28 days --- 56 ways to be Young, Gifted and Black: Hope Ballard

How do you spend your days?

A typical day for me involves going to school, doing homework, playing video games and watching documentaries.

What brings you joy?

Things that bring me joy are: my friends, my mom, my video games, Netflix, thinking about my future goals, A Different World, drag queens and chicken alfredo.

What is liberation to you?

To me, liberation is being able to be who you are. Being the gender you want, having the body shape you want, being as promiscuous as you want, being as lazy as you want. Liberation is a 3 way relationship between you, yourself and your mindset. At the end of the day a thousand people will have something to say about you but if you are living how you want then who cares?!

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Breathing in Pesach

(Illustration by Sarah Quinter) Tomorrow, when Pesach begins, we will tell the exodus story. To be sure, there are many reasons we engage in this ritual. It is one that is rich with drama, curiosity, family interaction and revelry. It is also fraught with myths about how it got started and the many traditions that have developed over the years. However, we are commanded to take our time, lean back in our chairs, eat and drink heartily, yet, there is so much pain, sadness and death all around us. It seems increasingly harder each year to step away from what is happening and breathe a little. But that is what we are supposed to do --- breathe. Breathe. BREATHE. Breathe into the notion that there is freedom on the other side of this reality we are living in right now. Breathe knowing that as we move away from oppression, towards liberation, we leave as an erev rav, leaving no one behind. Breathe knowing liberation is our default, our birthright. Full Stop. We lean i

28 days --- 56 ways to be Young, Gifted and Black: Mimi Borders

How do you spend your days? I love days that give me room to breathe and reflect. Typically, I am really busy with school work, research and extra-curricular activities. But this semester I am studying at the University of Ghana and I have more flexibility and control over my time. I do mindfulness meditations in the morning, yoga, write and daydream. Daydreaming is one of my favorite things to do - and it doesn't always have to be a solitary activity. I love dreaming out loud with my friends talking about how we want (WILL) to change the world, the places we will travel, the books we will write, how we will liberate ourselves and our communities. I drink a lot of water during the day and usually get sad at some point thinking about what is currently happening in the USA but I try and write myself out of the dark cloud. What brings you joy? My family is profoundly incredible. My parents are compassionate, emotionally intelligent people that always have uplifted an

Beating the Drum of Our Heart

A few years back, I was talking with someone I just met and they insisted on talking about someone we both knew in a manner that seemed to be equally disrespectful and gossipy. I mentioned to them that I was actually uncomfortable with where the conversation was going and their response was, "it's okay, we only have a few more days until we say the Al Chet, while symbolically beating their chest. Despite my urge to yell, "THAT IS NOT HOW IT WORKS!, " I reiterated how and why it was uncomfortable for me to stay in the conversation and I walked away. This interaction has troubled me ever since, especially since I think that the Al Chet is one of the most powerful parts of the Yom Kippur service. I was unnerved with how easily this person was able to disregard what they were saying because in their mind, they will "make up for it" saying a few words during service. I believe this liturgy we have inherited from our ancestors is such a blessing, givi

The fantastic adventures of Koach Baruch

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