Hello! This newsletter is going to be a little different. Instead of sharing my own writing on a specific topic, I wanted to share some content that has inspired, informed and ignited a spark in me.
I fully believe we are in a paradigm shift, and a guiding principle for our next stage is to embody the fact that everything is connected. The three content examples below demonstrate this perspective; that there is no separation between the public and the private, the individual and the communal. The old way of thinking that we are separate will not lead us to a more righteous path but instead one of destruction. What motivates me is that every day we can make the choice to see the truth - that we have the knowledge and the tools in front of us to make this a better place; we just need to take action together. Like Audre Lorde said, your silence (and inaction) will not protect you.
LISTEN
Small Doses with Amanda Seales: Side Effects of Being a Different Democrat with Rep. Ayanna Pressley
Lately, I’ve been feeling political apathy, to say the least, but when Rep. Ayanna Pressley framed her work as “harm reduction”, that’s when the importance of political involvement clicked for me. In this episode, Representative Pressley and host Amanda Seales passionately and directly make room for the nuance, context, and activist leadership that is necessary but so often discouraged in politics. 10/10 recommend.
WATCH
Dr. Vandana Shiva: "Why We Need an Organic Future”
I texted this video to at least 10 people the first time I watched it. Dr. Vandana Shiva critiques industrialization, challenges dominant narratives about agriculture and explains how the militarized mindset has led to the destruction of seeds and people. She reminds the audience that we already know the solutions to our modern problems - they’re in our gut. Seriously, I learned so much from this speech. It is a must-watch.
READ
There’s No Such Thing As a Feminist Jail by Mon M.
I’ve focused on prison, policing, and abolition in my master’s program because I believe it’s one of the most detrimental and violent norms in the United States. Incarceration has become a catch-all “solution” to society’s issues, whether that be mental health crisis, domestic violence, drug use, homelessness, or poverty, even though incarceration has proved to be ineffective. This op-ed touches on so many vital issues around the prison industrial complex - including that there is no such thing as “humane” incarceration. It’s a great introductory piece.
If you liked this newsletter - please consider sharing it with someone you know or share it on social media! I’m at @somethingtothinkabout__ on Instagram, @adrianaschwarz_ on Twitter, and adrianaschwarz_ on Tik Tok.
Thanks for reading, and happy Sunday,
Adriana <3