What a F***ing week! From political meltdowns to radical self care, we've got you covered. #WELLREAD

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where wellbeing meets politics


** Not Not Guilty
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With more Democratic primaries right around the corner, we're circling up online next Thursday, 2/13 at 6:30ET (2020-02-13%2015:30:00%20PST) to debrief on what we learned after Iowa, how primaries work, and how all of us can get involved and make a difference.

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Y'all...this has been a "shit motherfucker shit week". From the Iowa caucus debacle to the racist State of the Union to a landmark cover up plot to protect a tyrant and dismantle our democracy - things are real right now and I, quite frankly, am already burned out, frustrated and scared.

All day, I've been reflecting on what more I can do? Doing something, doing anything feels better. But I'm wondering if this moment demands more discernment - a contemplation of where our energy is best served for long game.

"Ripping up a speech is cool but refusing to fund the border camps, the wall and the militarization of outer space would go further" says Bree Newsome Bass. Perhaps this moment is challenging us not to do more, but to do better.

Imagine if we went from torn up speeches to massive civil disobedience against lies, racism, corruption and tyranny. Imagine what's possible when we get organized in resistance AND create of the more beautiful world our hearts know is possible. Imagine if we came together in ritual and practice so that we can remember who we are and what we are capable of. Imagine a future beyond fascism, where everyone has what they need to thrive.

I'm asking myself what I'm willing to do to resist fascism and dream bigger. Maybe you should ask yourself too.

Kerri
she/her

IT'S A COVER UP
Let’s call it what it is...a cover up, not an acquittal and most definitely not "not guilty". We all know what happened here. But, in a near party line vote (the only GOP member to honor his oath was Mitt Romney), the Senate effectively covered up Trump's crimes.Here's how #MoscowMitch orchestrated the sham ([link removed]) . But not unlike Trump's State of the Union address, the Republican defense in the impeachment trial was rooted in disinformation ([link removed]) and cowardice. Trump's credo all along has been "the law is for suckers" ([link removed]) and the GOP just proved him right. But what Adam Schiff and Nancy Pelosi tried to do was prove that the law could be used, not just in criminalizing the
vulnerable, but in holding accountable the most powerful. And that mattered. What now? "The collapse of the White Republic is giving rise to the birth of a True Democracy. For people and planet." Thank you, Taj James ([link removed]) , for always keeping it in perspective.

IOWA DEBACLE
The Iowa caucuses represent the best and worst of politics ([link removed]) . On one hand, watching people show up for their candidates and engage in debate with one another is deeply participatory. On the other hand, it disenfranchises large portions of the voting public. It's ironic that we kick off the presidential election with one of the most inaccessible contests in the nation ([link removed]) . The process excludes people with jobs, mothers without childcare, people with disabilities and black and brown folks. Aimee Allison adds "Women and candidates of color have been harmed by the myth of ‘electability’ and whiteness
([link removed]) of early states deemed vitality important to attracting donors, endorsements and volunteers to win". We need to be focused on Nevada and South Carolina which is more representative of the base (women of color, people of color, progressives) and will be a more accurate indicators of things to come. Meanwhile, don't hold your breath. We're still 75% and waiting for the remaining votes to be tallied due to a tech malfunction. Early signs show Sanders, Buttigieg and Warren leading. But the real story in Iowa that nobody is talking about is low turnout ([link removed]) . We're breaking it all down in our monthly meet up. Sign up here ([link removed]) .

US FASCISM
On Tuesday Trump delivered a "State of the Union" jam packed with lies, racial appeals and red heat (fact check ([link removed]) ). In perfect reality show fashion, it was complete with tokenized props, family reunions and giveaways. Besides that, there was little substance to his "what have I done for you speech", but many predictions for the election cycle to come. "He sent a warning that he's going for black votes ([link removed]) " says Van Jones. This while making multiple racist references to "criminal illegal aliens". But "Trump is where he is because of his appeal to racism ([link removed]) " and Tuesdays speech bristled with fascist
politics ([link removed]) . Here are the early warning signs of fascism ([link removed]) (note, we are way past "early").

DECOLONIZING SELF CARE
In a moment when everything is out of control (more like the Twilight Zone), self care can be a reclamation. But when we do self care without acknowledging its origins, we end up replicating the same systems that harmed us in the first place. The concept of self care originated in black activist circles in the 1980s, ([link removed]) and was later put through the grinder of late-stage capitalism and appropriated by white, corporate feminism and the industrial wellness complex. Self care when practiced out of context goes from what was once a radical feminist idea to one that is stripped of its politics. Self care, as it was intended, is not an escape from reality (as dominant culture would have you believe), but rather an integration of the inner world and the outer world. We
need to reclaim a spirit of self care that honors its ancestors and roots in how it embraces all of reality, not denies it.

BLACK HISTORY MONTH
Black history is American history ([link removed]) . But because our education system has erased much of Black history, we need a month dedicated to remembering and reclaiming. According to a report by the Southern Poverty Law Center ([link removed]) , nine out of 10 high school seniors either incorrectly identified or openly admitted they weren’t sure of what caused the Civil War. Two-thirds (68 percent) of high school seniors don’t know that it took a constitutional amendment to formally end slavery. And many just learned about Black Wall Street ([link removed]) because of the popular HBO show "Watchman". But Black History Month isn't just about getting educated. It is an ongoing practice of anti-blackness and anti-racism. It is centering Black voices, perspectives and leadership. It is reparations. And it is 365 days a year.


Shout-out to our amazing community of Patreon ([link removed]) members who make it possible for us to produce WELLread every week.

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