eco/systems of care
Hey friends.
I’m working on a care network for artists, workers, organizers, youth climate activists, and journalists in the global south. For many reasons involving safety, the network will be unnamed for now.
Since being back, I’ve seen the increasing need for support for folks doing on-the-ground work. Besides the fact that helping services like therapy are expensive, these services are tied to a larger system of surveillance that put individuals at risk. Additionally, these clinical contexts are a part of the problem. I’ve said in many panels and speaking platforms (like this one) that services like the mental health industry participate in a cycle of harm from the system and societal expectations → temporary mitigation or prescribed medication → the same types of harm again. It is not a world that gets to the root of the dis-ease and psychological stress. More importantly, the mental health industry is inseparable from the policies/policing, ideologies, and societal expectations that make us sick in the first place. It makes us sick and keeps us sick, and profits from the ongoing cycle.
Beyond providing contained spaces to process stress and trauma, the network’s aim is to make change by helping the individuals we serve stay in the struggle while staying true to themselves. This means staying true to their desires and needs — from the need for rest to the desire for joy, pleasure, and play. The network does not necessarily replace the mental health industry (i.e., we can’t provide medical prescriptions), but it serves as a non-clinical addition or an alternative to the industry.
What the community offers:
Gatherings and workshops that engage with justice-centered creativity and healing
Peer support for activists and Indigenous youth (the model we resonate with the most is Project LETS’ peer support model)
As we grow, we hope to host artist residencies and spiritual retreats held in areas that foster eco-sustainability and participate in farmer solidarity
Because we are a new community, we are malleable. We are open to the ways in which we evolve in our practices, visions, and relationships. For now, we are gathering the resources to begin. Your help can get us there.
By end of June, we hope to reach $5000 to start compensating the existing peer support practitioners and hosting the gatherings to build or strengthen the community. We already have seeds planted. We only need the resources to root enough to sustain the cause. With your help, you can help us get there.