It’s Black history month.
That means you’ll see a lot of performative content… that’ whitewashing the creativity, ingenuity and brilliance of Black Americans.
We’re going to try not to do that here.
Instead, I’m going to be uplifting the Black authors, activists, and educators who have shaped/are shaping the world we live in today…
..and whose wisdom I draw upon when I show up for my own work.
I want to start by naming adrienne maree brown. She is a Black, Queer, author, doula, facilitator, activist and organizer.
Her work is rooted in the history of Black Liberation, while looking towards the future of humanity.
I first learned of adrienne’s work through her book Emergent Strategy. This book informs the way I choose to build culture in the online business space.
Her work also introduced me to Octavia E Butler and afro-futurism in general.
I want to also uplift the works of Octavia E. Butler this week.
Octavia was a prolific speculative fiction author. Her books stood in contrast to the typical, white dominated sci-fi genre.
Her characters are complex and nuanced. Her storylines feel relatable and imaginative at the same time.
In particular, her Parable series transformed the way I think about our future on this planet.
Throughout the pandemic, I spent hours listening The Parables Podcast. In this podcast, adrienne and her co-host Toshi Reagon share their reflections on Octavia’s Parable of the Sower and Parable of the Talents
adrienne and Octavia have both played a vital role in my unlearning of white supremacy and patriarchal capitalism.
The wisdom they share through their words, allows me to acknowledge how I’ve been complicit in systems of oppression… without stewing in shame.
Their work inspires me to get explicit about how I intend to disrupt the current system. And fuels me as I build towards something that centers people, the planet, and our collective pleasure.
I believe that we can create a culture that values each person for their unique gifts.
I believe that we can extract ourselves from destructive capitalist/colonial practices that are decimating the environment.
And I believe that we can reclaim our inherent right to pleasure in that process.
adrienne’s 2019 anthology, Pleasure Activism, draws on Black Feminist Traditions. It also challenges us to find a way to bring pleasure into our social justice work.
And I’m centering that idea in my business as well.
Capitalism + Patriarchy both perpetuate the myth that physical pleasure is something reserved for cis/het/white men. For everyone else it’s deviant and shameful. (Let’s smash that myth shall we?)
But what if we could center pleasure in our work?
What if we could align our work with our desires, our joy, and our erotic satisfaction?
These are some of the questions adrienne is asking in her book on Pleasure Activism… and so I’m asking them of myself (and of you).
What about your work brings you a deep sense of pleasure?
Which aspects of your business light you up from the tips of your toes to the top of your head?
Is it possible for you to spend a bit more time focused on your pleasure, so the less pleasurable is less draining?
I would love to hear what comes up for you as I pose these questions.
If you feel like sharing, hit reply and let’s chat about blending your business and your pleasure.
Love + Liberation
Lauren Elizabeth