In a moment where there are so many fronts to fight, it can be hard to maintain the mental and physical energy to keep advocating for a better future.
In this link list, we explore different notions of what activism is, where it lives and how it can be a space to generate joy, comfort, and creative energy. Whether by taking time to embrace ourselves, building our community, accepting the struggle, or amplifying the voices of others, the links below show us how activism can be a sustainable and personal action.
At the Laundromat Project, Artists Are Ambassadors of Joy and Activism
“In trying to figure out a way to bring art to where we already were, I realized the laundromat is this incredibly democratic, de facto community space,” says founder of The Laundromat Project Risë Wilson. LP is a non-profit organization that supports artists in communities of color across NYC by showcasing art in more accessible spaces. In this article, we learn about their work, their new home in Brooklyn, and how important it is to nurture our communities to achieve social change.
Climate Activist Vic Barrett on Wonder, Transformation, and Storytelling
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Vic Barrett is known for his advocacy of climate justice. As part of the LGBTQIA+ and BIPOC community, showing up can be more emotionally and physically demanding than for others. This feeling led Vic to an interest in the idea of empathy as a radical force. In this article, we get to know more about him as a storyteller, his interest in understanding community history, and how his next step is working on embracing his identity and taking time to understand his own story.
The Romance of American Activism in “Radical Love”
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“Our marriage was a verb. We lived together, worked together every day, and loved it. I felt there was joy in the struggle.” says Leonora Kennedy when talking about her life with Michael Kennedy. In The New Yorker’s documentary “Radical Love”, we dive into the life of this couple of lawyers and activists who worked with groups such as The Black Panthers, The Weather Underground, and many others during the seventies. With love at the heart of the film, we get to see the love behind a couple that keeps inspiring new generations to fight for their rights.
Louder and prouder
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How can we resist a history of colonialism and misogyny through clothes? Can the way we dress communicate our points of view? In this interview, New York-based poet, and activist ALOK talks about finding joy through despair, the importance of freedom of expression, and how gender neutrality is the renaissance of fashion.
How to find joy in activism
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Sometimes, the idea of activism can seem intimidating or just too big. In this episode of Life Kit, Karen Walrond, activist and author of “The Lightmaker’s Manifesto: How to Work for Change Without Losing Your Joy”, explains how she found her own terms to describe and embody it. Using the metaphor of building a campfire, Walrond walks us through the steps to find joy in a more authentic, grounded idea of activism.
Paper link: Pleasure activism
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Written by adrienne maree brown, Pleasure Activism is a collection of essays, interviews, poetry, and art that challenges common ideas and preconceptions about what activism can be by exploring healing and pleasure as forms of resistance.
This collection of articles shows different ways to approach activism. If you want to read more on activism and creativity make sure to read the story on how DADDY magazine is reclaiming space for underrepresented voices in German media.
Text: Maria Paris
Main image: Claire Cottrell
Photography: Gui Morelli
Images: Akilah Townsend, Kristen Uroda
