What I Value
First. I am about as far from perfect as anyone could get (in all the ways).
What’s also true is that i really do care, and I really do try to get it right.
In the trying, I’ll mess it up. (Though I do learn and improve).
All that said, here’s what you need to know about what’s important to me. (This is not a complete list.)
Land
I live and work on Tocobaga, Mascogo, Seminole, and Miccosukee ancestral lands.
Having said that, I don’t believe that any of us own Mama Earth. But I do recognize that those who came before were often much more cognizant of the living relationship between us all. I recognize, honor, and appreciate that.
Diversity
I know enough to know that I don’t know, and could never know, (or understand) what it’s like to live in a body covered in skin any color other than white. I believe it’s my responsibility to learn from those with different experiences, though. My commitment is to keep learning, and keep an open mind and willing heart to the best of my ability. Black, Brown, and Indigenous lives matter; and all lives CANNOT matter until those lives DO.
Identity
In terms of gender and sexual identity, it’s pretty simple. All human people deserve respect and appreciation and love regardless of their gender or sexual expression. And everyone has the right to choose how they identify and what pronouns / neopronouns they utilize. Period.
Abilities
As human people living in this world and in these times, we are a GORGEOUS tapestry of yarns weaving into (and out of) each others’ created pieces (lives). I celebrate that.
And, I won’t always do it perfectly. I’m still catching myself using ableist language and phrases, and am working toward breaking that habit. Please feel free to reach out and correct me if you see it somewhere here or anywhere I post.
Hope
I believe that decolonizing our minds and beings, re-engaging in real and deep community in the ways we’re able, learning to listen at least as much as we speak, and bringing an abiding sense of awareness to our interactions with others is what will begin to turn the tide and offer humanity a chance at not only survival moving forward… but true thriving.
My personal values
What I most value personally:
Freedom
Flexibility
5.
Integrity
1.
2.
Nourishment
3.
Wonder
4.
Kindness
6.
Responsibility
7.
Stability
8.
Self-Worth
9.
Perseverance
10.
People and Resources
I want a place to collect and share human people, and helpful resources, to lead us all into untangling these hardened webs we’ve grown up in. I’m hopeful that this page expands and needs to be broken into multiple pages due to the number of links shared here.
VIDEOS:
Iyabo Onipede: How to Avoid Being an Accidental Racist on YouTube.
BOOKS:
How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi
White Fragility: Why It's So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism by Robin DiAngelo
If you know of people, videos, books, courses (etc..) that are helpful & that you think I might want to include here, please reach out.
