Episode 02: Feminist Activism & Self-Care
“I was so busy thinking about strategy, I never thought about self-care…I was told to swallow my tears, and so many women are told this. I don’t have the space for self-care. It is impossible to be a black woman alone.”
– Yasmin Thayna, Brazilian filmmaker and activist at the 2016 AWID Forum
In this episode hosted by Aruna Rao and David Kelleher, we’re joined by our associates Shawna Wakefield, Jane Real, Michel Friedman, Nina Benjamin, Lucia Jayaseelan, Srilata Batliwala, and Natalie Jeffers. Our highly engaging discussion is broadly based on a concept paper, ‘Self, Collective Care and Wellbeing’ drafted at the AWID Forum in August 2016. We explore the role of and need for self care and wellbeing in feminist activism; the real risks associated with bringing chronic stress and unresolved trauma into our relationships and work; and how this connects to the process of individual transformation, organisational change and societal transformation. Some of the questions that were reflected upon: What is self-care? How is it connected to feminist visions of transformation? Why is it important? How is it being worked on? What are some the examples of concrete practices?
Listen to the episode directly on iTunes here!
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
