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.

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