“Somewhere, on the edge of consciousness, there is what I call a mythical norm, which each one of us within our hearts knows “that is not me.” In America, this norm is usually defined as white, thin, male, young, heterosexual, Christian, and financially secure. It is with this mythical norm that the trappings of power reside within this society.”
-Audre Lorde
All of us deserve to be loved and accepted for who we are and for our unique contributions.
Yet everyday, we have experiences that reinforce the idea that we have to act/look/dress/talk a certain way if we want to be accepted by society.
So people do their best to conform.
They hop from one fad diet to the next trying to get the mythical perfect body.
They pretend to be someone they’re not in an attempt to fit in.
They spend their whole lives trying to squish into this mythical box in the hopes or receiving that love and acceptance.
Because love and acceptance means community, safety and power.
But what if the currently accepted “way” of acting/looking/dressing/talking/etc was created to benefit a certain group?
Hint – it was. And guess who those benefactors are? The white, thin, hetero, christian, financially stable men the mythical norm holds high on a pedestal.
Especially in the United States and other places that have been colonized by the European Diaspora.
The people who represent the mythical norm (or those who have extreme proximity to it) become untouchable.
They hoarded and consolidated power…
They created false hierarchies and reaped resources on the backs of the poor…
And every day their system puts millions in grave danger.
Yet some folks are still trying to conform to the mythical norm… which reinforces and continually benefits the mostly white, male, cis, het, elite.
Why?
Because we desire the community, safety and power that comes from being love + accepted.
But what if we use our work to build communities and cultures that resist the Mythical Norm?
What if we approached harm with a process that aims to restore justice rather than to punish and oppress?
What if we centered folks who are marginalized by the current system?
What would our world look like then?
Well… I’ve been envisioning this world.
And in my visions, it looks communal, it looks a little messy, and it looks completely different from the world we live in now…
But it also it looks safe, and free, and it looks just.
This vision for the future is why I am so passionate about helping visionaries building radical culture with their work.
Because a supportive community is essential for our personal and collective healing.
Because giving ourselves permission to be messy allows us to emerge as our most authentic selves.
Because safety, freedom, and justice ought to be our birthright.
Do you have a vision for your work that helps our culture move away from the Mythical Norm and towards a more radical norm?
Do you need support figuring out how to bring that that new radical norm to life?
Right now I’m offering five Mission Mapping sessions for free. (And I’m really excited about them!)
In these 45 minute 1:1 sessions, I will help you unpack your unique contribution and build out a strategy that will activate your work for radical cultural change.
Together, we will map out your visionary mission statement and a plan to bring your vision for collective transformation to life.
These sessions are available on first come first serve basis, and all I am asking in exchange is your feedback on the session.
If you’re interested in booking one of these free Mission Mapping Sessions… reply to this email and I’ll send you the details and the link to register.
Love + Liberation,
Lauren Elizabeth