Last Ditch

I know for many of us, the world has become a completely overwhelming maelstrom of crisis on top of crisis. I want to be informed and clear eyed about how the world around me is changing and who is changing. But I also know that I’m not alone in feeling that the forces of bad are winning. Even when I try to focus on things people are doing to resist these human made disasters and attacks on democracy, I find myself falling into despair. In this state of mind, it’s nearly impossible to be creative or to know what to do next.

In an effort to guard my brain from cynicism, I’ve been reading Compañeras: Zapatista Women’s Stories by Hilary Klein since the late summer. Compañeras tells the experiences of women in Chiapas, Mexico as they participate in the Zapatista movement through it’s early days and into the present. Many words have been written about the Zapatista uprising but this book is one of the first to focus solely on the experiences of women in the region. The book shares how women found their voices, collective strength, and ability to determine their own futures within an Indigenous led organization focused on land rights, education, and self-determination.

There’s so much I could share from this book but my main take away is remembering that in all times and in all places, people continue to not just resist but also to imagine new futures for themselves and their communities. What does all of this have to do with gardening and growing food? It has reminded me that we can think of many actions as a part of our resistance and our dreaming of new worlds.

I’ve been reflecting on the role of education in food security, as well as collective food growing. While I do try to share my surplus crops, the reality is that I produce very little by myself. In cities where land is difficult and expensive to access, community based solutions allow us to pool our resources to accomplish much more. As with gardening, many hands make light work.

Here are some small actions I am taking:
1. Reading books by organizers, activists, and people working to make their communities better
2. Donating monthly to organizations doing great work. Schools for Chiapas for example!
3. Revisiting how my own food growing practices can better benefit others beyond just myself
4. Considering the Zapatista notion of abriendo camino or “clearning the way” for others to come after us. What are things I can do today that might help someone tomorrow, a year from now, or ten years from now?