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As expected, Trumpelon has come out hard and fast in their first 30+ days. They are doing everything in their power to weaponize the media, governance, data and finances against the public interest. It is a classic strategy of shock and awe designed to keep the masses in a constant state of outrage and collective disorganization.
The goal is to move the line of what is normal and acceptable further and further out until we no longer recognize ourselves. No, we are not over-reacting. We are under-reacting.
A change of this depth and magnitude must be met in equal measure. That means collective action that includes personal transformation. It’s not enough to withdraw our support/spending from greedy corporations and fascist institutions - we need to break from our own attachments/addictions to consumption, convenience and comfort. We need to change our behavior - how we spend our money, how we care for the land, how we look after each other, how we repair harm, how build together new futures and ways of being.
The world won’t change if we won’t. Let’s get to work from the inside-out.
Kerri (she/her)
NTK (need to know)
Faced with existential threats from the right, the Democratic leadership remains timid; faced with demands for justice from the left, it goes on the attack. Democrats Need to Learn How to Throw a Punch [ [link removed] ] (AND [ [link removed] ]why they won’t [ [link removed] ]).
We don’t need to go to Mars, we don’t need to live forever, what countless people and this precious planet are crying out for is the sorting out of how we live these lives we’re given right here and now. Silly rich men and the false promise of immortality. [ [link removed] ]
In challenging times, mutual aid is one way that communities can come together to support one another when the government can’t or won’t. How to create a mutual aid network [ [link removed] ].
Community-based suicide intervention is about creating a web of life between our bodies where we can take turns resting and being held when we are overwhelmed. Kai Cheng Thom on why we must live for one another [ [link removed] ].
The old pathways to influence are broken. The leaders who succeed in this era will be those who invest in new infrastructure, and prioritize cultural resonance over existing organizational cultures. The Future Belongs to Those Who Adapt [ [link removed] ].
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PRACTICING SOLIDARITY
Economic activism is one of the most powerful ways we can demonstrate collective power. Tomorrow, March 28th, there is a nation wide economic boycott to protest economic inequality, high cost of living and corporate greed. Boycotts like these can send a message to corporations, lead to future collective actions, support local businesses and inspire long-term lifestyle changes among consumers. People are being encouraged to NOT spend money on gas, fast food, or shop at major retailers like Walmart, Target, Home Depot, Best Buy, chain grocery stores and more. Instead, pay cash (not credit/debit purchases), shop local and only buy what is essential. But economic activism and boycotts are most successful when they are organized and sustained (the Montgomery Bus Boycott lasted 381 days). Here are some simple and powerful things you can do to opt out:
Shop local: When you need something, buy from local businesses and support your local community.
Pay with cash: Every time we swipe, banks and credit companies make money from processing fees which contributes to higher costs for small biz owners and consumers.
Cancel subscriptions: Take stock of your subscription/streaming services (beware of auto-renewal) and only keep what you absolutely need.
One in. One out. This is a super helpful tip for transforming purchase behavior….don’t buy more of a thing until you are out of it; buy one kind of that thing (avoid stocking up and purchasing multiple flavors, scents, etc)
Utilize your local library: Sharing books is an amazing way to pass around old wisdom and new worlds.
Buy nothing groups: Lots of neighborhoods have “buy nothing” where folks give away or trade things they no longer need.
Barter: Between all of us, we have what we need. Consider trading with your community.
Quality over quantity: Focus spending on items that are reusable, repairable, and endurable (will last a long time).
Buy used: Before you buy anything new, check out marketplace, craigslist, eBay, thrift stores and estate sales to see if someone is selling it used
Ship less: CO2 emissions from shipping has increased substantially over the last few decades. Try to ship only when necessary.
Handmade: Learn a new skill, support a local artisan, make things together!
Local farmers: Buy seasonal, locally-grown produce, dairy and eggs from local farmers, farmers’ markets and/or join a CSA.
Garden or forage: Grow food you always eat and/or can preserve. Do produce swaps with your friends!
Research grocery stores: Research who owns your local grocery stores, where their political donations go, how they treat their employees and be discerning about where you give spend your money.
Support sustainable designers: Consider alternatives to fast fashion and support designers who are creating quality garments from repurposed materials.
Shop second hand. Go thrift!
participate/organize a clothes swap: Organize a clothing swap with your friends to repurpose your items and refresh your wardrobe.
Appreciate/reimagine what you already have: Assess what you already have, reimagine new uses, ways of styling/decorating/repurposing.
Art by @martharich63; Ideas by @elisesattic_
DIGGING DEEPER
“Ordinary people are at the center of change” says Dean Spade in this powerful interview on The Response [ [link removed] ]. “And injustice is not a result of misunderstanding. It’s not like the elites just don’t know that genocide kills people or that fossil fuels are destroying life on earth or that poverty shortens your life. They know! It’s a result of domination. If we organize ourselves as if our only goal is to convince elites we will never win and they would love for us to just stay there -begging for them to change things and take care of us. Instead we are going to take care of ourselves and force change.” In a world on fire, caring for each other is the best resistance. [ [link removed] ] And mutual aid is how we do it. Here are the three elements of mutual aid (based on the book Mutual Aid: Building Solidarity During This Crisis (and the next) by Dean Spade):
Mutual aid projects work to meet survival needs and build shared understanding about why people do not have what they need
Mutual aid projects mobilize people, expand solidarity and build movements
Mutual aid projects are participatory, solving problems through collective action rather than waiting for saviors.
Listen to the whole interview [ [link removed] ] with Dean Spade about mutual aid for survival and resistance. And check out Spade’s new book “Love in a Fucked Up World: How to Build Relationships, Hook Up, and Raise Hell, Together [ [link removed] ]”
WE-NESS
Take care of each other y’all.
Art by @tiffanykilgore
Thanks for subscribing to WELLREAD. For the last several years we’ve been providing folks with the need to know (NTK) news, calls to actions and resources for how to stay engaged and resourced along the way. But now, we’ve added an option to “upgrade to paid” to help sustain our work. While we will never put our content behind a pay wall, we depend on the support of our community to keep us going. 💛

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