"I learned a lesson at Sunday school," said my domestic partner-in-crime. "It said that God prevented our rise to power by making us speak different languages so we couldn't understand each other. Different languages aren't a blessing; they're a fucking punishment." He'd just got off the phone with Vodafone internet support in Berlin, our home of mere weeks. They didn't speak … [Read more...]
Are You Culturally Appreciating or Culturally Appropriating? 3 Ways for White Folks to Self-Reflect
Not long ago I had lunch with an 82-year-old friend of mine who has been a social justice activist all her life. We are both white. My friend is a poet who has been published in several small literary journals. She listens to a broad range of podcasts regularly, reads widely, and continues to take a keen interest in the world around her. Her poetry focuses on the lives of … [Read more...]
5 (More) Ways to Radically Exist in Decolonial Love
At TBINAA, there are articles that affect us and inspire us from other digital magazines and blogs on a daily basis. One article in particular that seemed to strike a great chord with our followers on Facebook is one by Gwendolynn Benaway for the site Working it Out Together titled “Decolonial Love: A How-To Guide.” In this article, Benaway talks about her experiences as a … [Read more...]
What I Learned at Standing Rock: Being Latinx And a Settler
Growing up in Peru, I was taught to be very proud of my heritage. I grew up hearing stories of my people from my teachers, my mother, and my grandmother. They would often tell me to be proud of where I came from, but they would also then compare our ancestors to the current state of our country. “How could we have been so wise, only to now be struggling like this?” I would … [Read more...]
6 Radical Indigenous Artists Doing Decolonial Work
Too often, Native American and Indigenous people are depicted as a thing of the past, even in art, literature, and music. I remember in elementary school learning how the Ojibwe nation I descended from used to live, the games they used to play, and the music they used to create, as though there were no more Native Americans worth discussing in class. While tribal history is … [Read more...]
Being Indigenous and Fighting Against the Dakota Access Oil Pipeline #NoDAPL
In my culture, there are many stories. There are stories of shape shifting, of magic, of war. Of harmony, and of victory. One of these stories is that of the condor and the eagle. The story is actually a prophecy, that tells us when the eagle, the bird of the north, flies with the condor, the bird of the south; we will see harmony. As an indigenous person from the south, … [Read more...]
