January was quite a year, amirite? We could barely raise a glass to celebrate Georgia turning blue before we realized that our nation’s Capitol was being overrun by a phalanx of insurrectionists! No sooner had I accepted that we’d all have to suffer through a second impeachment trial than I was blindsided by the magnificence of Michelle Obama’s pantsuit at the long-awaited, mercifully peaceful inauguration of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris. The whiplash effect has been real!
Over the past year of really digging into my work with Heart of the Village, one of the most important lessons that I’ve learned is this: when I do anti-racism work, I must expect the unexpected and learn to be comfortable with the inevitability of change-especially if the change is negative and unwanted. Fighting racism and working towards ending it means that new, wholly unexpected challenges will inevitably present themselves when you least expect them. And since all of us at HOTV are really getting into the groove of this work, we want to help you meet those challenges and avoid apathy onset and burnout by sharing our own experiences and strategies with you!
The most important step is finding the crew that’s aligned with your values on social justice. The next step is joining up with them and beginning the work. And for me, the people that are most aligned with my desire to serve the community through education and local action are the amazing beings at Heart of the Village.
I’m a Black woman who's lived in Mill Valley for almost ten years and over those years I've been asked twice, as I either walked up my own stairs or was unloading groceries from my car, if I worked there and if I was interested in taking on any more clients. According to Nextdoor I’m not the only Black or brown woman that’s had to put up with this. But despite that and countless other micro-aggressions that I and my children have had to endure, I love this little town. And while I’m on the receiving end of a lot of love and appreciation most days, dealing with subtle or overt racism (bizarrely, sometimes the subtle racism is the worst) makes me feel terribly lonely at times. Or it used to feel lonely. It certainly doesn’t now that I’m a member of Heart of the Village.
In spite of a decisive victory, the 2020 election had some pretty dramatic fallout that sent me into at least a few downward spirals. I mean, we actually had a Trump Caravan show up in the Target parking lot in Marin City! But as I look back and reflect, I am so grateful that I have my work with HOTV because it gives me a way to take my anguish and impatience and transmute it into positive action and results in real-time. Whatever the news story, whatever the tragedy or controversy, when the realities of experiencing or witnessing real live racism hit close to home, it is such a comfort to know I am working alongside people that are acting to end racism and who, despite their own privilege, think about it every single day. How do I know this? Because I speak, text, or Zoom with them about it just about every day. Doing the work, right here in your own community helps alleviate the frustration and anger.
Heart of the Village began as an idea. And now, in 2021 we are a real collective with a mission. And for those readers who are hearing about us for the first time, here’s a little info about us. Heart of the Village is a community of people in Southern Marin, both BIPOC and white identifying, who are working every day to unlearn their biases, cease their passive participation in institutional racism or share our experiences about the challenges of being Black or Brown in Marin. We're a group of Mill Valley residents (moms, educators, advocates, community organizers) who decided to start educating ourselves and take local action to interrupt racism and engage in DEI work that makes Marin a place where everyone belongs and feels welcomed.
We organize educational events to teach people about privilege and institutional racism, host candidates forums, write monthly blogs and newsletters that highlight volunteer/collaboration/learning opportunities that deepen and improve our relationship with our dear neighbors in Marin City and support the brilliant work they've already been doing for years. We have representation on the Mill Valley DEI task force, support the creation of a permanent DEI Commission and of course, enthusiastically support the Black Lives Matter movement. And we really welcome more folks of color and men to join us. And the best part? Both the concept of and the work that I do with HOTV actually MAKES ME FEEL BETTER. Mentally and physically, y’all, I am not joking.
Whenever one of the insane events of 2020 - Jan 2021 happened over the past year and a half, we've come together to cry, gnash our teeth and rend our garments. Then we dry our tears, brush each other off, lift our chins and get back to work right here-knowing that what we do is making this little valley a better place to raise our children.
We welcome you all and can’t wait for you to join us for an amazing year of what beloved departed civil rights hero, Representative John Lewis, called “good trouble.” We’re planning more education sessions, one-on-one interviews with community leaders, and live Zoom updates from our local officials. It’s going to be a great year and we’re so glad you’re here with us!
Yours in love, power and soul,
Halicue