A Message From Our Founder

Jan 26

Since organizing with Grimalkin and seeing the small but greatly meaningful progress we've made, it has shifted my perspective in understanding our individual power to collectively leverage positive changes for ourselves as marginalized working musicians. I can see a better future for us because although the progress is small, it has been steady.

I'm older than most folks at Grimalkin and was in a different position than most to get this project going due to decades of life and work experience. I've experienced poor financial and work conditions and multiple kinds of injustice and trauma from babyhood to adulthood. I've dedicated myself to this work and newfound perspective. We all have privilege. Recognize yours and bring it to the collective table to help advance the larger movement. It's powerful.

I've proven I am committed and put in countless time and labor to drive us forward in our progress. I've shown progress is possible, and as someone who has led this project, I walk the talk every day. Now it's time for those of you who can to donate time, resources, knowledge, connections, and money.

It's not enough to say you're radical or an abolitionist. We want freedom to make a living wage without having to work 40+ hours a week. People deserve rest and time to experience joys in life outside of work and capitalism.

It's not enough to complain about injustice and capitalism. It's not enough to make social media posts about these things and make empty promises from behind a keyboard.

Look at this grassroots spike in support around June 2020, the month after the murder of George Floyd. It's gross it took murders of Black people by police to bring non-Black people to action. It's even more disgusting how it has declined since then. All those promises to do better and white people's white guilt which led them to take action has faded in time. It was all talk and performative.

If you feel guilty reading this, then you are guilty, but that doesn't serve anyone except capitalism and white supremacy. Turn that negative energy into action that contributes to collective support and freedom.

Be a part of the solution and join us. -Grim Kells