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...]
The Difficulty of Portraying Softness While Existing in a Brown Body
It is almost close to impossible to portray genuine softness within a cisheteropatriarchal capitalistic society without it becoming a commodity or lifestyle that can be marketed and sold to us. We are taught from an early age that our emotions hinder us. This is because our society as a whole thrives on an unrealistic portrayal of intimacy and love. We are taught that to be … [Read more...]
At the Intersection of White Privilege and Disability
Despite being a white, female, disabled activist, rapidly approaching her mid-twenties, I am well aware that to most people, I look like a defenseless little white disabled girl. I am also keenly aware that I inhabit both privilege and dis-privilege in this body. On occasion, I use that image to my advantage. People don’t perceive me as a threat or someone trying to scam the … [Read more...]
