28 days --- 56 ways to be Young, Gifted and Black: Carlin Rushing

How do you spend your days?

Almost every morning I wake to a text from my Dad telling me "good morning" or "have a good day." I roll out of bed, grab some gummy multivitamins, turn on my "morning inspiration" spotify playlist and try to get to work on time. Most of my days are spent researching and developing a racial justice curricular praxis model for college students, coordinating an HIV/AIDS intervention program and teaching Black literature at a local HBCU. When I do get a break I try to spend time doing things that feed my soul--reading, karaoke-ing with my folk, playing basketball, writing, drumming, dancing (anywhere the beat drops).

What brings you joy?

Cuddling with my pit bull baby, Hannibal. Hugs from my brother. Watching sports shows with my Dad. Staying up late and watching horror movies with my mom. Deep belly laughs with my friends. Sing-a-longs with anyone who is down. The *swish* sound when the basketball touches nothing but net. Dancing until I am tired. Jam sessions with my squad. Love notes. Poetry. Octavia Butler. Alice Walker. Toni Morrison. Saturdays on my couch, deep conditioning my hair watching Steven Universe, Disney movies, Love and Basketball and Coming to America.

What liberation for you?

Liberation is love--deep, overflowing, unconditional, uncompromising, unyielding love. Liberation is waking up to my mom and daddy cooking pancakes, fried apples, bacon, sausage, grits, biscuits, and eggs on a Saturday morning. It is the destination, the activity, and the path. Liberation is remembering to be thankful each day for breath, for my folk, and for another day to do the work. It is seeing and being seen, loving and being loved, tearing down the crap that seeks to kill us, and building the world we need and want. It is freedom. It is faith, It is home. It is what I am working and reaching for each day and it is the thing I do each day when I shirk shame, sidestep silence, and walk knowing who I am and whose I am.

Comments

be like water | erev rosh hashana d'var 5785

🎶 Be easy, take your time, you are coming home to yourself, coming home to yourself. 🎶 We have gathered at the appointed time to bless the creation of this world. Yet as we gather, we continue to witness the devastation and despair that hurricane helene has left in its wake. And the Israeli govt is expanding its war, destroying homes and families and so many lives that represent entire worlds. and here we are. Some of us feel rage, anxiety, or fear. Some of us are feeling discouraged, lonely or even uncertain what to feel. And some of us are feeling grateful for this opportunity to gather with beloveds or excited for the possibilities that can come as the new year is finally upon us. And i am sure that there is a mixture of some or all of these feelings. whatever and however you feel is just right and is welcome here. may it be so that this ritual, this spiritual technology that we have been gifted with, gives you just what you need right here and right now. 🎶Be easy, take your t

Hope and Change

We live in a dangerous time. It continues to be unsafe to walk in this world and hold any of the identities I have. We can try on the fact that while I drove to Mizzou a few weeks ago, I drove under the speed limit as my friend and I half jokingly said, "we don't want to become road kill on the way." What a sick thought to hold. But it was in my brain and it is because I and many others like me have been absolutely terrorized by the state violence that continues every few hours here in america. As a Jew, I can catch hell from all sides. You got the folks who just hate Jews on GP. Then you have those who can seem well meaning in their attempts to disagree with what is happening in Israel but are indeed anti-Semitic. Then you have the Jews who consider themselves to be white who act like Jews of Color don't and have never existed and shouldn't have a voice. I think they tick me off the most. As a Trans person, I have yet to remotely find a safe place outsid

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

The fantastic adventures of Koach Baruch

Search This Blog