Trusting The Current:
Updates from the Riverwise Collective
Greetings from snow-frosted Michigan, friends!
As I sat down today to think about how to even think about all of the various things there are to think about right now, my eyes drifted to the snowy scene in front of my home and then to my houseplant and then I thought, “huh, what do the bees do in winter?” After some very basic research I learned that while some bees, especially those like carpenter bees or bumblebees who lead more solitary lives (and hibernate alone during the winter) do unfortunately die out in higher numbers during the winter, honeybees who are social bees have the highest likelihood of survival because of their cooperative lifestyle. As the cold approaches, honeybees form tight little bee balls, where they do a little collective bee shimmying that helps them generate heat for one another. For all bees, those that survive often do so because they’ve prepared enough food stores during the warmer months to sufficiently make it through the cold, they were able to stay healthy enough during the warmer months to enter a period of downtime without sickness threatening their safety, and were lucky enough to be in environments free from high levels of toxicity. I am guessing that by now you get where this analogy is going. There’s nothing like the power of staying ready and doing so with your people in mind.
Last month, during the government shutdown, the President and his cronies, threatened to cut off the collective safety net put in place to help the most vulnerable of people as a means to force compliance with their inhumane Project 2025 agenda. The announcement that SNAP benefits would be cut led to widespread panic as families faced the dire reality that they wouldn’t be able to meet even the most very basic of needs for their day to day survival. I am not sure what it takes to be the kind of person who finds such a declaration delightful and deserved. I have some names and words I’d like to use, but I’ll keep it civil.
What I am sure of though, is that I do know what kind of person hears such news, reacts in empathy, with humanity and takes action. I know because we witnessed it across Detroit and across the country. Mutual aid networks sprung into action. Calls for financial support for people of all walks of life were answered. The collective response of good people was disgust.
When they shut down, we shimmied.
That moment provided a looking window into another world, where when we say “we got us” we trust that we can and that we do. And while I know that there is much work to still be done, more people who need to learn the lessons of compassion and care as true pathways to safety, I am bolstered in these cold times by the warmth of good people and people who believe in the common good.
As we prepare for the winter and for the long fights ahead, it is good to remember the lessons from our little pollinator friends. Making plans to ensure food security is accounted for, ensuring everyone has the ability to access healthcare, ridding our environment of toxicity (be it environmental or social), surrounding one another with love is a good start (and adding in some collective dancing clearly is always a good idea!)
We here at Riverwise thank each and everyone of you for shimmying with us through the hard times and the outpouring of love we receive regularly. It keeps us warm, it keeps us going, it leads us to spring. Bzzzz…
What We’re Up To And How you Can Get Involved!
Mutual Aid For ALL!
Art in the City
Riverwise partnered with the amazingly talented and dedicated folks of Swords Into Plowshares for their Future Beyond Billionaires Exhibition. Currently running until December 20th, we highly recommend getting to the gallery to check out the amazing, inspiring and visionary work of local Detroiters. Featured at the exhibit are both the artwork and writing of those imagining new worlds. Check out the Riverwise reading table on the second floor! Located at 33 East Adams, Detroit. Hours Fri/Sat 1-6pm. Follow them on social media @SwordsIntoPlowshares_det for details about upcoming artist talks and events related to the exhibition.
There’s Still Time to Tuesday!
I’m sure this week you’ve been inundated with calls to give…and while I’m sure it feels overwhelming, as the Truth comes more and more under attack, your support couldn’t be more important. If you haven’t found the right spot yet or still have a few nickels to spare, please consider giving to Riverwise. Although we are partially grant funded, in these times as funding contracts for organizations like ours, your support is more important than ever. Your donations help us continue to tell the stories that are locked out of mainstream media in order to erase dissenting voices, provide workshops and trainings that deepen our political and relational networks, continue to organize around building the relationships and loving communities we seek.
But…don’t take our word for it! Words from the Riverwise community:
“Being published in Riverwise has been nothing short of transformative and powerful for me. In this space, I found an artistic and literary family where there is no question that I truly belonged and that my work and my perspective as a marginalized individual held value, magnitude, and was something worth sharing. Working with you has been a gift of knowing that my work was welcomed and celebrated not in spite of my intersecting identities, but because of them. Your work embodies the sentiment “nothing for us without us,” and being part of it has been deeply inspiring. Collaborating with you has felt like coming home, a place where my voice is seen, my stories matter, and the power of shared creativity as a form of community reminds me of why this work is so vital.” - Mary Gagnon, Detroit painter, author and poet
“Riverwise is an excellent read, a great resource and provides a wealth of information important for our communities. As a poetic contributor, themed writing prompts keep my pen afire. I use my work in Riverwise to connect with audiences that may not attend spoken word events or individuals who appreciate the value of thumbing through physical magazines as opposed to scrolling for content in cyberspace. I also pass Riverwise to young poets tethered to their phones, encouraging them to tap into a tangible method for their work to be seen, even when there’s no electricity, WiFi or battery life. At events and book fairs, Riverwise magazines are always on my table for complimentary distribution next to books I’ve authored for sale—they play very well together, as buyers appreciate two-for-one deals! Thank you, Riverwise for keeping the word alive!” - One Single Rose® Detroit poet, spoken word artist, playwright actress, singer/songwriter
Peace friends! We hope to see you soon. Stay warm. You are appreciated.