Updated: Feb 16, 2021
#Covidtime Log Day: 02012021
”I want history to remember me not just as the first black woman to be elected to Congress, not as the first black woman to have made a bid for the presidency of the United States, but as a black woman who lived in the 20th century and dared to be herself.” – Shirley Chisholm
"Shirley Anita Chisholm was an American politician, educator, and author who is best known for becoming the first African-American congresswoman in 1968. Chisholm represented the New York State in the U.S. House of Representatives for seven terms." (https://everydaypower.com/shirley-chisholm-quotes/)
It is #BlackHistoryMonth and to celebrate we need to uplift the voices of Black people. There are a lot of great Black Civil Rights activists who've said amazing things that bring to light the sheer inequality that confronts Black people today. We must always remember our history or we are doomed to repeat it or just never learn from it.
I think we are afraid to be who we truly are because if folx disapprove of the person we choose to show up as in the world it would crush us. But, if we pretend to be all the things the world wants us to be then we will get society's approval. We will achieve our goals of being liked and then feel a sense of belonging. But, do we want to belong to a group or society who does not accept our full and authentic selves?
There is so much toxicity in our society because we have been taught to fear who we are if we are different. If we think differently. If we feel differently from everyone else. Lots of pretending. Lots of masking. Lots of faux humans.
We are society. We get to decide how to show up in the world. Be your full authentic selves and the world will just have to adjust to you not the other way around. Be who you were also meant to become.
Why it's important to lift up Black voices and celebrate Black history month!
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#Covidtime Log Day: 01272021
I'm friends with a group of women from the Bay Area (mostly queer women) that I've known since I was 25. I had been in contact with only a few of them over the years. Time, distance, and breakups usually cause friendships to slowly slip away. My friend Chicken (Cris Wentz) suddenly passed away last October, and a group of 10-12 of us were thrown back together in a group chat. It was organized so we could share our thoughts and memories of a person we were all connected to in some way or another in life; and had inadvertently reconnected us in their death. The reason we all became friends 20 years ago was mainly because of Chicken.
I would imagine 2020 wasn't an easy year for many people. But, I can say that my 2020 was pretty torturous.
It's hard to even wrap my mind around the amount of change, grief, and brokenness I've endured in 2020. One starts to wonder if the Universe hates them. Supposedly if you're a spiritual person that the Universe dislikes a void and usually will fill it up with something. I guess, the upside to all the loss is the gains. The pandemic has given me an opportunity to strengthen my relationship with my family. To be more intentional with how I try to connect with my current friends. And, I've also rebuilt old connections with people who I didn't even know I needed in my life. There is something comforting in reminiscing with old friends about fun adventures, immature mistakes, and wacky events of the past when our present reality seems so unsure and scary.
I'm not going to sugar coat anything. This past year has been one flaming turd after another, but it wasn't all terrible. There is so much growth that can happen inside of oneself if we are open to letting go of the outcomes. Something that I started saying in 2020 was, "Embrace the suck." I didn't really know what else to do. Living through a global pandemic has slapped reality across my face. I realize how much control we don't have. The only thing that I've been able to do, that has helped get me through all of this, is give it up to the Universe. Get a good nights sleep and drink lots of water. Accept whatever happens and live my life the best I can every day. And, be grateful everyday that I'm healthy and alive.
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A New Day. A New Administration. A New Outfit.
#Covidtime Log Day: 01202021
I've started and stopped writing this entry a few times. Yesterday, I wasn't very motivated to be inspirational, but today is the Inauguration of President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris. I feel it's important to remember this day and how it makes me feel and how I've felt about the last four years. It's been a coo-coo for coco puffs, bonkers shitshow of a dumpster fire administration and that's a nice way to describe it. I've always respected the office of the President, but #45 just put a huge stain on that position. He was the epitome of what is wrong with this country. The entitlement and white male mediocrity on display for four years was a slap in the face of Black, Indigenous, and communities of color. His policies tried to turn this country back 70 years and at every turn made lives of people like me more difficult and frightening. Its been a really messed up four years. Just saying.
You can say what you want about the economy or your taxes however Obama inherited a recession and left office with a strong economy. Just like anything The Donald does he didn't do anything to make our lives better, he upheld the status quo and made lives of billionaires better. If you feel that you've benefitted from that it's most likely because we've continued to pay low wage workers the same while CEOs, and stock holders make more. There's nothing wrong with progressive polices, they have brought this country to where we are today. Weekends, social security, and integrated schools.
Having the first woman Vice President, who is both Black and Indian is huge. It tells women and girls everywhere that you can aspire for one of the highest offices in the land and achieve it. Especially for Black and brown girls everywhere. That is a big fricken' deal.
Sometimes I get tired of fighting for the integrity of this country. As President Biden says, "Saving the soul of this nation." We all aspire to be great, and we can be great. We just have to allow ourselves to realize that our words and actions matter. Mistakes have consequences. Words of hate and inciting violence has consequences. We are a free people, but we are not free from being held responsible for hurt and harm of others.
If we truly want to become this unified nation we want to become. We need to first demand bravery and hope from ourselves!