we are not alone can make a big difference as we continue to be drum majors for peace, justice, and righteousness.

In this historical moment all I can say is we need to make sure that we are taking care of ourselves so that we can be drum majors for what matters to us. Being a drum major is a long and hard job. We need to fuel ourselves if we want to be in the march for the long haul. 

Personally February tends to always feel like a long month to me so this year I committed to a self care practice for the month. I ended up doing a #carechronical on social media (Instagram and Facebook) where I shared one thing I did for #selfcare #selflove each day in February. This was based on a #carechronical that Wentworth Miller used to do on social media.

I found it to be a success. 

• Not only did February keep moving but I feel like I was regularly being encouraged which helped me start to emotionally process Ukraine, TX, and FL.
• Some big to me names and sites liked posts they were tagged in and I feel I made connections with others who also are working towards selfcare and selflove.
• Overall I felt more in control of those things I had control over and found i was better able to handle the normal challenges that occur. 

My plan is to continue my #carechronical with a few modifications. I hope to continue to feed myself so I can vibe at the right frequency and be able to continue to be a drum major for what is right for Ukraine, TX, FL et al. 

 

Stop Harming My Trans Siblings!!!

 

2/25/22 a

Trans Rights Are Human Rights

No matter where you live

No matter your cultural background

No matter your socioeconomic background

Trans Rights Are Human Rights

Trans Rights Are Human Rights

The Right to Life

The right to your gender

The right to your identity

Trans Rights Are Human Rights

Trans Rights Are Human Rights

The Right to Freedom from Torture

To not be criminalized for who you are

To not fear a knock on a door and disappearing

Trans Rights Are Human Rights

Trans Rights Are Human Rights

The Right to equal treatment, privacy

The Right to freedom of thought, opinion and expression

The Right to social services

Trans Rights Are Human Rights

Trans Rights Are Human Rights

No matter where you live

No matter your cultural background

No matter your socioeconomic background

Trans Rights Are Human Rights

2/25/22 b

The State of Texas

Seems to not understand

That we would do anything

To protect our trans siblings

The State of Texas

Seems to not understand

Governmental persecution and bullying

Means physical and mental harm

The State of Texas

Seems to not understand

That we would do anything

To protect our trans siblings

2/25/22 c

Transgender youth knowing their true selves?

No harm done to anyone.

Texas criminalizing transgender youth knowing their true selves?

Physical and mental harm done to the trans community.

Allowing Transgender youth to be who they are?

Does not impact anyone else.

Creating a world where Transgender Youth's Family Could Be Arrested

Harms everyone, Who will be next?, Harms everyone

First they came for the trans community, and I did not speak out—because I was not trans.
... Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.

Deeply Connecting To People I Have Never Met ...

 

Someone I followed on social media has slowing stepping away and finally removed their last social media profile. Which has me thinking about the role of people I have never met have in my life. 

Often it starts with a creative work that enters my souls DNA, followed by learning the actor/ writer/ creator/ artist has also given a few inspirational speeches on YouTube etc. which really speak to what ever in happening in my life at the time. 

And then the person get written into my own story. Inside my head we go on grand adventures through other books/movies/tv shows I like, Inside my head we spend lots of time simply talking: talking about day to day stuff, talking about heaver topics. (Often they become an internal therapist who helps me process life and everything that life brings up.)

So I clearly fell somehow about them not being around as much. Now I only wish them the best in all their future endeavors. Now I know how toxic social media sometimes can be. Now I will continue to hear their wisdom and understanding inside my head (No one can take that away from me). But I also think it is important to acknowledge I am feeling somehow. So I am raising a cup of tea to them this day.

2/22/22 c

The feelings that come

When a celebrity you feel

Close to has removed their

Last social media profile

I hope they are pausing

And will someday be back

To inspire us all with words

Of truth, Of wisdom, Of hope

I hope they always know

How much they mean to us

How they can make the dark days

A bit brighter, bring a bit of hope

I hope they know they are Loved

Every atom of their being is Loved

Every thought in their heads is Loved

Every layer of who they are is LOVED

Enjoying Local Art

 

Local art is a great way to move from existing to living. No matter where you live there is some type of local art (painting, drawing, sculpture, dance, music, crafts, artisanal foods / drinks / products) you can enjoy. 

You might try:

• Street Art
• Art Classes* 
• Art Galleries
• Art Museums
• Art Historical Sites
• Local Restaurants/Local Foods
• Local craft makers
• Sewing/Knitting Clubs
• Open mic nights
• Dance classes

(*check out your public library or any local universities)

I have been lucky and have been able to explore a few different types of art of the past few weeks. Every time I get out to see art I find I feel so much better afterwards. Art has a way of feeding our souls when it can seem dark and gray outside.

These are some of the candles at a local candle store Waxman which I visited today.

I was even invited into the back to see how they make candles

And was able to hold some semi soft beeswax that would be later turned into candles

This is a picture of several art galleries I have been to over the past few weeks

I love the Rotofugi gallery and really enjoyed getting to an opening at Eat Paint Studio

So if you need a way to change up your day to day I would recommend to find a way to incorporate some local art which will bring a smile to your face, get you out of your apartment, and allow you to connect to others who love art.

Olympic Institutions Need Rebuilding

 

If you have caught any news this week you probably saw in real time why the Olympic institution need rebuilding or at least a deep deep cleaning. 

The Olympics does not know what to do about countries that are doping. 

Those athletes are competing under the name of the “Russian Olympic Committee,” or ROC for short. That’s because Russia received a two-year ban from the World Anti-Doping Agency in 2019 for its state-sponsored doping program. Between Dec. 17, 2020, and Dec. 17, 2022, no athlete can represent Russia at the Olympics, Paralympics or World Championships.

The ban was originally set to last four years, but the Court of Arbitration for Sport reduced it to two years.

The years-long doping scheme was first revealed in 2016 by a whistleblower and included at least 15 medal winners from the 2014 Olympics, held in Sochi, Russia. (Via NBC Sports)

Aka: Doping is bad but we also feel bad banning a country even when they had a state sanctioned doping program so we are going to make then compete with slightly different outfits and call it all good. 

The Olympics has clear rules it tends to follow sometimes, when it is convenient.

In the case of someone else from a different country who had a positive test result. 

The athlete has been informed of the case and has been provisionally suspended until the resolution of the matter in line with the World Anti-Doping Code and the IOC Anti-Doping Rules applicable to the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022. This means that the athlete is prevented from competing, training, coaching, or participating in any activity, during the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022. (Via ITA.sport)

Aka: The Olympics tends to be very tough on doping. You dope you can't compete to get medals. 

The Olympics threw Kamila Valieva under the bus.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), an independent, international body that determines sports disputes, decided in a hearing on Monday to allow Valieva to skate, following the announcement that Valieva had tested positive for trimetazidine in December. Trimetazidine is a banned substance that can improve endurance in athletes. According to the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), trimetazidine is banned at all times in and out of competition. Russian athletes, including Valieva, are already not allowed to compete under the Russian flag for these Olympics as a punishment for the country’s participation in state-sponsored doping.

According to the CAS decision, there are two general points of why it’s allowing Valieva to skate: that she’s a minor and minors are subject to lesser penalties because of their age depending on the transgression; and that Valieva has tested negative while in Beijing. Valieva’s positive test came in December; there was significant delay in test reporting, and the results came only after she had skated in her first event. The CAS said that Valieva is still subject to punishment. (Via Vox)

Aka: Kamila Valieva is a kid so we will turn a blind eye to the doping allegations and just make the whole situation worst, worst for everyone competing, worst for everyone involved, and especially worst for Kamila Valieva. 

Ways this could be prevented:

a) Taking a tougher no doping stand with Russia. 

b) Not creating a work around so Russia could still complete

c) Not creating a situation where doping looks so good (ie banning all women quads in both programs not just the short program, or increasing the minimum age to level the playing field.)

d) Not having Kamila Valieva skate

e) Realizing that simply saying Kamila Valieva could not skate in the individual program would have been much kinder than what actually happened. Especially this year where with COVID several athletics could not compete so not competing would have hard but manageable.

Now to be honest this whole situation is so troubling I am still processing it.

It feels like people have clearly fallen into different camps either she did nothing wrong and the institutions are all to blame, or the reverse where she was in some kind of bubble that meant she had no coaches etc. putting pressure on her. In truth it was a mix. I would say something like 90% the institutions fault and 10% hers 

(I am sorry by 15 you know that doping is bad and know there are repercussions if you dope so I struggle with the story line that she is completely guilt free but I also recognize the pressure that Russia puts on its athletics which makes doping look attractive)

So while her being able to compete was a misstep from the start I still have compassion for the version of her who came in 4th when a different result was expected from her and all the pressure that comes with that. I hope she is able to retire and follow her dreams and become an astronaut or something. 

Being Beautiful. Being Powerful.

Recently I have been thinking about what it means on a deeper level to be beautiful (or handsome if that language is a better fit for you.) 

Some of this comes from:

• Starting the book Red Lip Theology: For Church Girls Who've Considered Tithing To The Beauty Supply Store When Sunday Morning Isn't Enough by Candice Marie Benbow 
• Reading/rereading some Constantine fanfiction including We Claim Our Bodies Without Apology and Paint My Face (Hold My Trust) by WaveBlazer (ElevenElectric)

Now I have always chosen comfort over fashion, and never have been someone to wear makeup (when your first introduction to makeup is stage makeup, makeup always seemed just a pain) So I would basically just put people who cared about those things in a "silly things some humans do" bubble and go about my day (ok sometimes with a harmless slight roll of my eyes at how silly humans can be)

My reading means I have started to reevaluate my own personal style or at least trying to pin down what my personal style might be. It is interesting to read about individuals who have found inner confidence and inner power through makeup or fashion. Now I doubt I will ever jump on the makeup bandwagon (it is just too much effort) but it is fascinating to see what others who have jumped on the wagon see from the top.

For example while I typically gravitate to cooler colors dark purples, dark blues, dark greens … recently I have been working to find ways to add a pop of color to my wardrobe. The above picture shows a bunch of shirts I got for $1 each from Out Of The Closet a local resale shop. On some level I think I am seeking the same energy and same boldness that many people find when they put on a bold lipstick color.

There are no right or wrong answers when it comes to finding a look that makes us feel amazing. We can choose to blend in or we can bring a pop of color to any situation. In the end it comes down to choosing a look for ourselves in which we can find our inner goddess/god. 

Valentine's Day: Self-Care, Self-Love, Self-Kindness

Today is the day of Love

Within the month of Love

A day of self-care, self-love, self-kindness

Know that you are loved

Know that you are beloved

Know that you are always loved

Nothing no angels, no principalities, no powers, 

No things present, no things to come, no height, no depth, 

Can take away the fact we are Loved and Beloved

Know that you are loved

Know that you are beloved

Know that you are always loved

Today is the day of Love

Within the month of Love

A day of self-care, self-love, self-kindness

Today's Valentine's day. A day to remember to love ourselves. What form that love takes today will be different for each of us.

For some it will be cooking ourselves a meal, for some it will be taking a bath or going to a spa, for some of us it will be getting all cozy with tea or hot cocoa and soft blankets. (And honestly for some of us it will be simply waiting for half-off-candy day tomorrow LOL) 

It does not matter how we choose to celebrate this day but it is a good chance to remind ourselves how much we are loved. Loved by ourselves. Loved by others. Loved by community. Below are a series of picture exploring Self-Care Based On Love Languages by @selfcareisforeveryone on Instagram. 

What are you going to choose for self-care, self-love, and self-kindness today?

Relaxing Pressure: Ourselves/Others

 

Been reminded that we all need to breathe and relax the pressure we put on ourselves and others as I have been watching the Olympics. 

There are too many cases where participants are talked up like they have no possibility of falling, going boom, not completing a race and then when they do fall, go boom, not complete a race their missteps are shown 

Over and over and lets see it from a different angle and over and over and isn't it a shame lets draw a picture of what they did and over and over and we wonder how it has made them feel and over and over will they be able to overcome this and over and over and lets see it one more time and over and over again.

What might this look like if we reframed the conversation?

• What if we only celebrated the wins and let the fails go?
• What if we remembered that everyone is human, flesh and blood?
• What if we allowed other people to fall down? Simply checked they were physically ok? 
• What of we allowed ourselves to fall or fail or go boom?
• What if we did not have unreasonable expectations for anyone?
• What if we all simply enjoyed the journey or path or adventure?

There will be times when we all fall or fail or go boom. What is important is finding ways to be gentle on ourselves and on others in the middle of the fall or fail or boom. 

Black History Month and The Olympics

In case you don't know we are in the middle of both the Winter Olympics and Black History month here in the USA. In honor of both of these I figure I should spotlight the history of some black Olympians. 

1988

Debi Thomas

• Won the bronze medal in figure skating
• Became the first Black athlete to medal at the Winter Games.
• She remains the only African American woman to win a medal in figure skating.

2002

Vonetta Flowers

• Won the gold medal in two-women blobsleigh,
• Was the first Black athlete to win Winter Olympics gold

Jarome Iginla

• Won gold as part of the Canada ice hockey team
• Was the second Black athlete to win Winter Olympics gold and the first Black male athlete to earn a gold medal

2006

Shani Davis

• One of the most decorated long track speedskaters, with four Olympic medals
• Was the first Black athlete to win gold in an individual competition.

2010/2014

Elana Meyers Taylor

• Was the first black athlete, male or female, to medal as both a brakeman and driver in bobsled after winning bronze at the 2010 Winter Games and silver at the 2014 Winter Games.

2012/2014

Lauryn Williams

• Williams was the first woman to win summer and winter Olympics medals.

2018

Erin Jackson

• Was the first Black woman to be on the U.S. long-track speedskating team, qualifying for the 2018 Winter Olympics after learning to speedskate just four months prior.

Jordan Greenway

• Was the first African American player to compete for the United States in Olympic ice hockey

Simidele Adeagbo

• Made history as a member of Nigeria's first Winter Olympics team, and became the first Nigerian and African woman to compete in skeleton.

Akwasi Frimpong

• Was Ghana's second athlete to ever compete in the Winter Olympics and the first to represent Ghana in skeleton.

Sabrina Simander

• Became the first from Kenya to compete in Alpine skiing

Maame Biney

• Became the youngest skater and first Black woman to make a U.S. Olympic short track speedskating team. and the second-ever African-born athlete to represent the United States in the Winter Olympics in 2018.

2022

Among the Black athletes representing the U.S. in Beijing this month are:

• Maame Biney, competing in her second Olympics as a speedskater.
• Elana Meyers Taylor,  competing in her fourth Olympics as a bobsledder.
• Erin Jackson, U.S. long-track speedskating 
• Hakeem Abdul-Saboor, in the four-man bobsled, 
• Sylvia Hoffman and Kaysha Love, teammates in the two-woman bobsled, 
• Malik Jones, a forward on the sled hockey team in the Paralympics.

High On The Hog: Cultural Power Of Food

 

I started to watch the show High On The Hog with my roommate because it is the focus of the February sermon series my pastor is doing. We have gotten 3 episodes in and it has been fascinating learning about the history of African American cuisine and is a combo of food documentary and cultural documentary that is challenging to explain but I would recommend watching.

It also got me thinking about my own food heritage and how I was not the recipient of many cultural cooking skills or recipes. Or if I was the cultural significance was never pointed out to me.

I have distant heritage including Polish. Swiss, German, Romania, Russian, French, Austrian, and Hungarian but would struggle to name one food from any of those countries outside say swiss cheese (though I don't really eat it) or pastries for France (which I eat because they are yummy but don't cook) My Jewish roots probably are the closest I get and honestly that really is just eating latkes and matza.

I also know it is not simply a case of looking up a few recipes from each country and calling it a day. Since I really don't feel any cultural connection to my heritage countries making a random recipe is not the same as making one that has been passed down for generations or which feels like it connects me to others.

My experience of the cultural power of food is very different from that of the show High On The Hog. But the show has reminded me how limited my food preferences tend to be and has made me want to start thinking about how I can diversify what I eat and possible use it to feel a great cultural connection to others.

Trees Saved When Our Powers Combine

People always talk about the power of community organizing but honestly sometimes the problems seem too big and institutions so entrenched that it is easy to feel like we have no power at all. But this is an example of the fact that The Power Really Is Ours (with or without magic Captain Planet rings lol)

Recap: 

• The city is planning on doing some water main work on my street 
• Plans were to destroy 42 100-year-old trees aka "pave paradise"
• A community member happen across this information and started sharing it.
• Members of the community got together and created a save the trees group.
• We sent numerous emails to our alderman, other government officials. 
• The city was like well how about we only cut down like 30 100-year-old trees 
• We had several community meetings with all the relative parties

Great Up Date:

After fighting with the city for a couple months they considered other options and decided to choose an option to save the trees. (Now this means the trees could have been saved all along but if we had not spoken up they would have all been gone)

The below is the email we got from our Alderman. 

Highlights:

• We may still lose a tree or two but that sure beats the original 42
• The alderman gets credit for escalating community member concerns up the chain of command until the people in charge understood the importance of considering all their options 
• BUT if community members had not spoken up and organized I wonder if the alderman would have done anything

I will say it feels really good to get a "win" on a campaign I was part of even if only in a small way. 

Dear neighbor,

I am thrilled to share that a modified plan for the water main replacement project on Paulina, Melrose, School, and Ravenswood has officially been approved by the city's Office of Underground Coordination (OUC). The Department of Water Management (DWM) will now move forward with a new plan that will save a majority of the trees that were previously identified for removal. This is a significantly better outcome than what was outlined in the initial version, which would have necessitated the removal of approximately 42 mature trees. 

My office requested that DWM research the possibility of relocating the new water main to the west side of Paulina, closer to the center of the street. This alternative design was finally authorized earlier this week by OUC. Based on the revised plans, DWM does not anticipate any trees on Paulina being torn down by the project. However, they cautioned that one or more trees could be impacted on a case-by-case basis (e.g., if a particular tree's root system reaches much farther under the street than expected, or if an ash tree is found to be sick).

Regarding the remaining 10 trees on School and Melrose, DWM has listened to the community's calls to employ "trenchless" technology. They have prepared an RFP to identify a private contractor to line individual buildings' private drains. Whether that technology can be used to save a particular tree will have to be determined on a case-by-case basis.

With the new plans authorized and ready to go, the Department intends to begin work on Monday 2/7, with sawcutting of the road tentatively scheduled for Wednesday 2/9. Crews have begun staging barricades and equipment and ask that residents follow the No Parking signs on Paulina starting tomorrow Friday 2/4. Before construction starts (possibly tomorrow), the Bureau of Forestry will trim trees along these streets to ensure that branches are not in the way of construction equipment and vehicles.

I am very proud of the way our Lakeview community came together and of neighbors' incredible organizing to preserve our trees. It was invigorating to fight alongside you to keep Lakeview and the 47th Ward green. You spoke loudly and the City heard you loud and clear.

Next week, Joshua Mark from my office will begin sending regular updates on the project's progress to the recipients of this email. In addition, impacted neighbors can get on that list by emailing him at josh @ aldermanmartin.com.

Best,
Alderman Martin
47th Ward

Legends: Celebrating Ace Representation

 

Recently the big news is Spooner from #LegendsOfTomorrow came out as Ace!!! When it popped up on my newsfeed I was so excited. (I am a little behind and not up to the current season of Legends so I did not know from watching)

Legends of Tomorrow has always had great representation. Each season is a different combination but every season the main cast has been some combination of ages, races, ethnicities, genders, sexualities, faith traditions and all that diversity has always been normalized. 

That is what happens when you are time travelers, blow up time, change fate, deal with magical creatures, demons, clones, and aliens etc. regularly.

So Legends Of Tomorrow having the first Out Ace Superhero on TV does not surprise me even though I still am flying high on the news. Also, again not surprising, Legends handles Spooners coming out wonderfully. 

What stood out for many of us is the fact that they actually used the words Ace and Asexual multiple times in the conversation. Far too often, those of us who are Ace, have to accept vague references in shows, or statements by writers who are like well in my head the character is Ace which leaves it too open for debate. 

(Plus using the words Ace and Asexual it means if someone watching thinks they have a similar experience they have words to google to find out more)

In Legends Spooner was introduced to asexuality (and Zari 2.0*'s explanation is really good considering all the nuance that can occur in the ace community), Spooner is able to claim being Ace, Spooner and Zari have a giggle, and then the show moves on. 

It was a coming out moment that was not the sole focus of the show or even the episode just some interesting facts shared between a few friends/colleagues. 

Also Spooner mentioning the mushroom space aliens (which are from a previous season) was also identifiable for many aces since many experience a period of time when they think they are some how broken  because they are not feeling sexual attraction or only feeling very limited sexual attraction.

Overall Spooner coming out as Ace simply made me love the show Legends of Tomorrow even more.

Here is a transcript of the scene. (The emphasis is added by me)

Zari 2.0: I think we have a few minutes before the next try. So smash, marry, kill. Nate, Gwyn, Gary?

Spooner: Um... No, not... not... not really into any of them.

Zari 2.0: Copy, okay, how about Sara, Ava, Astra?

Spooner: Not... not... not really into any of them either.

Zari 2.0: Also copy. Okay. What is your type?

Spooner: You know, I don't really get those types of feelings for anyone. Maybe it's one of those things those mushroom aliens messed up about me, huh? (Chuckles)

Zari 2.0: Hey, no, no, no. What you're describing is totally normal. It just means maybe you're "Ace". Asexual, people who identify as Ace have little or no interest in sex but many of them still want to be in relationships.

Spooner: Wow, uh... (Chuckles) I guess that makes me Ace.

Zari 2.0: OMG, did you just come out to me?

Spooner: I guess I did. Yeah. Okay, well, okay, first of all, who would have thought you'd be the first person I'd tell?

Zari 2.0: Not me. Okay. (laughing)

Via https://tvshowtranscripts.ourboard.org/viewtopic.php?f=557&t=50758

* In case you don't know the show it is Zari 2.0 because there are two Zari's from different timelines wibble wobbly time travel stuff.