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Racial Justice

These posts address racial justice, whiteness, white supremacy, and intersectional (in)equities. Posts ask: How can we act on a commitment to racial justice? And on related commitments to social, gender, economic, environmental, and other forms of justice?

Q&A with Rasha Diab: Pursuing Peace as Everyday Practice

Filed Under: Everyday Feminism, Higher Education, Interviews, Racial Justice By Beth Godbee August 11, 2020 Leave a Comment

This photo from the 2014 Watson Conference shows the two of us—Beth Godbee (left) and Rasha Diab (right)—standing side-by-side; wearing a mix of blue, black, and green; in front of a brick wall.

Since starting this series of interviews, I’ve wanted to highlight Rasha Diab, because she’s one of the most important people in my life. More than a co-author and friend, Rasha is truly an accountability partner: the first person I turn to process experiences, to understand emotions, to grow into new understandings, to repair harm I’ve done, and much more, including to laugh and cry and rage. Rasha has a way of holding potential—visualizing the best self—while staying ... Read more ...

Writing a Commitment Statement

Filed Under: Contemplative Practices, Everyday Feminism, Racial Justice By Beth Godbee July 31, 2020 Leave a Comment

This photo shows Beth Godbee, Ph.D. -- sitting on a rock surrounded by reflective water, leaves, and rocks. Photo taken at White Oaks Canyon in Shenandoah National Park (in the Appalachian Mountains).

What commitments (deep dedications and priorities) drive everyday living? This question feels essential for everyday living for justice. Too often, though, it remains unanswered or even unarticulated. Without knowing what matters to us deeply—so deeply that it mobilizes, energizes, and guides decision-making—it’s too easy to be on autopilot and to feed the status quo, even when it undermines professed beliefs. To interrupt the autopilot conditioning that preserves ... Read more ...

Resources for Sustaining Momentum and Doing Everyday Racial Justice Work

Filed Under: Emotional Literacies, Everyday Feminism, Racial Justice By Beth Godbee June 11, 2020 Leave a Comment

To provide a visualization of “resources for racial justice,” this photo shows colorful spines of books by Gloria Anzaldúa, Augusto Boal, Patricia Hill Collins, Paulo Freire, bell hooks, Audre Lorde, Elaine Richardson, and Alice Walker, among others.

We’re in a time of urgent and important work for racial justice: lots of action alongside lots of learning and unlearning. I’m deeply grateful for the leadership, actions, and visions offered through the Movement for Black Lives Matters. I’m deeply grateful for people reaching out, being in the streets, organizing actions, holding space, and diving deep into hurt and rage and grief and more. And I’m deeply grateful for being called to this work: both in this moment and ... Read more ...

Unraveling Whiteness: A Call for More Courage

Filed Under: Emotional Literacies, Everyday Feminism, Racial Justice By Beth Godbee May 28, 2020 2 Comments

This image shares the quote: “It’s lifelong work to unlearn whiteness … And as lifelong work, this is everyday work: work in the moment and work over time”—in black font against a light orange textbox and white border.

I’m thinking about whiteness—the structure, ideology, and everyday enactments—as I try to process (yet again) how white people weaponize whiteness. My heart is hurting with rage and grief from recent events, explained in these articles from The Root: “‘There’s an African-American Man Threatening My Life’: Karen Calls Police on Black Man for Asking Her to Leash Her Dog” “Outrage in Minneapolis after Black Man Dies in Custody Following Brutal Police Arrest: ‘I Cannot ... Read more ...

The Coach as Ideas Editor: How Coaching Facilitates Transformation

Filed Under: Everyday Feminism, Higher Education, Racial Justice By Beth Godbee February 29, 2020 Leave a Comment

A curved row of colored pencils point toward a colorful lightbulb. Lines shaping the lightbulb reach out up the pencils, linking ideas, creativity, and colorful expression.

This week, a dear friend stopped me mid-sentence and exclaimed: “Beth, you’re an ideas editor!” That’s language (a description for coaching) that I’d never considered. But my friend slowly explained that what I do isn’t just saying back what I hear and isn’t just asking a series of questions. Instead, it’s combining what I’ve learned in writing centers, through Reiki, and from years of mentoring writers and researchers. That is, coaching is holding up a mirror and ... Read more ...

Eating for Justice? Why Explore Relationships with Food

Filed Under: Everyday Feminism, Racial Justice, Why Vegan? By Beth Godbee January 23, 2020 Leave a Comment

This ad shares the webinar’s name “A Conversation about Our Relationship s with Food,” the date “Tuesday, January 28th at 8pm EST,” and the websiteaddress “Heart-Head-Hands.com.” Colorful foods are arranged along the bottom, and the background shows light gray wooden planks.

Relationships with food are tricky at all times of year, but this is especially the case in January. From the pressures of new year resolutions to weight-loss goals and fitness challenges, January highlights the swing from decadent December eating to body-shaming that’s associated with “getting in shape.” Or, in the words of a recent article by Zoe Fenson: “January is the month of body shaming. I’m tuning out.” In recent years, January has also been fashioned as ... Read more ...

Q&A with Traci Higgins: Being of Service in the World

Filed Under: Higher Education, Interviews, Racial Justice By Beth Godbee January 10, 2020 Leave a Comment

Photo shows Traci Higgins (right) and Alexa Eason (left), standing shoulder-to-shoulder, both dressed in black.

In this Q&A post, we learn from Traci Higgins, a governing board member of Kindred since 2017 and director of human resources of the Legal Services Corporation since 2012. Alexa Eason, intern with Heart-Head-Hands in fall 2019, initiated this interview with Traci, recognizing her years of work toward social and racial justice. Alexa and Traci met through the Georgetown Scholars Program: Alexa as a current scholar, Traci as a mentor. As Alexa says: On paper Traci ... Read more ...

When Speaking Up at the Holidays Means “Complaining” and Being the Killjoy

Filed Under: Emotional Literacies, Everyday Feminism, Racial Justice By Beth Godbee December 29, 2019 1 Comment

This image shows a stack of books with Thich Nhat Hanh’s How to Fight on the top, a blue bookmark sticking out—all against a blue background. These books teach about “complaining” and speaking up as a killjoy.

Last year, during the holidays, I blew up (yelling, cursing, and storming off), and the experience highlighted for me the need to embrace criticisms that I’m “too sensitive,” “too critical,” and “too complaining.” On the day I blew up, I was so overwhelmed, disconnected, and worn down by systemic oppression that my body couldn’t take it. I held myself together until I couldn’t hold it in anymore: then, I released a tidal wave of rage. I’m still processing, but I’m ... Read more ...

Q&A with Mel Meder: Why Support generative somatics

Filed Under: Contemplative Practices, Everyday Feminism, Interviews, Racial Justice By Beth Godbee December 3, 2019 Leave a Comment

Photo of three generative somatics students in jo practice. Used with permission of gs.

In this Q&A post, we learn from Mel Meder about the importance and possibilities of generative somatics—a deeply embodied practice and theory for creating transformative change. I met Mel several years ago through a mutual friend in Madison, Wisconsin, and I’ve since been learning from Mel about the work of fundraising for organizations that we deeply care about and want to support. generative somatics is one of those organizations, which is why we’re highlighting ... Read more ...

3 Reasons to Participate in the 40-Day Practice on Strengthening Emotional Literacies to Counter White Fragility

Filed Under: Emotional Literacies, Racial Justice By Beth Godbee November 20, 2019 Leave a Comment

Referral from Mel (participant from Pennsylvania): “The experience taught me a lot about what it takes to actively practice anti-racism.”

Starting on November 22nd and running for the final 40 days of 2019, I’m offering the “40-Day Practice: Strengthening Emotional Literacies to Counter White Fragility.” Every time I offer this practice (this will be my third and second online), I get a lot of questions, including what this work involves, why it asks for a commitment of 40 days, and why it focuses on emotions. Though I hope the course description answers many of these questions—and I’m happy to answer ... Read more ...

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Embodied knowledge matters. So do commitments. And especially acting on commitments as part of everyday life, BIG and small. This website—a mix of blog posts and research writing, courses and offerings—shares ongoing efforts toward everyday living (feeling, thinking, and doing) for justice.

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bethgodbee

I’m really excited about @soulsupportlc and hope I’m really excited about @soulsupportlc and hope you’ll check out David (@dgs425)’s coaching support. 💗 See you at the launch?

#Repost @ericdarnellpritchard with @make_repost
・・・
Congratulations, David! 💜😭✨🌻🎉💃🏿💕 Today my beloved announced that he has decided to leave his position as a tenure-track faculty member in order to create more space to serve his purpose as a healer. Doing so, he has formally launched his life coaching practice, @soulsupportlc. I say formally because David has been a life coach to me and many of our kindred for a very long time. I am so glad he has chosen to share his gifts and serve his purpose more widely. Please follow his work at @soulsupportlc AND if your time permits, please register and attend the Soul Support Life Coaching virtual launch on June 30. Link in my bio!
vacation mode = cloud watching [Photo is taken l vacation mode = cloud watching 

[Photo is taken looking up at trees, clouds, and blue sky.]

#learningfromnature #cloudwatching #lookingup #trees #sky
I'm starting some time off for hiking and visiting I'm starting some time off for hiking and visiting family this week. And here's a photo of me at a North Carolina welcome center, high in the Appalachian Mountains, standing before a wall of blooming rhododendrons. I'm tired from all-day driving, but so happy to be deep in the mountains and surrounded by blues, greens, and even pinks! <3

#appalachianmountains #rhodadendron #blueridgemountains #home
Today’s newsletter points in multiple directions Today’s newsletter points in multiple directions, much like this turkey tail mushroom. (I love the striations of copper, cream, and olive green on these curly tails.)
 
Here’s a link to the newsletter on tending to brokenheartedness and burnout: https://mailchi.mp/99bd4ad2e962/burnout --> link in bio, too.
 
And if you aren’t receiving my newsletter but would like to, there’s a link to subscribe at the email’s end (just scroll to the bottom).
 
#LearningFromNature #HeartHeadHands #newsletter #brokenheartedness #burnout #resources
🧡🧡🧡 This touches my heart. Grounding and 🧡🧡🧡 This touches my heart. Grounding and guiding.

#Repost @yallaroza with @make_repost
・・・
The first person to show me the power of bearing witness was Helen, my first year Women and Gender Studies professor. Helen was a fierce feminist whose lectures felt more like prose, poetic and passionate. She made me want to take a hammer to patriarchy, and I loved it. 

With Helen, I felt safe enough to say the things I could barely articulate to myself. To name my wounds, to language hard truths, to let someone else in on my hurt. And with Helen, I felt held in those lived and living realities. There were no therapeutic interventions, no life adages, no solutions. There was simply a human being listening, honouring and affirming my experiences of misogyny, racism and sexual violence.

Years later, I forgot this wisdom. I went through therapeutic training(s) that, over time, left me feeling like that wasn't enough. That listening, and presence, and holding space for hurt wasn't enough. And in many aspects of life, I started to feel like I always needed a brilliant intervention that would offer an "aha moment." 

This week, I was reminded in many ways of the power of being present, of listening, of bearing witness. That you don't always need to have the answers, or offer your critical feminist thinking on a topic. You don't always need to have a solution, or advice. And you don't always need to intellectualize what someone's going through. Sometimes, you can just climb into the emotional fort they've built, grab a pillow, and be there. 

Yup, you can just be there, friend. And that's enough. 

(Consensually*)

♥️✨ Gratitude Tag: tag someone in your life who shows up in meaningful ways.
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About Beth Godbee

I'm an educator and former college professor who believes our fully embodied selves matter in the world. We can’t just think our way out of the incredible injustices, dehumanization, violence, and wrongdoing that characterize everyday life. We must feel and act, too. [Pronouns: she/her.] Read more ...

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