i have been slowly “de-influencing” on instagram in an attempt to relinquish myself from the distractions of celebrity for celebrity sake. i’m asking myself, who brings me joy? who is helping me learn? the result has given me more visibility into our collective resistance to colonialism in every aspect.

i’ve written about the passing of time that is to be experienced in previous issues. with the new year upon us, according to the Gregorian calendar (invented in 1582 by Pope Gregory xiii), i’ve seen a surge of information circulating about indigenous celebrations of the new year that take place to align with the moon and the seasons. It would seem natural that a new year would be marked by spring — the return of the sun and the budding of new life. 

True to colonialism, we’re being contorted into a system that is at odds with our natural rhythms and pulled out of hibernation early. Who does it serve for us to be jolted from our rest? to constantly be in search of our footing? capitalism and imperialism run on our inability to see beyond our current realities due to our exhaustion — squeezing out our ability to imagine and create. while i may have to return to work this week, i continue to hibernate in ways that refuse the grind to instead prepare seeds.

still hibernating,

ravon

CITATIONS

in the words of annika hansteen-izora’s annual declaration: