This is my response to a few things today. NOPE.
Nope #1:
Explain to a stranger (albeit a reasonable one) on the internet how I am “actively challenging oppressive structures” in order to capital-A-advocate for PoCs after I just explained how I live my life and the humanitarian projects I am involved in. NOPE. The world is a damn big tent with plenty of problems to go around and we can’t all be capital-A advocates for everyone. Work your strengths, your connections, your opportunities and work to make the world better how you are particularly situated to help. Unless you are prepared to lay out your comprehensive plan to counter oppressive structures of the guardianship system for women in Saudi Arabia AND your plan for eliminating FGM AND your plan for making sure that women have access to safe and effective birth control AND your plan to stop blight in trees AND your plan to stop extinction of the black rhino AND… Do your thing and let other people do theirs.
Work together wherever you can but stop demanding that everyone have a plan for everything because then no one ends up having an effective plan for anything.
Be advocates for as many things as you can that you think are good and worthwhile, but only be an “A”dvocate for the things that you are able to dedicate yourself to & please stop expecting me to have the same level of dedicated activism in the areas that you are working on. It doesn’t mean I’m not concerned, don’t care, or am not making a strong effort to understand and/or make a difference. (Because I VERY strongly care about issues that people of color face in my own country and others.)
Nope #2:
Ask me to trust & resume a relationship with someone who just broke trust in a major way without explanation or resolution. NOPE. Actions have consequences and when we really screw up badly we don’t get to expect that other people will give us an immediate redo. This is not a video game. Fix your issues and try again later. A lot later. (P.S. Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle was a fun film to watch with the kids & includes 3 lives.)
Nope #3:
This heat in California right now. Seriously. The state is on fire again.
MelissaMuses 