Reclamation

Have you seen that pharmaceutical commercial for hot flashes?

That commercial says that hot flashes are a potential side effect from taking it. Feels like a metaphor for what we have now. It doesn't work for everyone and creates more of the same. I watched a Patty Hearst documentary and it made me wonder if it's possible to be radical without violence.

Can we make changes without war and still work towards ending poverty, hunger, healthcare, and so on? I have to believe we can. What's been happening isn't working. The USA was founded on terror, murder and trauma in various ways.

One reason why I feel what Grimalkin is doing is critical is because we're striving to create support systems to help marginalized artists. As a nonprofit we have access to more resources than we would otherwise, and we make sure it goes to folks living today greatly affected by generational trauma.

I've been learning about wealth reclamation and it really opened my eyes further. Bottom line, Grimalkin's mission truly is focused on reclaiming wealth and resources for marginalized folks in our communities.

It's about empowerment and cultivating communities of folks who are willing to redistribute wealth and the access to resources to the folks that most need it while also cultivating creativity and self and community care.

We want to help and support folks but we're not interested in being rich and famous or compromising ourselves with music industry standards. We want a living wage and we want access to things that can help us live healthy fulfilling lives.

Sometimes someone reaches out or we meet someone and we're hopeful they're a great fit regarding our mission but then they don't embrace community care from their ultra fixation on wealth and fame.

That's not the norm but it happens enough and more often as we've been progressing. We wish people seeking seeking fame and fortune well, but Grimalkin isn't a good fit if that's your goal.

We don't mind being a stepping stone for folks, but if you're reaching out with that in mind, ask yourself if you share our values, and if possible, can you commit to continuing to support our mission in some way if you one day have the means and achieved wealth and/or fame?

A "no" says you're not a great fit. We need folks committed to working on peaceful, but hopefully radical ways, to get back what generations before us have lost due to global colonization, genocide and oppression.

In order to heal, we need to examine our history, not suppress, hide or change it. As people have pushed for this, the folks in power and those who have amassed great wealth, including generational wealth, work even harder to sustain capitalism, white supremacy and oppression in basically everything we currently have: state rights, prisons, schools, healthcare, and so on.

But collectively we have resources, wealth and power and we can make a difference and then continue to keep building on that. We've already proved it's possible but imagine being able to do that on a larger scale.

I'm humbled by what Grimalkin has already achieved. What seemed like a pipe dream can be reality even if it has to begin in very tiny ways. No need to hurry or rush. That's not how real change happens. We would not be here if it weren't for continuous ongoing commitment to what we're doing and an acknowledgement of what can be.

And even if it isn't successful and we never have freedom, working to make things better for people we know now in this moment in time wherever we are is the only real reason to exist.

No matter how many people are suffering, dying and feeling lost, no matter if it's the apocalypse or personal trauma, no matter whether we succeed or fail, the only good choice is working to learn and grow. Our choices are pretty limited in terms of what's healthy and does the least harm.

For anyone that has ever cared for humanity beyond themselves, we know we surely can do better. No one is coming to save us. We can work together in various and specific ways. I believe there are more of us that care than don't.

We're completely disconnected. That has to change. Those who desire real change need to come together in more structured and effective ways. I don't think Grimalkin has solutions. Our wellbeing, existence and free will is different depending who you are, your history and current circumstances.

How can we maintain a safe space for everyone? Is it possible? I surely hope it is. Our current services have evolved over time. We hope to continuously evolve and grow. I believe as humans we want to help and be better people, but some of us don't know how to do that in a healthy way.

And when I say "some of us" that includes me. I've had to work hard to get here. I was consumed by so much toxic behavior in my past. I loathed myself. There's no longer crippling shame but it would have been so much better if I realized how important my mental health is earlier BECAUSE it affects others most importantly, but poor mental health leads to more trauma, misery and deepens roots in all the toxic crap that exists unfettered and keeps growing through a lack of human compassion in government, education, healthcare, the arts, technology, science etc.

These are some thoughts that have been growing in my mind, especially in the last few weeks. The heartache we've faced in the last few weeks, years and currently will not and does not prevent us from our practice as wealth and resource mobilizers and they've been opportunities for us to commit and recommit to our mission as a community.