Welcome to Impure Leftist!
Note: If you previously subscribed to my former newsletter, Vibrant Vulnerability, you’re on this list because I migrated my Substack subscribers over to this new project hosted on Buttondown. You’re welcome to unsubscribe at any time.
I grew up at the heart of the evangelical movement—and I saw the decades-long maneuvering that's brought us to where we are. It's been so heartbreaking to see that leftist movements are rarely, if ever, able to unite effectively... let alone to partner with the liberals who share many of our views. In fact, many of us who came from religious backgrounds are applying the same moral purity tests in our politics that we were indoctrinated with in childhood.
This newsletter is called "Impure Leftist" because it's all about building the broadest and most effective coalitions for change, which requires working with individuals and groups who—let's face it—we might kind of hate. Because while many of us may have different timelines and aims for our humanitarian goals, we actually have a lot in common. And we need to build on that, while learning how to keep our disagreements from derailing our progress.
There's a lot that goes into that. We need to look within and root out harmful patterns and beliefs that we've internalized, such as white supremacy, patriarchy, capitalist values, and the mindset of colonization. We also need to learn skills for communication, compassion, empathy, collaboration, and everything else that goes into the uncomfortable relationship-building that's required. We need to figure out how to keep essential values centered while working with folks who might not share all of those values, and how to balance accountability and comradeship. And, we need resources and connections to figure out what to do, when, where, and with whom—determining our roles in the movement and how to do them well.
I'll also be running an Anarchist Book Club, with a new book chosen each month. You can follow along on your own, or upgrade to the paid version of the newsletter ($7/mo or $70/yr) for in-depth analysis and a subscribers-only Signal chat. Our first book is Let This Radicalize You by Kelly Hayes and Mariame Kaba, so now's the time to get a copy. The ebook is currently $2 at Haymarket Books, or you can order it from your library or favorite indie bookstore.
On a personal note, I've been through a couple of massive life transitions since I last wrote to you via my previous list, Vibrant Vulnerability. I had a baby on August 23, 2024. In May of this year, I filed for a domestic violence protection order against my child's father. It was denied in August, and my child and I have been in hiding since then. We've been completely dependent on donations and support from friends and family while I juggle full-time childcare with court, looking for work, and basic survival. I finally managed to hire a lawyer, which is a huge turning point... but it will take thousands of dollars a month to pay the fees. If you'd like to support us, I have a fundraiser here or you can upgrade to the paid version of the newsletter.
There's so, so, so much more to come! It took a while to get this first newsletter out because I've been bursting at the seams with everything I want to share. I'm so excited to be doing this work, and I can't wait to dive in together.
Much love,
Nat Oleander Smith
PS. This represents a big shift from my previous newsletter, and it's also been a long time since you've heard from me! If Impure Leftist isn't your cup of tea, there's an option below to unsubscribe. Thanks for being a part of my journey, even if it's time to part ways.