Volume 1, Resources 15: More Antiracism, Self-Care, & Therapy
Hi friends! There’s a lot going on right now in the U.S. and I’m having a hard time finding anything to say that isn’t just screaming incoherently and throwing things. But as I started to write this I realized I’m not actually obligated to be fine and it’s not only okay to not be okay right now, but I am skeptical of anyone who genuinely says they’re okay right now. Shit is bananas right now! And awful! And awful bananas!
So, yeah, not being okay is a totally valid way to be. We are all doing our best and many of us are using all our spell slots to put on game faces for Zoom meetings or for kids (if you have kids or work with kids) or if you still go to work in person you’re using your spell slots to hold your shit together on the daily.
Mostly my not-okayness is a sense of overwhelm. There is just so much going on that I find myself shutting down from the onslaught. It makes it hard to read and write and do my day job for sure.
I’m sharing this not because I want sympathy but instead to let you know if you are feeling the same at all, it’s normal right now. Many of us are feeling similarly. I hate having to normalize “feeling like garbage” but on the other hand, at least I’m not feeling bad about feeling bad.
<image is a four-panel comic from @Real_Toons. The first panel is of a Black woman waving her arms for help in the middle of the ocean and the caption says, “Black women dealing with trauma and suffering.” The second panel now has the woman almost completely underwater, only her hand showing. A second hand labeled “society” reaches out for it. The third panel has the second hand giving the drowning woman’s hand a high-five and exclaiming, “Your’e so strong!!” The fourth panel is the drowning woman’s fingertips because she has not been rescued from her suffering, only complimented for it.">
Today’s issue is a resource issue so let’s get to it!
Resource #1: Reminder of the Absolutely Massive List of Antiracist Resources
Some of you are here because of my Absolutely Massive List of Antiracist Resources. I want to remind you not only of that resource list, but also, it’s not only important to learn how to be antiracist, but you must take action. There are so many resources lists of things to do right now. You can also donate to Jacob Blake and his family and to the Milwaukee Freedom Fund, which is helping protesters in Kenosha.
Resource #2: Therapy for Black Girls
I don’t remember if I’ve shared this before but for any of my Black readers, Dr. Joy is a phenomenal resource via her website, her Instagram, and her podcast. It is okay for us to want, need, and get help.
Resource #3: Reminder of the “You Feel Like Shit Self-Care Game”
In one of my very early newsletters I told readers about this. You can read that issue here and access the game here.
Resource #4: Marie Beecham
I came across this slideshow on Instagram on how to respond when you are corrected for saying something racist. Unfortunately she does not offer alt-text.
I went to Marie Beecham’s website and she has so many more resources as well as ways to support her work. On her downloads page she offers nine different pdfs on various subjects such as how to respond to common racist statements and how to go to Google instead of going to your Black friend.
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