“Where there is power, there is resistance.”
― Michel Foucault
The urge to resist power is at the heart of work for justice. It is also at the heart of a variety of dysfunctional systems that don’t allow for leadership.
When have you experienced resistance to some form of power that you held?
Resistance can turn into a predictable cycle of pushing and pushing back, draining time and energy without producing anything really new. Resistance can also be creative, surprising, inspiring and conducive to new relationships and communities.
How have your brought creativity to an act of resistance?
“If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor.”
―Desmond Tutu
When have you found it wise to remain neutral? When have you given up neutrality in favor of justice?
The first of January is a traditional time for turning over a new leaf, and setting aspirations for the year to come. Often times those resolutions are more aspirational than realistic.
What is one intention that you have for the year to come that you believe you can actually keep?
Much of the holiday season involves giving and receiving. But New Year’s Eve is, at heart, a celebration of their opposite—letting go, releasing the old year so that we are ready for the year to come. If you feel like there is much from this past year that you are ready to consign to the ash heap, you are not alone.
What do you release from this past year?
