Who is a Political Healer?
We assert that a person doesn’t become a political healer; a person uncovers the political healer within themselves. They do this by acknowledging and valuing the emotional labor they invest in their work as a valid and necessary leadership style within our movement.
The Political Healers project is centered on womxn of color, but a political healer is NOT only a womxn of color. “Political Healer” is a role that any person could play. However, because this is a role that womxn, womxn of color, queer and trans womxn, gender non-conforming and non-binary people have historically played in the movement and have done so often with the consequence of being mis-labeled, silenced, ostracized, and even pushed out of the movement entirely, womxn, womxn of color, queer and trans womxn, gender non-conforming and non-binary people are uniquely positioned to more fully manifest the practice of using ritual to bring forth cultural trauma into public memory.
UNIVERSAL TRAITS OF A POLITICAL HEALER
You are concerned about the healing of your community: how do we mourn? How do we breathe? How do we stop from being paralyzed by fear?
You’re ready to DO SOMETHING – You feel this compulsion to leap into action, but not just one time, you want to keep a steady beat of change that you see your influence in.
You don’t do it alone. Too often womxn get derailed because we believe we can do it alone. Find an organization that gives you community. You deserve to feel less alone.
You work smarter not harder – we are not the sacrificial lambs of the movement. You are NOT destined to be the mule of the earth. You ask yourself How do I benefit from this instead of always thinking, how do I make myself helpful?
You center your own healing – and this helps you gain clarity on what matters and how you want to relate to power.
You are known as an intersectional leader.
You wear a purple stole.
Political Healers Core Commitments
The development and expansion of feminine leadership in public space
Ensuring that everyone feels safe, seen and heard
Locating yourself and your liberation in a space that’s centered on womxn of color;
Addressing white supremacy, patriarchy and other systemic inequities - in both political outlook and action, and in personal practice.
Consistent embodiment of and practice within a collective