Manifesto, by Christina Samoy, class of 2020

Our Change-Vision- Action workshop reminded me of an elf tinkering with a
snowglobe. The inside of the snowglobe represents our dreams and goals, the act of taking it apart and resecuring it with better fitting parts symbolizes the changes we need to make in order to see our dreams and goals in motion. We can compare ourselves to the elf, the only way to mend the broken part is if we decide to take the time to repair what is not currently working. 

The way in which we so delicately crafted our plans to resolve our fears was part of the courage adrienne maree brown filled us with. In the section where brown describes herself as a doula, she shares a story of a time she helped comfort a woman who had just been attacked behind her apartment. That situation showed brown that she could comfort and be of service to others. I think we could be inspired by her actions because many of us doubt ourselves, but when it comes time, we always perform sometimes even better than expected. It’s that courage that comforts me in knowing that even though we see so many problems, we just need to remember that we can adapt and we have the skills to get through anything as long as we have a supportive community.

Community, as I see it, are those who you keep company with and enjoy spending time with. In our workshop there was a theme of community and a call for less individualism. The change we need begins in our heart and mind. Within a community we are more receptive and I think change within is swift, largely due to the trust we have in other’s advice. During the workshop we were asked to envision ourselves about 2-3 years in the future; strangely I could only imagine myself 30 years down the line where I’m being thanked by young adults for sharing food and farming knowledge with them. I think that image appeared because I know long term that’s what I want to do, but it is going to take a variety of learning experiences to get to that point. Knowledge grows with the various experiences and sometimes we just need to allow ourselves to learn from others.

In terms of behavioral changes, I think using art to express ourselves is not only an emotional outlet, the art can have messages within that can shape how others think. I was thinking back to Joe Mallory’s art piece that depicts an overcrowded hillside with polluted land, cars stuck in traffic, and construction. For Joe, he may be depicting the world as he sees it or how it may be in the future, but it’s up to the audience to interpret what they think it means and then have the choice to act or not act on how they feel. The more I understand my own writing, the more I find myself describing the minds of others. I think I’ve discovered that my true passion is sharing knowledge, giving others the comfort to imagine, or allowing for mental discoveries. I think a lot could be accomplished if we had the comfort of being able to digest what we do on a daily basis, perhaps using art to understand ourselves can be a tool. 

Another tool brown mentioned that can fit into our category of behavioral changes is practicing shivasana. The act of laying chest up on a floor or bed, palms up, and using deep breathing can improve our wellbeing, allowing us to think clearer. While she’s given us great advice to trust each other, she also mentioned how we must “walk our talk” in #6 Commitment to Self- Transformation in the Jemez Principle. How can we expect others to take care of themselves if we don’t make the time for it in our lives. We have to be active, so going forward I am going to put self healing at the top of things to keep in mind when I face any struggles.

In the short term I see myself trying to create a community like the one I found here in Humboldt, this program, and everyone along the way. I’m unsure if I’ll move back to the hectic city of Los Angeles that I call home or find another slow paced town like Arcata, but wherever I end up, my goal is to create a family like Humboldt has. I think surrounding ourselves with like minded people keeps our spirits high, it can be tough in a major like ours where it seems like no one but our little class can relate, but rest assured there are others out there, we just have to find them! So I leave us with the same words as adrienee maree brown did, “practice emergent strategy, but only as much as you understand that it is a way to practice love.”