By Stephen Duncombe, Steve Lambert — 2018
Artistic activism draws from culture, to create culture, to impact culture. If artistic activism is successful, the larger culture shifts in ways big and small.
Read on c4aa.org
CLEAR ALL
As we peer around the corner of the pandemic, let’s talk about what we want to do—and not do—with the rest of our lives.
1
A few months and many deaths ago, I woke up exhausted, again. Every morning, I felt like I was rebuilding myself from the ground up. Waking up was hard. Getting to my desk to write was hard. Taking care of my body was hard. Remembering the point of it all was hard.
Activism burnout is particularly rife among Black racial justice activists, not only because they are fighting a centuries-old fight, but they’re also experiencing something called racial battle fatigue.
It can be difficult for activists to admit to themselves and to those around them that they might need a break. There are stigmas both within and outside activist communities that contribute to the shame and guilt many feel when prioritizing their own mental and physical wellbeing.
Self-care is not escapism: It’s a way to remain present, connected, and committed. Here's how to battle burnout if you're an activist.
Embodied practice creates the potential for a unifying perspective and it can inspire new ways for activists to participate in community outreach, sisterhood, and self-care.
I learned very early that to survive in this broken world there is a never-ending need to “support, nurture, and protect what we hold dear” to keep it from being damaged, hurt, or destroyed ……which also includes myself.
After nearly a year of dealing with this pandemic, I decided it was time to reach out to my community to discuss the challenges we were all facing. The biggest challenge being burnout.
Creative agencies thrive when the people who work there are in a healthy state of mind.
Creativity is fragile: it needs to be fed enough inspiration, but not too much, for consuming an excessive amount of information may destroy its delicate balance. It needs space to grow, but should not be forced, for mechanical work may lead to lifeless output.