It feels like the bad guys are winning...
But I refuse to surrender.
Hello, dear readers. The world is a very hard place right now. I find myself at a loss for words most days. But these came to me this week, and since I believe in words as an act of resistance, here they are. I hope they can both validate the exhaustion and anxiety of living under an authoritarian government and provide a reminder of our collective strength and resilience. Take care of yourself. ❤️
It feels like the bad guys are winning.
Voting for a king. Deposing democracy.
Filling our timeline with war and genocide.
Violating the word “beautiful.”
Marring once beloved stories with toxic words and a fundamental misreading of feminism.
Selling out to fascism.
Bleeding the earth dry.
Replacing real intelligence with something artificial.
Inciting fear with boogeymen and sharp-toothed shadow puppets that would vanish if anyone bothered to turn on the light.
Kidnapping brown children at the grocery store.
Labeling dancing and singing and the waving of flags that are not starred and striped as “violent.”
Making it clear that a young girl walking home alone at night need not only fear assault from sleazy men, but also sleazy cops who will make sure she understands the keys in her hand will not protect her from rubber bullets.
Twisting the narrative until wrong is right and the morally reprehensible is acceptable and lies are God’s truth.
But then…
I see the helpers. The fact-checkers. The artists. The I-will-not-be-bullied-into-silence resisters.
Find a sliver of hope.
Shop local.
Ride my bike. Take public transit.
Browse the rainbow shelves at an independent bookstore.
Hear the people and the birds still singing.
Listen to an immigrant’s story.
Make a donation.
Brew a cup of tea. Share a meal.
Talk to my therapist.
Sign a petition. Share a post.
Hug a friend I haven’t seen for a while.
Smile as I walk past a drag queen on the sidewalk.
Write a poem.
Harvest strawberries from my garden.
Raise my fist in the air. Cry in sorrow. Laugh in delight. Gasp in pleasure.
Refuse to surrender.
🍓 Strawberry snickerdoodle cookies from Trader Joe’s. And Oreo ice cream bars.
📚 Allll the summer book bingo challenges + 🌈 Reading alllll the queer books for Pride Month. (Recent favorites: The River Has Roots by Amal El-Mohtar and Not For the Faint of Heart by Lex Croucher)
🐌 These tiny snails I placed around my office.
📺 Laughing through every episode of Murderbot and Adults.
📷 Seeing my kid’s photography on display at a local gallery. Proud Mom alert! 🥹
All those acts of resistance, big or small, matter! Standing with you, Ashley! 🔥