What an exciting time to be alive. 2012 is in full swing and I've been trying to consider the best ways I can use my skills, knowledge and experience to enjoy this precious existence in a way that is fulfilling, enjoyable and empowering for myself as well those I work and play with. Solidarity seems to be the key for me and finding strength and joy through the synergy we find through cooperating with others the essence of achieving these aims.
In order to stay focussed and motivated I regularly reflect on the point of being alive asking myself what are the best and worst things that I'm aware of. I consider the things which fill me with rage and sorrow as well as joy and happiness. I consider the worst situations I've been in, the worst situations I'm aware of that other people have been in and I explore how those situations can be overcome. I reflect on everything I'm grateful for, the various ways in which I'm privileged and how I can use these privileges in a way that is positive and empowering for everyone involved. To be alive, to have blood pumping through my veins and air flowing through my lungs, to have the capacity to act, to choose what I do next is an incredible gift that not everyone is able to enjoy to the extent to which I can. I am determined not to waste this opportunity and I feel constantly inspired and encouraged by those around me who are doing what they can to make the most of their existence.
My choices and the choices of those around me are however inherently limited due to the nature of living in a capitalist society that seeks to divide and conquer us, deprive us of the access to resources that are rightfully ours and exclude us from taking part in the decisions that dictate the shape of our communities and the lives we are able to lead. We live a world of abundance under a system that allows a minority to eat the vast bulk of the cake which is baked by the masses. If we're lucky we get the crumbs and it's a fucking piss take. I don't think that 'Being the change you wish to see in the world' is enough. The change I want to see involves people relating to each other differently without their activities, desires and lives being controlled by money. It would involve collectively resisting the ever encroaching logic of capitalism and the different ways in which it steals everything from us before putting a price tag on it and selling it back to us at profit. It would involve reclaiming what has been stolen from us over hundreds of years as well as collectively creating alternative ways of living that meet all of our needs and wants. It would involve a mass refusal and creation that would simultaneously withdraw support from a system that is killing humanity and stifling our development whilst also implementing everything we know about the art of living, learning, loving and flourishing as life on this planet.
How do we do this? There is no single answer. There are many different aspects of our existence which we can choose to engage with differently, whether it's education, decision making, food, housing, transport, art, media, it's all up for grabs. But what should I do? What should you do? What do you enjoy doing and what do you want to do? How could you do what you love in way that contributes towards the solution more than the problem? How can you do what you love doing with others in way that creates synergy and sends ripples of empowerment and inspiration throughout your communities?
Everyone's circumstances are different and we can all fight from where we stand, seeking improvements in our daily lives by organising alternatives with others whilst simultaneously resisting the restrictions that are imposed upon us by the state and capitalism. What I can achieve is nothing compared to what we can achieve together and by asking each other questions, listening to each others stories, thoughts, perspectives and opinions, whilst sharing our own in a spirit of mutual respect and solidarity we can begin to shine light on ways of moving forward and beyond our present reality. In order for me to fulfil my potential, as someone who is a product of the social conditions and people by whom I have been shaped, conditioned and affected by, it's in my own interests that you all fulfil your potential. We can only do this by acting together. By helping each other we help ourselves. So, what now?
What do you think are the most important questions we should be asking? What are the answers?
Monday 5 March 2012
Friday 13 January 2012
Reflecting on 2011 (Part 2): Goals for 2012
Lengths 13 – 14: What do I hope to achieve in the year ahead? This year I am involved in various creative and critical youth work projects which form the core of my passion and focus for the year ahead. I am also a support worker for a friend with learning difficulties and in my own time I am involved in the City-Zen events collective, City-Zine community magazine and the RamPAGES critical newsletter. I am also an MC and spoken word artist who over the last few years has only really channelled my creativity into the youth work projects I've been involved in rather than writing for myself and others outside of work. This year I plan for that to change. I would also like to support Sound Bites wholefood cooperative more as well as the Social Change Library upstairs in Yaffle Cafe that I helped to set up a few years ago.
This year I want the impact we have on the youn gpeople at Baby People PRU to be more potent than ever before. I have been asked to take a lead on helping implement a more critical global youth work based approach to our work which ultimately entails engaging young people with the issues that impact upon their lives and encouraging them to ask questions which we then collectively critically explore before helping to support them take action towards the creation of a more just, equitable and sustainable society. We always start with the personal then move to the local, national and global helping each other understand the interconnectedness and global nature of our daily lives. The theme for the first term was Past, Present, Future, the second term is Derbz on the Map and the third term will be No More Lives Lost, which moves logically from the personal to the local to the national/global. The young people shall produce mix tapes, perform and organise community events that aim to bring people together, raise awareness and inspire people to take action for social change.
Other projects that I'm working on this year include Shake The Dust which is working with young people in Nottingham to help them train to become slam poets that shall compete in a slam poetry tournament as a part of the cultural olympiad. I am also helping with a Global Education Derby project called 'Money, Power, Respect' which is going to be banging. It's working with local MCs and musicians in Derby to critically explore the themes of money, power and respect before creatively expressing themselves through music and lyric writing. Those involved in the project shall develop vital organisational and community development skills as well as be given the opportunity to put out mix tapes, music videos, deliver workshops to young people all over the city and finally perform at a huge finale event. The final project I look forward to is going back to work for the Challenge Network over the summer who work with young people aged 16 from all over the country. The Challenge Network take young people on residentials and empower them to become more confident, capable, cooperative, critical minded citizens.
I am also excited to be the chair of the management committee of Global Education Derby which is a critical, progressive, global education charity. I'm really enjoying helping it move towards being a more decentralised, autonomous and democratic organisation which operates in a way that is aligned with the values that exist at it's core. I also really look forward to helping the City-Zen collective continue their good work in entertaining, educating, involving and inspiring the community through their street events, film showings, workshops and fund raising events and I also aim to keep pushing the cause of free-expression whilst providing a platform for the people via the open, uncensored community magazine City-Zine as well as also researching and writing critically about global capitalism and the Con-Dem governments absurdly unjust policies for the RamPAGES newsletter. I hope to see more activity occur with Derby Uncut and the Occupation movement and last but far from least I'm going to write, record and perform more. Watch this space and get in touch if you'd like to help out or get involved in anyway. The more the merrier and your help would be deeply appreciated.
Resistance, Creativity, Praxis and Progress. x
This year I want the impact we have on the youn gpeople at Baby People PRU to be more potent than ever before. I have been asked to take a lead on helping implement a more critical global youth work based approach to our work which ultimately entails engaging young people with the issues that impact upon their lives and encouraging them to ask questions which we then collectively critically explore before helping to support them take action towards the creation of a more just, equitable and sustainable society. We always start with the personal then move to the local, national and global helping each other understand the interconnectedness and global nature of our daily lives. The theme for the first term was Past, Present, Future, the second term is Derbz on the Map and the third term will be No More Lives Lost, which moves logically from the personal to the local to the national/global. The young people shall produce mix tapes, perform and organise community events that aim to bring people together, raise awareness and inspire people to take action for social change.
Other projects that I'm working on this year include Shake The Dust which is working with young people in Nottingham to help them train to become slam poets that shall compete in a slam poetry tournament as a part of the cultural olympiad. I am also helping with a Global Education Derby project called 'Money, Power, Respect' which is going to be banging. It's working with local MCs and musicians in Derby to critically explore the themes of money, power and respect before creatively expressing themselves through music and lyric writing. Those involved in the project shall develop vital organisational and community development skills as well as be given the opportunity to put out mix tapes, music videos, deliver workshops to young people all over the city and finally perform at a huge finale event. The final project I look forward to is going back to work for the Challenge Network over the summer who work with young people aged 16 from all over the country. The Challenge Network take young people on residentials and empower them to become more confident, capable, cooperative, critical minded citizens.
I am also excited to be the chair of the management committee of Global Education Derby which is a critical, progressive, global education charity. I'm really enjoying helping it move towards being a more decentralised, autonomous and democratic organisation which operates in a way that is aligned with the values that exist at it's core. I also really look forward to helping the City-Zen collective continue their good work in entertaining, educating, involving and inspiring the community through their street events, film showings, workshops and fund raising events and I also aim to keep pushing the cause of free-expression whilst providing a platform for the people via the open, uncensored community magazine City-Zine as well as also researching and writing critically about global capitalism and the Con-Dem governments absurdly unjust policies for the RamPAGES newsletter. I hope to see more activity occur with Derby Uncut and the Occupation movement and last but far from least I'm going to write, record and perform more. Watch this space and get in touch if you'd like to help out or get involved in anyway. The more the merrier and your help would be deeply appreciated.
Resistance, Creativity, Praxis and Progress. x
Wednesday 11 January 2012
Reflecting on 2011 (Part 1)
As we close the door on one of the most fascinating years I've personally experienced as a living, breathing sentient being we find ourselves as a species standing on the precipice. 2012 is here in full affect and fuck knows what to expect. End of the world? Global Revolution? Well, I guess there are somethings we can control more than others and after what has been a pretty depressing couple of weeks for yours truly I attempt to sobre up, make a plan, get some sleep and continue to attempt to make something of this one life we have on this earth.
Today has been the day when I get my shit together, take my head out my arse (to an extent) and start trying to take a bit more responsibility for my existence. For the last two weeks I've been wallowing in self-pity, dissapointment and a deep sense of isolation and loneliness that hit me like an apocolyptic comet that wasn't on the radar. There are many factors involved but that's getting boring now. What's exciting however is that I'm alive, I'm full of potential and I have the capacity to develop, to learn, to love, to overcome and to proactively choose what I do with my life. If all of us proactively chose to work together and take action collectively then no doubt we could create a world based on our deepest desires and dreams.
For my first blog entry of 2012 I want to share with you something I do whenever I'm feeling demotivated, depressed or generally out of touch with what matters. Every week I go swimming, usually 2 or 3 times and I do a series of thought exercises over about 25 lengths. Every 2 lengths I focus on a particular question as a way of gaining a more balanced and concentrated perspective on the things that matter. Today I began by diving into the pool and swam the first 8 lengths trying to meditate, to think of nothing, to feel the water against my skin, feel the air in my lungs but think of nothing. I find it almost impossible but that's the nature of the game. Thoughts come and go yet we aim to be completely in the moment, no thoughts, just awake, aware, concentrated and at one.
Lengths 8 – 10: What are my motivations? I am for pleasure, against pain, for peace, against war, for equality, against authority, for love against hate, for happiness, against depression, for solidarity, against division, for sustainability, against environmental destruction, for joy, against sorrow, for life, against death, for participation, against exclusion, for creativity, against consumerism, for freedom, against oppression, for critical thinking, against indoctrination, for D.I.Y culture and collectives, against the corporations and hierarchy, for anarchism, against capitalism....
Lengths 11 -12: What did I achieve last year? In Feb SE asked me to facilitate an intergenerational community day in Brum, myself RR and JC facilitated an Open Space Technology workshop in Derby, In March I organised with the help of loads of ace people a For The People 30th birthday special that raised funds for City-Zine at Redemption which was followed shortly by the March 23rd,protests in London. In April myself, RR and JC organised an Open Space Technology meeting on the day of the Royal Wedding, in June I helped organise and host Love Music Hate Racism, myself and JS dipped our toes in the water of street performance by the waterfall on the same day as the City-Zen Collective organised a fundraiser for Movimento Passe Livre, I helped to build for the J30 strike, in July I organised a series of popular education workshops about understanding the spending cuts followed in August by a series about resisting the spending cuts, I applied for a job at the national summer residential youth project the Challenge Network as a team mentor but got asked to apply for senior mentor then eventually got employed as Assistant Team Leader, in September I helped to host and promote Derby Music Month as well as perform on the splash stage by the waterfall as a part of Derby Feste, throughout October and November I helped to facilitate a part of the Sound Track Derby project through QUAD which culminated in an excellent performance by some very talented MCs, in October myself RS, RR and JH attended the Radical Media Conference and shortly after published and distributed the first edition of the RamPAGES newsletter, whilst in London that weekend we participated in the Block The Bill action called by UK Uncut and also took action the following week against the Royal Bank of Scotland with Derby Uncut, on November 5th City-Zen Against the Cuts took to the Derby market square for the first of many street events, which was also accompanied that day by an action by Derby Uncut against Primark and Burtons, throughout November I helped to build towards the N30 strikes which City-Zen also took to the streets for, in November & DecemberI also helped to facilitate an anti-capitalism workshop, film showings of the Take and the Shock Doctrine as well as a workshop about Civil Unrest for a Global Youth Work regional conference in Nottingham, on December 17th City-Zen took to the streets again with a free shop, info stall, entertainment, food and more for Shop Less, Share More City-Zen and finally the young people I work with at Baby People Pupil Referral Unit launched their first mixtape which we'd been working on that term and 1000 copies of City-Zine 15 was also published just in time for Christmas. Much love, thanks and solidarity to everyone who was involved in all of these different projects throughout the year. Keep up the good work.
Lengths 13 – 14...to be continued
Today has been the day when I get my shit together, take my head out my arse (to an extent) and start trying to take a bit more responsibility for my existence. For the last two weeks I've been wallowing in self-pity, dissapointment and a deep sense of isolation and loneliness that hit me like an apocolyptic comet that wasn't on the radar. There are many factors involved but that's getting boring now. What's exciting however is that I'm alive, I'm full of potential and I have the capacity to develop, to learn, to love, to overcome and to proactively choose what I do with my life. If all of us proactively chose to work together and take action collectively then no doubt we could create a world based on our deepest desires and dreams.
For my first blog entry of 2012 I want to share with you something I do whenever I'm feeling demotivated, depressed or generally out of touch with what matters. Every week I go swimming, usually 2 or 3 times and I do a series of thought exercises over about 25 lengths. Every 2 lengths I focus on a particular question as a way of gaining a more balanced and concentrated perspective on the things that matter. Today I began by diving into the pool and swam the first 8 lengths trying to meditate, to think of nothing, to feel the water against my skin, feel the air in my lungs but think of nothing. I find it almost impossible but that's the nature of the game. Thoughts come and go yet we aim to be completely in the moment, no thoughts, just awake, aware, concentrated and at one.
Lengths 8 – 10: What are my motivations? I am for pleasure, against pain, for peace, against war, for equality, against authority, for love against hate, for happiness, against depression, for solidarity, against division, for sustainability, against environmental destruction, for joy, against sorrow, for life, against death, for participation, against exclusion, for creativity, against consumerism, for freedom, against oppression, for critical thinking, against indoctrination, for D.I.Y culture and collectives, against the corporations and hierarchy, for anarchism, against capitalism....
Lengths 11 -12: What did I achieve last year? In Feb SE asked me to facilitate an intergenerational community day in Brum, myself RR and JC facilitated an Open Space Technology workshop in Derby, In March I organised with the help of loads of ace people a For The People 30th birthday special that raised funds for City-Zine at Redemption which was followed shortly by the March 23rd,protests in London. In April myself, RR and JC organised an Open Space Technology meeting on the day of the Royal Wedding, in June I helped organise and host Love Music Hate Racism, myself and JS dipped our toes in the water of street performance by the waterfall on the same day as the City-Zen Collective organised a fundraiser for Movimento Passe Livre, I helped to build for the J30 strike, in July I organised a series of popular education workshops about understanding the spending cuts followed in August by a series about resisting the spending cuts, I applied for a job at the national summer residential youth project the Challenge Network as a team mentor but got asked to apply for senior mentor then eventually got employed as Assistant Team Leader, in September I helped to host and promote Derby Music Month as well as perform on the splash stage by the waterfall as a part of Derby Feste, throughout October and November I helped to facilitate a part of the Sound Track Derby project through QUAD which culminated in an excellent performance by some very talented MCs, in October myself RS, RR and JH attended the Radical Media Conference and shortly after published and distributed the first edition of the RamPAGES newsletter, whilst in London that weekend we participated in the Block The Bill action called by UK Uncut and also took action the following week against the Royal Bank of Scotland with Derby Uncut, on November 5th City-Zen Against the Cuts took to the Derby market square for the first of many street events, which was also accompanied that day by an action by Derby Uncut against Primark and Burtons, throughout November I helped to build towards the N30 strikes which City-Zen also took to the streets for, in November & DecemberI also helped to facilitate an anti-capitalism workshop, film showings of the Take and the Shock Doctrine as well as a workshop about Civil Unrest for a Global Youth Work regional conference in Nottingham, on December 17th City-Zen took to the streets again with a free shop, info stall, entertainment, food and more for Shop Less, Share More City-Zen and finally the young people I work with at Baby People Pupil Referral Unit launched their first mixtape which we'd been working on that term and 1000 copies of City-Zine 15 was also published just in time for Christmas. Much love, thanks and solidarity to everyone who was involved in all of these different projects throughout the year. Keep up the good work.
Lengths 13 – 14...to be continued
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