I embraced joy as my birthright. Radical black joy is inherent as a human need and not some special trinket you get after you rise high enough on the social-economic ladder or unlock some special level of desirability or accomplishment.
Tanya Denise Fields
I’m going to keep this short and sweet because now is a time of protecting our energy. I only write with hopes that someone, somewhere may read this and remember that we were not born to struggle. I hope that this reminder, as hard to believe as it may seem, may stay etched in our collective hearts and minds in the times when we need it most.
This past month for me has been full of the highest highs and some of my lowest lows. Despite all my intention and focused work on finding peace and joy, I was dragged back into sadness and despair. I was caught between my reality and my hopes and dreams. I was scared of the fire burning in both. I forgot, for longer than I expected I would, that joy comes in the morning.
Every single thing that came to try to kill us has failed. We’re still here. Generationally, we come from survivors who found this beautiful alchemy to be able to source joy out of sludge.
Vanessa Garrison
We are not the first. Well, what I mean is that we are not the first to suffer and we are not the first to fight. We are not the first to face a multitude of weapons formed against us. We are not the first to survive. I’ve found more peace in this realization recently. I feel more hope knowing that the battle continues despite and that are tools and resources and community still here to carry us on our journey. Life is funny that way- taking away but also always giving. The trick is to pay attention and focus more on the gifts than the thefts.
I’m much too tired to continue at this moment, but I leave you with this. Always find joy. It is always present and it is always waiting. Waiting for you, to embrace you and to remind you that you are loved and you were born for more than struggling. You were born for tight hugs and deep kisses, long belly laughs, and salty tears of joy. Life is for living and joy, despite the tragedy, makes it all worthwhile.
I’m sending you all energy of love and joy as we collectively grieve and make peace with our reality. Together, we can heal and grow so that those that come after us will not have to suffer in the same way. We must continue to create and inspire, for if we fail, those behind us will need the old tools and our news tools to continue the fight. We cannot thrive without each other. Below are some IG posts that helped me. I love you. Stay safe.
B ❤️💚🖤✊🏾