By Calvin Trillin — 1964
From 1964: An encounter with Martin Luther King, Jr., during a summer of pressure.
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CLEAR ALL
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.
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.
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.