RETURNING TO OUR ROOTS FOR BALANCED ACTIVISM
By Katherine Elmer, Co-Founder and Co-director of Spoonful Herbals and Railyard Apothecary
(Excerpt- see the full article here)
Disclaimer: I am a white, femme, pansexual, able-bodied person of Celtic and Nordic descent trained professionally in academia and later by life and many generous human, plant and spirit guides. My writings come through this lens and are likely most relevant for other white folks. I speak of shared and fractured histories and modern realities that affect all humanity, but I do so through my limited cultural lens. As such, I am responsible for any harm or discomfort my current and constantly evolving viewpoints may create, especially for folks who come to these writings with a different or marginalized cultural lens. I welcome feedback on the impact of my words so that I can continue to become more skilled and inclusive as an aspiring ally to my BIPOC community members. The views expressed here are my own and inform my work as co-director of Spoonful Herbals and Railyard Apothecary. My colleagues and board members may not share these views. Thank you in advance for holding me with some grace as I share from this point on my lifelong anti-racist, decolonizing journey!
"when i am happy, it is good for the world.
folks who are rooted in sensing and seeking pleasure, and bring that energy into their work and relationships, are shining a light for others –
there is another path that isn’t full of stress, self-doubt, pain, victimization and suffering.
there is a path in which everything is learning, playing, practicing, doing things anew."
- adrienne marie brown
The world is on fire. Or… the world has been on fire for millennia and some of us have had the privilege to ignore the smoke. In these times of widespread suffering and awakening, I am grateful to be in community with so many souls answering calls to action and activism on behalf of Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) lives and mother earth. As a child of “back to the land hippies” in rural Vermont (aka N’Dakinna or unceded Abenaki territory), I was introduced to activism through my parents’ lens of the 1960s (radical protesting in the streets) and Bread and Puppet theater a few towns over. As my world view has evolved, I’ve come to understand that this mainstream image of activism is out of balance.
Take the word “radical” to begin with. It is derived from latin “radix” or “radicalis”- “of or pertaining to having roots”. This suggests to me that our “radical activism” for justice should come through our roots- grounded in a deep sense of purpose, and belonging, and knowing our unique gifts in community. But how realistic or common or accessible is this “rooted activism” in a time when most of our efforts can be limited to superficial participation on social media? As we reflect on the critical opportunities of this time to “fight" for justice, I’d like to invite us into a dialogue about balanced and truly rooted activism.