readinglist | |
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author | Hayes & Kaba |
status | read |
Prior to its selection for the book club, I had seen this book advertised in the pages of In These Times. I must confess that I had a hard time getting myself to read this book. I knew it was a book I would want to read, a book I needed to read. I am ashamed to admit that despite no personal involvement in any activism or organizing, I am exhausted. I want to believe that a better future is in our grasp, but that belief is so, so hard to hold onto. In her introduction, Kaba openly acknowledges that we are unlikely to ever see that better future, and as much as I despise the adherents of “fuck you, got mine”, it's hard to convince myself that an active struggle is worth it. I want to be someone who, if I must go down, will do so fighting tooth and nail, but some days waking up in the morning is hard enough.
Again, I have been in no way active in any efforts for change. The sum total of my involvement in any activism was a July 2020 march in Jackson, whereas Hayes and Kaba have been organizing for decades. Their exhaustion is earned; what right do I have? Certainly that was part of my difficulty in getting myself to open this book. Figuring out how to connect with activist communities is a daunting task on its own — it's a not-insignificant part of what drew me to the book club in the first place. Then there's the matter of contributing: with so few social wins in my own life, what could I possible have to add to a movement? Yes, I have skills, but I fail to see how they could be helpful in serving the local area.