We are living in a time of unprecedented exposure to violence and suffering. While this exposure has led to and provides us incredible opportunities for global and intersectional solidarity, it can also be overwhelming, scary and anger-inducing to witness the continuous loss of human lives at the hands of systemic violence. I think one way we can stay engaged is to utilize these moments to reflect on our conditioning and positionality to other people, near and far. This is not a deflection tactic and should not be used as such. Instead, it’s a practice to connect small to big, big to small. Systems of violence were created and are sustained by people. And the effectiveness of these systems lies in them both existing within and around people. Understanding this is critical to our freedom.
I don’t believe we are free, but I believe we can be and that our freedom is a worthy and necessary pursuit. The freedom I dream of isn’t one that’s void of responsibility, accountability or at the expense of our planet but is one that’s void of violence. If we want to be free–which to me, among other things, means a world in which ALL OF US–are truly safe to breathe, play, work, dream, explore, question, heal, doubt, be flawed, and rest, we are long overdue in reassessing our relationship and, dare I say, attachment to violence. This attachment is dependent on our intersection of identities, relationship to the land on which we stand, and where we are situated globally. For us to be free will require us to believe, with every cell in our bodies, that we are all needed, we are all worthy, and we all have a right to live. And because violence is so incessant, visible and latent at once, we are incentivized, to varying degrees, to believe the opposite, even when we are harmed by this exact violence. This is why the pursuit of freedom is simultaneously an inner and outer one, one which requires a fearless inquiry into understanding our own conditioning and honesty about the degree to which we are vested in the status quo.
Below are some questions we can use to reflect personally and with loved ones. Please remember that these are not a substitute for calling out injustices and taking whatever actions we can to ensure the safety and well-being of all. Instead, they are intended to shed light on our beliefs and how they shape our responses as well as our dreams and where we might go. Please take care of yourself as you reflect; pause and rest when you need.
Do I believe violence in response to violence is the only way we can have accountability? Are justice and violence connected? If so, where or from whom did I learn this?
Have I learned harmful narratives about my identity and my worth? What about others and their worth? Where did I learn these? How do I feed these in how I talk to and treat myself/others?
How am I showing up for myself and other people in my life that cultivates compassion for where we each are at? Am I part of relationships and spaces which give me and others permission to say “I don’t know;” “I’m confused;” “I messed up.” If yes, who are these relationships with? If not, how does it feel to not have this permission?
What would a world in which accountability and violence are decoupled look, sound and feel like? How would I move through this world?
We are all needed, worthy, and have a right to live. What will I/we lose if we act from this place? What possibilities might surface if I/we act from this place?