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- The Optimistic Anthropologist Volume 40 - June 2022
The Optimistic Anthropologist Volume 40 - June 2022
I Will Be Here For A Long Time
JUNE 2022 | VOLUME 40
Dear ,
When I was in second grade, a woman walked into a second grade classroom the next town over and opened fire. A Sunday school classmate of mine was killed, other students were hurt, it was 1988.
When I was about 9 years old, I attended my first pro-choice rally in Chicago with my mom and dad. I asked them why so many of the protest signs featured hangers, and my mom explained - unflinchingly - how before
guaranteed access to safe and legal abortions, some women were forced into situations where they used the household good to try and end their pregnancies.
I share this, not because I'm an expert on these particular issues, but because gun control and abortion justice have been issues that have been part of my life as a U.S. citizen for over 30 years.
Last week, I was
(notably both firearms and abortions are legal in Bosnia-Hercegoniva) when the U.S. Supreme Court released its rulings for
(saying the U.S. Constitution confers an individual’s right to carry a handgun outside the home, which states cannot limit) and
(overturning Roe v. Wade and saying the U.S. Constitution does not confer the right to abortion, so it’s up to the states to decide).
I was and am heartbroken and enraged. And I feel these emotions in every inch of my body. It has felt like a particularly difficult few days to be away from the U.S., to be away from my community, to be away from the opportunity to be out in the streets – in solidarity with others – expressing our discontent at these inhumane decisions made by five people with startling authority. Because what was written as an intellectual exercise by a set of “Justices” is leading and will continue to lead to more violence, greater inequity, and tremendous pain for people – but particularly for BIPOC people, people who can get pregnant (whether women, nonbinary, or trans), and people who are poor.
But, you read my newsletter, so you probably know all this and quite likely agree with all of this. But, I do want to share three things I’ve learned from experience that I need to do in order to keep being an active and engaged citizen and advocate on issues of gun control and abortion justice in the U.S. So, I thought that I'd share them just in case they are helpful to others who are demoralized and/or infuriated right now:
Take Care of Yourself – As Jenna Worthman tweeted, “intellectually knowing that something is coming does not prepare you for the devastation in the body when it hits.” So, first and foremost, take care of yourself and allow yourself to feel all your feelings. The fight for liberation – from racism and misogyny, fascism and violence – has been and will continue to be a lifelong one. So log off of social media, read the news one time each day (or skip a few days), and look for support from your friends and family, and in the activities that nourish you and bring you joy. I’m not kidding, this weekend I participated in Sarajevo’s third ever Pride March and cooked an amazing new dish and both activities helped me feel a bit more ready for the work to come.
Commit to Learning More About How We Came to Be Here – One of the core beliefs I hold in all social change work is that we have to understand the past in order to be able to shape a more positive and equitable future. A few podcast resources I recommend – on guns in the U.S. More Perfect Podcast: The Gun Show and on abortion, Slow Burn Season 7 focuses on Roe vs. Wade and Criminal ep. 70: The Procedure (about the 1960s Clergy Consultation Service).
Build Relationships with and Support the Organizations and Movements Already Doing the Work- whether it’s the Brady Campaign and Everytown for Gun Safetyor Planned Parenthood and National Network of Abortion Funds or one of many other efforts in your local community or nationally – there are people and organizations who have been preparing for these outcomes since the Supreme Court agreed to hear these cases (and working on these issues for decades). So instead of trying to come up with solutions on your own, build relationships with and support existing organizations as a volunteer or donor (or other ways they may need). The caveat is that right now, a lot of these organizations are being overwhelmed with interested people, so be patient.
The last week was another potent reminder that the work of shaping a humane and equitable world is never done. But, as
wrote, "dictators and oppressors should continue to fear me, because I will be here for a long time."
Be well, do good, and keep each other safe,
P.S. I always welcome the chance to catch up and learn with and from you on a video call (
).
P.P.S. I am working from Sarajevo this summer - that's why I'm sharing a pic of me eating zeljanica (spinach pie).
LATEST
5 REMINDERS FOR YOUR SOCIAL CHANGE PRACTICE FROM FOSTERING A DOG (WITH PUP PICS)
This spring, Alison Gold fostered a dog named Daisy for 68 days. She had a great experience and
- so she decided to write about it (and share some great pictures of Daisy too).
BOOK ON ANTHROPOLOGICAL OPTIMISM COMING IN 2023 (AND WE'RE CONTRIBUTING)!
Earlier this year, our founder
was invited to contribute a chapter to an upcoming volume that Ohio State University professor Anna Willow is editing called
Anthropological Optimism: The Power of What Could Go Right.
(What subject matter could be more fitting!?) Routledge Press will be publishing it in 2023 (official date tba so stay tuned.)
Alison's chapter will be the only contribution by a non-academic and it will focus on how there are social changemakers using anthropological practices (knowingly or not) to transform systems for more positive and equitable results. We're also excited that the chapter will feature examples and reflections from Optimistic Anthropology clients and colleagues who we've had the chance to work with on the
program,
, and
. Stay tuned for more info on when the book will be published!
SPRING 2022 ROUND-UP OF SOCIAL CHANGE JOBS, RFPS, AND FELLOWSHIPS
Folks we know are recruiting for a lot of cool things! Each month, we share
, a monthly-ish round-up of job, consulting, and fully- funded fellowship and accelerator opportunities that people and organizations connected to Optimistic Anthropology are recruiting for.
(our list reaches ~1300 great people!)
In early May, our founder Alison Gold traveled to San Francisco to teach her last session of the semester of Multi-Sector Strategic Partnerships at the
! Her small, but mighty class of MBA and MPA students decorated rocks to embrace creativity and calm, reflected on our semester-long journey via gallery walk and discussion; presented their team's
project strategies for developing MSPs to address sea level rise in the South Bay and air pollution in the San Fernando Valley (featuring some A-MAZING puppets); and closed out their class experience with an appreciation circle!
In the spirit of appreciation, Alison wants to extend a big thank to her students and to the colleagues who brought their expertise, experiences, and profound gifts to the class this semester including:
,
,
,
, Hannah White (and
),
,
,
,
,
,
, and
!
Interested in helping build the field of multi-sector partnerships practitioners for the future? Or have a suggestion of someone who'd be a great guest speaker for MBA/MPA students committed to sustainability and social justice?
COMING TO DC THIS FALL? STAY AT THE GARDEN APARTMENT AT OPTIMISM HOUSE
is a colorful and quiet place for people who are visiting DC to call home while they engage in activism, conferences, travel, work, or study. We're excited to be booked up all summer with guests participating in internships and fellowships!
and book your stay of 7 days to 3 months through
or by
!
GOOD LISTENS FROM SPRING 2022
We love music, podcasts, and audiobooks! And we see connections between all kinds of culture and the work we do.
The Allusionist with Helen Zaltzman [podcast episode] 152. Asperger. Many of us are familiar with the term "Asperger's syndrome," but do you know who Hans Asperger was? If not (I didn't) I encourage you to find out.
Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism by Amanda Montell [audiobook] - a rich exploration of how cults use language to build power and loyalty, and how brands and movements have adopted their techniques.
Dish City [podcast episode] A Chinatown in Name Only. WAMU's Dish City podcast explores the history and culture of the DC region through food. In this episode, host Ruth Tam delves into the history of DC's Chinatown and why it is home to very few Chinese people and businesses.
Dynasty: The Windsors [podcast episode] - The Firm's Footsoldiers: Who Really Controls the Crown? This new podcast series about the British Royal Family covers a lot of the family dynamics during the 70 year reign of Queen Elizabeth II. While that's dishy fun, I've found the more interesting episodes to be about the business of monarchy.
It's Been a Minute with Sam Sanders [podcast episode]. This spring, host Sam Sanders left NPR to launch a new podcast, but his penultimate episode - The Trouble with Defining Antisemitism - was a powerful conversation and truly worth a listen.
Stolen: Surviving St. Michaels [podcast series] - Investigative reporter Connie Walker hears a story about her father - then a Royal Canadian Mounted Police officer - coming face-to-face with a priest from the school he attended. This incident catalyzes Connie to unearth how her family's story fits into one of Canada's darkest chapters: the residential school system.
Untold Killing Season 2 Prijedor [podcast series] - As war still rages on in Ukraine and questions about war crimes and genocide are being raised and investigated, I encourage you to learn more about when that last happened in Europe - in the 1990s. Season 2 of Untold Killing explores the use of brutal concentration camps during the Bosnian War.
Songs for joy or catharsis (or your workout playlist)! Chung Ha's Chica; Bikini Kill's Rebel Girl and Blushh's I'm Over It.
ABOUT OPTIMISTIC ANTHROPOLOGY
helps organizations and cross-sector collaborations trying to solve some of the world's toughest problems "learn into" equitable, just, and positive institutional and systemic change.
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.
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