BASEMENT BABES

“Me Time” chart to Be Your Own Best Friend by Emily English 

By Cilola Magdalena

bend your knees to your chest,

feel the weight of your bones levy against the sun.

sky clad and unwashed,

brush branches of jamaican dogwood

against warm flesh,

the essence of your lusciousness

reflected in the apatite tones

in your skin.

made heady by amber smoke

you lay upon a grey rock

in which you are the one to make the waves shudder.

lap at the white foam at your feet,

paint the palms of your hands

with the liquor made of ink,

marbling the spit of a bird.

wet and vulnerable

you are the ivory crust

inside of a shell.

tomorrow,

dare we

move with the moon?

@cilolalolita on instagram

Comic by Brian Connolly (@nothingmattress)

Artwork by Electra Gardinier (@electralucille)

Check out more work by Electra on Instagram @electra.lucille

In the aftermath of the election, my close friend GG Irkalla and I felt it was important to launch a project that would provide a space for hope, strategy, and positive news on Facebook. Burn out is real -- and reactive, despairing politics from the political left is one of the causes. Instead of just reacting, we wanted to build a space where people could share and build holistic strategies for survival and resistance. We would share victories and positive news as well.

The result is a Facebook group called Radical Hope: Exploratory group, where a small seed group is building the foundations for a positive, left-wing "think tank for the future." Why a "think tank"? The right wing in the US has spent millions over many decades on think tanks and policy planning, resulting in a long-term strategy that produces many wins. Meanwhile, the left has often used its foundation monies to patch up holes in the social safety net. As a result, we see a very reactive, not proactive, left. We believe this contributes to not only losses politically but also the loss of hope.

For me, self care today should also be proactive, and not just reactive. Crafting positive, exciting visions for the future is part of that proactive self-care.

Having that balance between action and self-care is important. If we tip too much in either direction, we will lose. The key to our success is in the work we do, both to better this world and to heal ourselves in the process.

I asked some friends on Facebook to share their techniques. Based on their responses, here are some things you can do everyday that pull double duty in self-care and activism:

Take a walk. Go outside, put your phone on airplane mode and simply enjoy your immediate surroundings. A lot of friends recommended this one, and I agree. Walk for yourself to decompress, or get in your steps at the next protest/march.

Read. Don’t just read articles online that will make you sad or angry (though they keep you informed). Find literature that interests you. Reading is thought to improve our empathy, which makes sense since books open us to other perspectives. Books can also be a great escape.

Fact check. If you’re just scrolling and skimming headlines, you’re not getting the full story. The internet is rife with falsehoods or misrepresentations, and headlines are the WORST because they’re intentionally dramatic to grab your attention. Do yourself a favor: read the text and make sure to look around for other sources and how they report on the same information. Checking facts will empower you and help you stay focused on what matters. It will also save you from needlessly worrying about things that aren’t real.

Practice yoga. Yoga improves your strength, endurance and mindfulness: three qualities that will get us so far in this fight against Trumpism. Anything that will help you relax while toning your muscles is a big win, and there are plenty of free resources online to help you get started.

Find support. There is strength in numbers, and while there are plenty who feel the same way (some call us “the popular vote”), we’re spread all over the country, and it’s still possible to feel isolated. When you attend marches, protests and meetings, bring friends with you. Get together and talk - not just about politics, but about your life and your feelings.

Take breaks. Consuming information is important, but it will stress you out. Tune out once in awhile and do something purely fun. Spend time with your friends and family. Watch movies or go dancing. It’s hard to disengage entirely, but for the sake of your health and sanity, have some fun!

“Sometimes for me self-care is simply not giving into societal pressures...and just letting my lady garden grow wild and free...”

Click here to listen to the playlist

by Stephanie Cohen-Perez

Mirror, Mirror, U.S.A.,

How “American” do I look today?

But no amount of blending makeup will blend away

The amount of melanin in my skin

The texture of my hair

The way I roll my R’s

The scent of spices I love

The tinge of my mother’s accent, diluted but still present,

Once considered a present but now considered

A threat.

New policies policing the way we look at ourselves.

I am now so conscious of --

The way my hips swing when I walk

How much makeup is too much

How can I get less people to notice me

How can I hide my name / my gender / my race / my identity

A man boy whatever who does not understand

The worth of any other human is not

Worth any of my time or any space on this page

And his opinion isn’t worth

Shit.

I cannot and will not change my 

D amn

N atural

A ssets

But I can and will tell you that I can only be proud

Of the heated blood pumping through these American veins.  

self love self worth self respect

he thinks only of him self