No. 1 - Viscosity Level: 3000
The first of many, it's thick, so let's dive in.
Here’s something to feel, something to learn, something to advocate for, and somethings I wear.
Something to Feel
On a Sunday evening a very good friend sent this to me and it felt as though everything I have ever felt, especially in the past 8 months fell away.
I am a chronic overthinker. I have always tried to anticipate what could happen next, how or what I could have done differently, imaginary conversations in the past, present and especially in the future. It is unending and unyielding. I know it stems from perfectionism, but the thing is, no amount of thinking can ever prepare you for the future, and most certainly can never and will never change the past, and most of the time keeps you from enjoying the present.
These words are something I should have tattooed on my forehead (as a few echo back “there’s enough room!”). It’s been a while since words have silenced the chaos in my mind. That have calmed the storm.
Grief and I have been good friends since I was six years old and experienced my first significant loss. I remember it so clearly, how confusing the feelings were and how familiar, yet foreign. Coming in waves without understanding, but having to accept them. Since then, it’s been a pattern in my life to experience a significant loss about every five years. I spent years trying to protect myself from it, yet grief, loss, is inevitable, and the sooner you learn to move through it, not get over it, or push it aside, or ignore it, or even compartmentalize it, the better. I will never be the one to say to you that it gets easier.
I thought, over this past year experiencing different, but equally as great, and one unfamiliar and new kind of loss, I had grief figured out. That I had gotten ‘efficient’ at processing grief. That if I just felt it when it came, I could speed up the healing process. To journal, to process with friends and family, with counsellors, but the truth of the matter is that it was all delusion. There is no efficiency in grief. There is no formula to processing it. If anyone has ever told you or tries to tell you a formula, I will be the first to let you know they’re lying and you shouldn’t trust them because they don’t care about you.
However, with this phrase I think I’ll be able to manage the imaginary movie scenes that play out on street corners, in cafes, in clubs, or on my doorstep. A new way of being kind to myself. Be kind to yourself, manage the grief that comes from what was and do what you can to not borrow grief from the future.
Learning Corner
I love sharing with others what I’m learning or reading. A point of view I stumbled across that made me curious about something. Also as a passionate hater for higher education and the barriers to it, I’m not one to gate-keep knowledge. While ignorance is bliss, it creates a particularly unsafe and violent world concerned only about themselves and their small inner circle. And I am not about that. So, as I’m in school and taking three particularly interesting courses, cultural anthropology, intro to sociology and the history of media communication, this space will allow me to share with you interesting things I’m learning and hopefully get you curious about the world. I’ll link below readings, or sources and blurbs about thoughts I have on the subject. I encourage you to do your own exploring of the topics as well.
So, here’s to a nice soft, curious brain. Cheers.
This week I want to look at my anthropology class. I have a feeling I might be focussing on this class a lot when I bring school into the mix. When I scored a spot in this class I think I yelled on my couch in my apartment.
Growing up my dad watched what seemed to be nothing but documentaries. I hated every time I came downstairs and somehow got roped into watching some borderline conspiracy theory show or movie. I’m still told how I’m exactly like him which I don’t love so much, and now as an adult I feel as though I can’t escape *some of those claims. I live for documentaries - different from the whack ones he watched, but the more I know the more I can increase my capacity to care for others and my general awareness of the world and the things in it. Or just offer random facts to people when conversations get dull.
In this 60ish minute documentary from the early 90s, Shock of The Other: Millennium - David Maybury-Lewis talks about the Mashco Piro people of Peru. An Indigenous group that the government is fiercely trying to protect from the influences of the modern world. However, in recent years the Mashco Piro people have been increasing their contact with surrounding tribes and villages.
While the premise of the show is with the hopes of making contact with the mysterious women on the riverbank, there is an abundance of wisdom Maybury-Lewis shares, so I offer a reflection on a quote from the series:
After all this struggle it would be sad if we whimpered to extinction by losing our variety, by being all the same. We are biological species and science tells us that without variety life dies. So it is with culture, surely, all the same, all dead.
Reading through the textbook and also listening to Maybury-Lewis speak, that particularly public anthropology is “a commitment to understand and dismantle social injustice and inequality.” To make “anthropological research available to community members and the public while actively engaging with public discussions and debates around issues such as colonialism, racism, human rights and climate change.”
Now, I understand that my interests aren’t universally interesting, but this gets me excited! Might have to do another major shift into anthropology (lel not for real, relax). However, as the world grows increasingly smaller through travel, globalization, and the interconnectedness of smartphones, I think about the threat to ‘sameness’ within cultures. I recall when I spent six months in Thailand seven years ago how older generations talked about the shifts in culture as a result of greater Western influence. Reflecting especially on Indigenous cultures that have been lost or largely assimilated into settler colonised countries, or immigrants or refugees assimilating to the culture of the country they come to I find the worry in his voice the threat to variety within cultures. I have complicated thoughts on this that I think I will save for later, but want to leave you with his words nonetheless.
Difference is beauty, and I wish to preserve it and experience as much difference as I possibly can.
Actions for Advocacy
It’s juicy in the first one. I’ll have separate pages where you can easily find these listed to take action.
Eyes on Palestine
This past week on January 11th and 12th there was a hearing with the International Court of Justice where South Africa presented a case against Israel rightly accusing them of genocide against Palestinians. Keep eyes on the verdict and be sure to follow closely on what’s happening. Currently Canada is involved in bombing Yemen as well. Know that in this space #IStandWithPalestine. Things change everyday. A reputable account on Instagram that gives daily updates is Let’s Talk Palestine. I strongly recommend following them and joining their broadcast. Attached below is a petition to sign for Canadians urging that the Canadian government support South Africa’s case. Never again means never again.
If you are Canadian there is a petition to sign calling the Canadian government to cease all arms trade with Israel and disclose if any Canadian artillery has been used in the destruction of Gaza, previous to the genocide, and since the October 7, 2023 massacre. When Trudeau “speaks for Canada” he certainly does not speak for me. Signing petitions make it clear to politicians what the voice of citizens are. Collective action is necessary to bring justice to Palestinian people.
Nike Wage Theft Campaign
The multi-billion dollar company with $22 billion in profits in 2023 alone, for the past three years since the pandemic refuse to pay garment workers in Cambodia and Thailand a laughable $2 million in comparison to their profits.
In July 2020, garment manufacturer, Ramatex Group, closed one of four garment factories in Cambodia without notifying garment workers in a fair amount of time and without presenting a legally valid reason for the sudden closure. The main buyer of Ramatex is Nike who was producing in that factory at the time. With empty claims to human rights commitments outlined in their Code of Conduct, they have refused to pay forward the $1.4 million owed in severance to 1284 garment workers who lost their jobs.
May to October 2020, Hong Seng Knitting garment factory forced garment workers to sign a form surrendering their legally owed furlough pay during a period of factory closure during the pandemic. This form stated they would give up their pay voluntarily. Garment workers went to the Thai government filing complaints, to which they ruled the forms they signed do not justify non-payment of wages. $800000 in stolen wages are owed to at least 3288 garment workers.
It’s time for Nike to #JustPayIt.
Click here to read more about the campaign.
International Accord: The Pakistan Accord
The dirty dozen campaign to protect garment workers globally, but specifically targeting brands manufacturing in Pakistan. Protecting 800,000 garment workers calling The Dirty Dozen and other brands to sign on. Brands such as Walmart, Levi’s, Target, URBN (Urban Outfitters, Anthropologie, Free People, BHLDN), IKEA, Amazon, and Columbia Sportswear have yet to sign onto the International Accord.
There have been huge wins in signatories onto the Accord such as H&M, Zara, Marks & Spence and American Eagle taking the lead to protect the lives of millions of garment workers. Lives should not be at risk in the industry’s race to the bottom. Sign the petition calling these brands to protect basic health and safety rights of garment workers in Pakistan and around the world.
The FABRIC Act
It is well known that overseas production of garments heavily involves the exploitation of human labour and is no stranger to human rights abuses and violations. It is no different in the United States. In 2021 a monumental state legislative policy change took place with the passing of California's Garment Worker Protection Act changing the lives of garment workers forever (not at all dramatic). When it comes to garment workers’ pay there is hourly pay, or piece rate. Piece rate is most commonly used garment workers are paid for each garment worked on and provides a loophole for factory owners to pay garment workers as little as $2.68/hour for some. Well below federal and state minimum wage law. With the passing of the Garment Worker Protection Act, garment workers went from $2.68/hour to the state minimum wage of $14/hour. Life changing.
With the passing of the FABRIC Act in short, within the United States, this would “hold bad actors accountable” with a garment industry registry promoting transparency, hold brand and retailers accountable for workplace wage violations, and eliminate the piece rate pay requiring minimum wage to ensure fair pay to all garment workers.
It is a common question if the passing of this bill would cause garment workers in the U.S. to lose their jobs to outsourcing. However, there is pride in tags holding the “Made in the U.S.A.” that leaves policymakers confident that this bill can only bring positive change to the industry.
Fashion Revolution Canada #NoMorePolyester
Launched January 12, 2024 this campaign works to bring awareness about the fossil fuel industry’s involvement within the fashion industry. ICYDK fossil fuels are used to make polyester. Polyester is oil spun into threads which have proven to not only be of worse quality, but have far reaching effects on the environment. Each time a garment made with polyester is washed, micro fibres are released into waterways and end up polluting rivers, and oceans.
This year, Fashion Revolution is calling consumers and those wanting to challenge themselves to a refraining from purchasing new polyester garments in 2024. I take any opportunity to pledge and make a difference, also pledges make you an ever increasingly more aware consumer. And who wouldn’t want that?
Eyes on Sudan
I myself am reading more on Sudan. At the international level a silent genocide is happening. I plan to include links in the next newsletter, until then, here’s an in depth look by Human Rights Watch at what has been happening since April 2023.
Click here to read up on Sudan.
Free Congo
As with Sudan, I am reading what is going on in Congo. This was brought to my awareness back in 2020 with coltan and cobalt mines in Congo. It is both an environmental and human rights crisis. From Congo these minerals are mined, largely by hand, and with use of child labour, for the primary resource used in batteries, cell phones, vehicles, vapes and other electronics.
The Style Edit
Those who know me and follow me, know that I went through an intense 60s and 70s fashion craze the last couple of years. I fully embraced the afro and iconic looks and silhouettes from the eras and had never felt more like myself. I felt empowered and grounded in who I was becoming and who I always wanted to be. To me, the style from those eras represented the strength of my character, as someone who is deeply concerned and aware of the oppression of others and has a strong desire to see a liberated and just world. I am someone who feels deeply and cannot just exist in complacency while watching the world burn. So, every time I got dressed and stepped out into the world, the eras I was representing, my style shouted to the world who I was and what my life’s mission is. Just as this style was represented during the civil rights era.
However, recently my style has taken a slightly softer and a mildly more understated feel. The beautiful thing about style is that if you have it, you know it is forever evolving with who you are becoming. A gentle reminder that just because you like fashion doesn’t mean you have style. Watch this video of Alok Vaid-Menon for a beautiful explanation on style.
…once you choose you , style makes so much sense. People mistake style as getting external validation, but that's fashion. Style is about internal validation and self acceptance.
Alok Vaid-Menon
I’m going to end these thoughts here because I have now decided I want to write more in depth on this :)
So until then, enjoy my recent pins for inspo!!!! And in this deep freeze I’m grabbing pins for warmer days ahead.
With much and thanks and see you in the next one <3
Until then find me on instagram.
Catch what’s inspiring me on pinterest.
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