America is not America
This July Fourth week, we’re celebrating “Interdependence Day” to acknowledge that we must remember the whole of who we are and how we got here. The diverse voices and perspectives (Roxane Gay, Lin Manuel-Miranda, Adrienne Maree Brown, Suhaiymah Manzoor-Khan, Suffering the Silence, Melody Moore, and more) in this letter are what “makes America great” and will certainly determine our course toward a nation where we all get to be well. “Let America Be America Again,” as Langston Hughes reminds us:
“Let America be the dream the dreamers dreamed. Let it be that great strong land of love. Where never kings connive nor tyrants scheme. That any man be crushed by one above.”
We use his words to remember to resist and reimagine a country where everyone belongs AND to remember that we have work to do. To celebrate “Interdependence Day” is to do whatever is necessary to ensure the freedom, safety, and wellbeing of everyone.
There is no greater fight that is representative of this country’s spirit of humanity and justice than the one to ensure “better care” (See ACT UP.) for everyone. Let this emerging revolution be one of love, justice, and interdependence.
— Kerri Kelly, founder of CTZNWELL
WELLread is a weekly newsletter produced by the nonprofit CTZNWELL. Every Wednesday, we round up the N2K information so you can use your time to take care of yourself, organize like the badass that you are, and actively protect our people and planet. If this was forwarded to you, sign up here.
THE SHORTCUT
You won’t be able to stop reading this stunning piece by author Roxane Gay Roxane Gay. It’s an excerpt from her new memoir, Hunger.
“I don’t hate myself in the way society would have me hate myself.”
N2K
INTERDEPENDENCE DAY
Yesterday was July Fourth. It is a day to remember the signing of the Declaration of Independence and the merging of 13 colonies into a new nation. If you have never read “What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July?” by Frederick Douglass, it’s time you did. It’s also time you met the Founding Mother of our country who “faced down the Twitter trolls of 1776.” Her name is at the bottom of the Declaration of Independence, but we don’t know her. This new ad by Ancestry gathered descendants of our Founding Fathers. What do you think about it? This is a great read on “Missing The America That Never Was.” And, No! “No, I Won’t Stop Saying ‘White Supremacy.’”
TRUMPCARE
The fight around healthcare continues. It looks as if the path toward passing the GOP bill is narrow, although not out of the question. See ACT UP for what actions we must take now to ensure this bill does not pass through the Senate. This holiday weekend, people were vocal, and representatives were forced to listen to their overwhelming resistance to the GOP bill. If you’re catching up, here are some good charts mapping out who/where will be affected most by the potential cuts inside this legislation. And here are 7 charts that clearly map out how wrong Republicans are when they call Obamacare a failure.
BODY POLITICS
If you scrolled past The Shortcut, go back up! Roxane Gay is a hero. Also, here is a great article asking an important question for our modern day: “How do you grow up healthy in an era of body shaming and anonymous bullying on social media?” In other news on bodies and wellness, this is an interesting one on the similarities between Goop and Infowars, which is run by conspiracy theorist and Trump supporter, Alex Jones. And this is a solid read on “The Wellness Epidemic.”
ACT UP
FIGHT FOR HEALTHCARE
“13 men wrote a health care bill. And no surprise: it’s not good for women.” It’s like one of those “a guy walks into a bar jokes,” but…. it’s real life. So, we need to keep activating. Call these Senators. And share stories. #HowTheACASavedMyLife Indivisible’s guide has tons of info, as well. Read through it (with friends, if you can!), and pick one thing to act on. In honor of the July Fourth recess, you can also sign up via Red, White, and You to get more info from Indivisible on how to hold your senators accountable.
GUNS
The leaders of the Women’s March wrote a letter to the NRA in response to this video and their lack of action around the Philando Castile shooting. Read the full letter here.
DISABILITY VISIBILITY
This week, we’re highlighting #MarchingWithMe, a program of Suffering the Silence. If you’re able-bodied and capable of marching and protesting, Suffering the Silence will match you up with someone living with chronic illness or a disability that keeps them from getting out into the streets for things that matter to them. If you’re living with chronic illness or a disability, sign up here to be a supporter and Suffering the Silence will match you up with a marching partner. Also, here are “10 Ways We Can Make Leadership Accessible for Sick Folks in Activism” and “How Can News Stories Discuss The Lives Of People With Disabilities Without Talking To Us?”
PRACTICING JUSTICE
BOUND LIBERATION
Read this on “Moving From Inclusion to Solidarity.”
BRUTAL HOLIDAYS
This is an absolutely stunning piece of poetic genius by Adrienne Mare Brown called “A Poem for Brutal Holidays.”
ORGANIZE THIS
This is a must-read on “desire-based organizing.”
BE PRESENT, NOT PERFECT
Melody Moore is a dedicated and innovative psychologist who has pioneered embodiment care for young teens and adults with eating disorders. From her blog, Embody Love, this is an important practice on what it actually means to engage in presence over perfectionism.
LAST WORD
Some poems when spoken leave a deadening silence when the last words are over. It’s a silence that knows truth has been written. This is one of those poems. It will leave you breathless.
“Because if you need me to prove my humanity, I’m not the one who’s not human…Is this radical? Am I radical? Because there is nowhere else left to exist now.” -Suhaiymah Manzoor-Khan
P.S.
Lin Manuel-Miranda’s new video for “Immigrants (We Get the Job Done)” is so good.
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