The Sunday Column.

By: Alexis Shoats

Prioritizing joy in the midst of adversity. A message, A sermon, A mindset. In recent days, Black and Brown communities have been targeted at a heightened level. The year has felt like a constant battlefield. Although that is the story of Black and Brown communities throughout lifetimes and generations. I would be lying if there wasn’t more of an abundance of caution that hangs in the air for those of us who belong to these communities. Finding and prioritizing joy will be essential to enduring all attacks. 

I previously wrote an article titled, “Audre Lorde’s Self-Care approach should be yours as well,” inspired by her novel A Burst of Light and Other Essays. Common themes that Lorde explores come up in this novel, such as the allyship between women regardless of sexuality, intersectional feminism, health, and being a Black lesbian. However, in her final chapters, she briefly discusses the role self-care plays in the fight against racism, xenophobia, and discrimination. In my article, I compare Lorde’s self-care approach to modern-day routines. If your first thought is that self-care isn’t political, I beg to differ, and I think so would Audre Lorde. I encourage you to read the article and discover how it reveals that neither approach is inherently wrong, and although modern-day self-care routines are influenced by capitalist interests, they still work to serve you. Pouring into yourself, feeding your soul, and prioritizing your physical health, is one of the most important ways to prioritize joy in the midst of adversity and curb fatigue. 

My apologies for the detour from our regular Sunday Column conversation. I would feel remiss if I did not address our current political environment and offer a way to deal with it. After all, joy and relaxation are at the core of a perfect Sunday and ushering in a new week. 

I hope your week is better than the last. 

Alexis Shoats 

Editor - In - Chief