Community Care Affirmations

A while back I came across AJ Hawkins on TikTok. I really enjoyed how she talked about accessibility and community care in the context of the Kalma shop they opened in Port Townsend, WA. The staff wears masks, they purify the air, they invite/encourage guests to mask, and they provide free masks at the entrance. They were also intentionally making it a third space with community gatherings.

I really like their Values page and recommend reading it in full. A good summary, in part:

“WE ARE BUILDING A MORE CARING WORLD. We pursue equality by pursuing equal access to joy. Equal access to joy requires equal access to safety, community, opportunity, play, creativity, expression, self-determination, and the natural world.”

I was reminded of this today when another of her videos came across my feed. She talked about using affirmative language for our values since it communicates better who we are and can provide a roadmap for what living out those values looks like. A quote from it that is an evergreen reminder for me:

“My husband recently reminded me of the quote, ‘Hating my neighbor's oppressor is not the same thing as loving my neighbor.’ I wonder what our protest looks like when it’s no longer rooted in a hatred for the way that things are, but in a love for the way that things could be.”