I think of the privilege I have living in first world comfort, surrounded by books that speak of liberation and decolonization, the luxury to write, think, and talk for a living, contemplating my own colonization and the suppression of my people with some idea that we would get free someday. How can a middle class girl even think "revolutionary" thoughts amidst such privilege? Oh, the privilege to think. And to dream. To imagine another world is possible with despair all around me. Despair which is not mine today but which is present with somebody in this city today.
Is there a key to liberation for our folks when such inequality exists, such divergent realities co-exist?
Yay! I will be reading this blog regularly...
ReplyDeleteOH MY!! Thank you for this post!! I wish I read this sooner. I have been trying to write about my middle class privilege since I left grad school in '07. I am always thinking about my mother and siblings..who continue to live as working class. While their daughter/sister relish in this "middle class" lifestyle. I think the path of imagining another world is NECESSARY. And our actions and commitment to working with and not FOR our communities is very important. I think you are right and I appreciate your honesty I have not been able to verbally expose my thoughts on the privileges I can afford as I sit on this desk writing out my thoughts while our sisters and brothers in and outside of the U.S. do not share the same lived realities that I do. But I am comforted by the fact that I recognize my privilege. I also am aware that we must be willing to put our theory into praxis (like Freire tells us) so I know that I have more work to do....
ReplyDeleteI think you pose a super-important question. I do not know the answer to it..but I still simmer in the idea/proposition of a radical black feminist anti-imperialist approach to doing away with the white supremacist capitalist project. But that's all I got right now. :( I am aware that it is more complex than this. Also that to mobilize a collective struggle would require us to think, reflect, and act and learn from our elders (Black Panther Party-as patriarchs, etc.) mistakes in order to move forward. I also believe that a grassroots struggle is central. What do you think?? I think we should really consider a gathering of like-minded sisters/hermanas on this topic and your amazing thoughts on your blog..
THanks so much for this!!