lqb2weekly #169 (26 mar 2022)

Mar 27, 2022

hey,

there are some WILD things happening over here and in about 6 weeks, there might be some big changes afoot. stay tuned in late-april / early-may for some piping hot tea… in the meantime, here’s one big thing and a few other things:

the big thing: i decided after a few weeks of research (and those thoughts from andy) to create a paid option for lqb2weekly! the main newsletter will always remain free for everyone. folks who join as paid members, will get access to a monthly ask me anything call (probably starting in may but maybe april). you can be a monthly member for $5/month or $50/year. for folks with extra funds, if you join the paid crew as founding luminary ($150/year), you’ll be a part of a little brain trust to help me shape lqb2weekly over time. check out the subscribe page to sign up or change from a free to paid subscription. tbh, i’m trying this paid thing out because i hope that i can figure out more ways to more radical things with my time and this as a possible way to resource some of that stuff could be dope. it also might totally flop but i’ll never know unless i try so here goes nothing!

back in jan when i wrote the january reflection resources edition of lqb2weekly, andy short suggested i add a way for folks to contribute funds. well, 4 ppl donated $85 total… which was dope! last week, i used that $ to make an $85 donation to naicob, the north american indian center of boston. thx yall.
random question: why does daylight savings time change in the US 7 days before spring starts? make it make sense…
two incarcerated folks need pen pals on the outside! my spiritual formation groupmate, eishna, who got a penpal via our convos, has a penpal, nate who has two folks who need penpals! (Tivie Powell #500982 & Tj Tupiak #970481). if you’re interested, hit me up and i’ll connect you to eishna who can get you connected to these folks.
The Nonprofit Democracy Network is excited to announce Collaborate to Co-Liberate: Structures and Practices for Democratic Organization!
Collaborate to Co-Liberate is an online, cohort-based learning journey for organizations seeking to deepen their practices in collective governance, democratic management, and racial and economic justice. — application deadline is 1 april!

addendum

incarcerated artist looking for support on the outside to make NFTs
a new friend, miles, has a new essay out and it’s v good
a friend of a dearly beloved is looking for admin or ops roles/work
my coach training school has two upcoming programs! two 2-day intro to coaching training and one 2-day training for BIPOC foundation program staff. it’s all epic. gogogo.

ok! on to the things!

(!!) pick of the pack

writing

some things i’ve written since the last newsletter:

Mar 10, 2022 | why i don't do RFPs
Mar 8, 2022 | collection of group agreements
Mar 4, 2022 | book review: america's racial karma by larry ward

quotes

there is nothing new under the sun.

…the shadow of privilege is this: You don’t learn to take care of yourself inside. You don’t learn to value your internal life. You get so fixated on your external life that you forget your internal life is much, much bigger, much deeper, and much more rewarding. — Larry ward, America’s racial karma

If you have to be all things to all people, you end up being ‘nothin’ to nobody. — iris apfel

Civil rights leader Andrew Young once said, “You can get hit
by a baseball bat playing baseball, but segregation destroys the
inside of your mind and your soul. And it doesn’t heal that easily!’ — ht kazu haga, healing resistance

… the 20th century has been characterized by three developments of great political importance: The growth of democracy, the growth of corporate power, and the growth of corporate propaganda as a means of protecting corporate power against democracy. — Alex Carey

To be African American is to be African without memory and to be American without any privilege. — james baldwin

Today, I believe there is nothing more subversive than helping to midwife a new evolutionary shift of the human species into an era where we will no longer be entranced with socioeconomic formations and ways of being and thinking that produce disconnection, domination, and devastation. Instead, we can be present upon the Earth in ways that bring healing, wholeness, and a sense of the sacred in our connection with one another and with all of creation. — fania davis

Our whole culture and civilization must be transformed. There must be a great constructive program of activities that will stimulate not selfishness, greed, competition, fear but kindness, mutual respect, love and the unity of people with the land. New values, new institutions, must be built up. Like charity, this must begin at home. At least this is the way it seems to me. But if we are going to go up in smoke, it would seem better to have it happen while we are engaged in a great task instead of a little patching program. — Richard Gregg

Your entire life happens inside your body. It’s the one home you will always occupy and can never sell.
But you can renovate it.
If you can only pick one habit to build, exercise might be the one. Everything is downstream from how your body is functioning. — James Clear

Think of many things. Do one. — Portuguese proverb

I believe in anger. Anger’s like fire, it can burn out all the dross and leave some positive things. But what I don’t believe in is bitterness. Forgiveness is imperative because you don’t want to carry that weight around, who needs to? And it will throw you down. It doesn’t help you to live life. I don’t make myself vulnerable if I can help it. — Maya Angelou

poetry

unnamed — wendell berry

reads

some things i’ve read since the last newsletter:

listens

some audio and/or podcasts i’ve listened to since the last newsletter:

watches

some videos i watched since the last newsletter:

Wendy's Old Fashioned Hamburgers Commercial!

jams

some things i’ve been (aurally) enjoying since the last newsletter:

jobs

jobs postings will clear out next newsletter! it’s getting long in here lol

housing

a friend and incredible organizer in boston is looking for a roommate!

ISO human to share space with in Dorchester near Morton and Norfolk street on the Mattapan line. Accessible by multiple public transit options including the commuter rail (5 minutes from Morton Street stop on the Fairmont line), multiple bus lines and about 15 -20 minutes from Ashmont and Forest Hills station. Two rooms are available starting April 1st. The room rental is a flat fee ($1,300 - $1,450) depending on room size and includes all utilities, off street parking, wifi, cable access, access to a semi-private bathroom, yard and a hot tub. BIPOC and queer folks are favored and welcome. Check out this doc form for details including pictures of the space. Email Khalida at khalidasmalls@gmail.com if you have any questions. Please complete this form to be considered.

upcoming events

$$ (fun-raising)

Join Resource Organizing Project in growing stronger, more sustainable movements for justice and liberation in New England. Become a Seed Sustainer!
cynthia lin hit her fundraising goal! (she’s at 108% of her goal)
i am currently working on writing an essay for a tarot deck to be released this year: liberation tarot. you can check out some lovely previews and bios of the artists here and you can help support the fundraising here. here’s the fundraising ask from the website in case you don’t have energy to click through:

We are now looking to raise an additional $10,000 for the design and writing of the Liberation Tarot handbook! The handbook will include magnificent written contributions from emet ezell, Lawrence Barriner II, Elicia Epstein, and adrienne maree brown.

Can you help us reach $10,000 by May, 2022?

if you’ve got funds to help this project get over the finish line, here is where to send them. 🙃 i’m v excited. obvi.

other opportunities

Radical Imagination — 10 Indigenous artists/culture bearers of all traditions, mediums and genres will be awarded grants of $50,000.

newsletters

emet ezell: why do? how come? ask the children
building belonging: We need to talk about hierarchy (!!)
astroradicals: THE MOOD: Condensed and Cross-Eyed
better humans daily: An anti-procrastination rule for your desk: you can either work or you can do nothing.

right now i’m learning…

about one take on how america is amusing itself to oblivion.