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Thoughts of a Black Cultural Worker.

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Feb
24
Atena walking down the mountain, above Antigua, Guatemala,wearing a blue dress and her Black-on-Black kuffiyah.

Winter Newsletter: From Here to There, Still Here, Still Care

“Melvin noted that when collective action diminishes the effectiveness of ICE agents, their legitimacy is undermined. “These are not Robocop,
5 min read
Nov
19
Collage with 4 images (top left to bottom right): James Baldwin with mustache, an abstract cityscape, protest flier, protest sign closeup.

Creative Reflections: Reading, Writing & Resistance

Early to Bed, Early to Write 7 AM WRITING GROUP! That’s right, folks. All this month I have been
4 min read
Nov
14
Photo: Kelly Hayes - Atena addresses a crowd in Rogers Park, sharing a poem; people hold boards that spell RESIST ICE in lights behind her.

Creative Reflection: On the Necessity of Joy and/in Resistance…

First, 3 pieces of good news: * Our book, Read This When Things Fall Apart is on Bookshop.org's
4 min read
Nov
12
A map of some Home Depot locations north of Chicago

Spell/Prayer Said in the Car During Another Day of Abductions

Dear God - whatever protection you have...! To my Ancestors… any of you who ever escaped, those among you who
1 min read
Oct
29
Copy of ‘Read This’ on a Atena’s lap above a dark, carpeted airport floor. The book's cover features art by Ollie Costello, a night scene with a person in a lily pond.

Protecting One Another When Things Fall Apart: Fall 2025 Newsletter

"To refuse to give up is stubborn, creative, collective work.” – Kelly Hayes, from 'Read This When Things Fall
6 min read
Mar
28
Map of Montreat Wilderness, posted on a tree trunk, with green leafy plants in the background.

Care is a Verb: Finding Our Way with MAPS!

Care is A Verb: Maps! We didn’t get Care is A Verb last week: sorry about that! Between prepping
2 min read
Mar
11
Image: close-up photo of a sleepy tuxedo cat rests one paw on an open book.

Care is A Verb: Reading My Feelings Roundup

"Keep reading." — Mariame Kaba I think we can all agree that reality has been pretty fucked. I’ve
5 min read
Mar
02
Care is A Verb: Resources for Finding Your WE

Care is A Verb: Resources for Finding Your WE

[Image description: a black and white illustration of the outlines of mushrooms on the ground with a root system spreading
4 min read
Feb
22
NEW - Care is a Verb Roundup: Week of 2/17/25

NEW - Care is a Verb Roundup: Week of 2/17/25

Resources for Love-fueled Action I’ve decided to respond to the overwhelming degradation of our social contract by sharing helpful
3 min read
Feb
18
I am Atena’s Raging Bile Duct…

I am Atena’s Raging Bile Duct…

And I’m simmering down. Whewwww… Today was a very angry day. Thinking about Sam Norquist and federal government fails,
1 min read