The Project
The River Daily is an opportunity to build a more sustainable (and private) practice for liberation work. Daily self-reflection, usually through journaling, has allowed me to cultivate a sense of integration and grounding. I believe liberation begins with interior shifts. My hope is that I can offer this low-stakes, high-reward personal practice to others with a particular focus on race, racialization, and liberation.
Drawing from personal experience, Yoga, and recovery, I have created a list of daily prompts that turn the gaze inward. My hope is that engaging with these questions will allow each person an opportunity to find their place in the global struggle for liberation in a way that feels empowering, energizing, and sustaining.
The River Daily is meant to supplement our work, not to replace it. The aim of this project is to cultivate a more sustainable practice for each of us. My hope is that by excavating our interior worlds around race, we can engage in this work in ways that are more compassionate toward ourselves and others.
So, why The River?
The River, as described in this essay by Michelle Alexander, felt resonant for me in two ways. The River as the larger movement that flows naturally toward justice. Toward collective freedom and a world that belongs to us all.
And The River as the interior movements within us, flowing naturally toward the truth. Toward serenity. The River as a reminder that we must not despair when our progress seems slow and meandering; or when we feel weak and stagnant. Rather, we must find the subtle movements and breathe life into those places.
The River is about our collective place in the movement and the interior work that we are offered each day. I don’t know if there is another image, at this time, that feels more hopeful.
So, what do I do now?
Mosey on over to the self-paced practice page that I have created, and begin your journey through the daily prompts. Some will be explicitly about race. Some will not. Stream-of-consciousness writing is the medium through which I best reflect. I’d invite you to try it, and if it’s not for you, to find something that is.
This is your practice. Thank you for practicing.
FAQs
Who is this project for?
This project is meant for anyone who feels compelled to take a closer look at their relationship with race, regardless of how they identify. If you’re overwhelmed by all of the ways people are telling you to show up, I believe this interior practice is a good place to start.
Can I share this project online?
If you feel moved to share your responses online, or with other people, I hope you’ll do so. If they are tagged under #theriverdaily, and I see them (I’ve been trying to limit my screen time), I’d be honored to amplify whatever these prompts inspired for you.
How long should my response be?
Really, this project has no should’s. I wouldn’t even say that you should participate, if you really don’t feel ready. As far as responses, I don’t even think they need to be written necessarily. If you feel moved to respond through another medium, I hope you’ll explore that. But there are no expectations. Personally, I tend to journal on a given prompt for 15-30 minutes. And I accept that more often than not, I’ll end up with more questions to explore, than answers, at the end.
How should I share my responses with you?
The River Daily is meant to be a private journaling practice. I have no expectation of ever seeing any of your responses. In this way, I hope that you will feel safe to write with deep integrity and honesty.
How can I supplement this practice?
If you’re looking for other ways to supplement this practice and don’t know where to begin, you can check out my newsletter. Far from a comprehensive study on race, my newsletter is where I mind dump at irregular intervals of time. But maybe you’ll find something there, from my journey, that will be resonant for yours.
Will there be additional prompts in the future?
I hope so. Again, I’d invite you to check out my newsletter, where you can learn about all of the things I’m thinking about in graduate school. Surely that work will facilitate some questions that you might feel compelled to answer.
Is there any cost associated with this project?
Nope.