Wednesday 15th July 2020
"Care"
In the stillness of a global lockdown there has been a growing amount of visibility of the institutionalised murders of black, brown and trans people across the world and in our very own communities. Many difficult and needed conversations have come to light and institutions and communities using the word "diversity" have been called out on their failures. We are now discussing a more dangerous kind of oppression that lies in our health, care and education systems and our access to opportunity (without being tokenised or being white/pink washed as a commodity). The systemic privilege system exists in every part of our communities and has the power to tear apart exactly the community that we need so dearly right now (Brexit for example).
Hopefully we are all on a journey of decolonising our minds and actively trying to unlearn and recognise how to stop white supremacist systems in our everyday practises. We are actively questioning the institution, the word "diversifying" and thinking about abolition and its relationship to the the trans and queer fight. I feel finally all the sporadic problems linked to being a queer trans brown identity in the UK are finally making sense. I feel I'm able to make sense of it all because of the sudden amplification and conversations happening across the globe helping me understand my place in community - perhaps I already knew all my woes are connected to the systemic problems of white supremacy (gender, capitalism, ecology) but being able to have these conversations out in the open without fear and seeing notable people speak of their experience I've found a new sense of global community and affirmation. It feels good but I feel we all need something more tangible on our own doorsteps (we cant live on zoom meetings forever)
We need to begin looking inwards to our own communities in times like this, and think about how we can care for each other and create common ground between each other. It is through communal healing, and looking out for one another that we can begin to feel more comfortable with different cultural practises we are not so accustomed to ourselves.
Being a person of multiple identities part of the South Asian diaspora, I've experienced first hand there is a missing link between our South Asian elders who migrated to the UK in the 60's and with my generation. Conversations regarding politics, race, gender and most importantly mental health often seem non existent, and there seems to be a cultural wall of sharing emotions and affect to one another.
Trauma can travel through generations and there is so much pain and disconnect to unpack between these two different generations. I believe this can be done through creating safe environments with the promise of protection and space for emotional knowledge exchanges.
With maternal affection could we create community between people from all walks of life where they all become the same. When somebody washes your clothes for you, there is a special connection of gratitude - it feels almost like ritual. The laundrette space could be a vital place to show care for each other, in the physical labour we put in for each other and the difficult conversations we have while doing it.
In the urgency of anti-system politics and reframing how we are going to collectively heal from different kinds of oppressions I think it's important to begin with our own community and our own families. The relationship between yourself and your mother, your sister, your aunt, your local laundrette worker. Let's begin to use these spaces to really have the difficult conversations and show up for each other. Change will begin locally, and we can't do it with divisions in our community. Change can and should come with radical care and self love!
"Care"
In the stillness of a global lockdown there has been a growing amount of visibility of the institutionalised murders of black, brown and trans people across the world and in our very own communities. Many difficult and needed conversations have come to light and institutions and communities using the word "diversity" have been called out on their failures. We are now discussing a more dangerous kind of oppression that lies in our health, care and education systems and our access to opportunity (without being tokenised or being white/pink washed as a commodity). The systemic privilege system exists in every part of our communities and has the power to tear apart exactly the community that we need so dearly right now (Brexit for example).
Hopefully we are all on a journey of decolonising our minds and actively trying to unlearn and recognise how to stop white supremacist systems in our everyday practises. We are actively questioning the institution, the word "diversifying" and thinking about abolition and its relationship to the the trans and queer fight. I feel finally all the sporadic problems linked to being a queer trans brown identity in the UK are finally making sense. I feel I'm able to make sense of it all because of the sudden amplification and conversations happening across the globe helping me understand my place in community - perhaps I already knew all my woes are connected to the systemic problems of white supremacy (gender, capitalism, ecology) but being able to have these conversations out in the open without fear and seeing notable people speak of their experience I've found a new sense of global community and affirmation. It feels good but I feel we all need something more tangible on our own doorsteps (we cant live on zoom meetings forever)
We need to begin looking inwards to our own communities in times like this, and think about how we can care for each other and create common ground between each other. It is through communal healing, and looking out for one another that we can begin to feel more comfortable with different cultural practises we are not so accustomed to ourselves.
Being a person of multiple identities part of the South Asian diaspora, I've experienced first hand there is a missing link between our South Asian elders who migrated to the UK in the 60's and with my generation. Conversations regarding politics, race, gender and most importantly mental health often seem non existent, and there seems to be a cultural wall of sharing emotions and affect to one another.
Trauma can travel through generations and there is so much pain and disconnect to unpack between these two different generations. I believe this can be done through creating safe environments with the promise of protection and space for emotional knowledge exchanges.
With maternal affection could we create community between people from all walks of life where they all become the same. When somebody washes your clothes for you, there is a special connection of gratitude - it feels almost like ritual. The laundrette space could be a vital place to show care for each other, in the physical labour we put in for each other and the difficult conversations we have while doing it.
In the urgency of anti-system politics and reframing how we are going to collectively heal from different kinds of oppressions I think it's important to begin with our own community and our own families. The relationship between yourself and your mother, your sister, your aunt, your local laundrette worker. Let's begin to use these spaces to really have the difficult conversations and show up for each other. Change will begin locally, and we can't do it with divisions in our community. Change can and should come with radical care and self love!
sharing. Esther QDT
ReplyDeleteOops meant to say: Brilliant post! It’s refreshing to read positive ways forward with radical care at the centre. Conversations start at home, with family and in our communities. Thank you for sharing.
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