For Dealing With the Again and Again and Again

By Annie Gonzalez Milliken

GROW Racial Justice

participants in GROW Racial Justice

again. it happened again on Monday, news spreading on social media today. this time he was a therapist trying to help his autistic patient. this time the "gun" was a toy truck. this time he survived the shooting. again. beloveds it is all too much and has been too much. it was too much when George Zimmerman was acquitted of Trayvon Martin's murder and the #blacklivesmatter hashtag came into being. it's been hundreds of years of again and again and too much. so if you need something today, something to deal with the again, here are a few offerings, gathered with love. for those who need to just stay with the pain for now, here is "a litany for those who are not ready for healing" by Rev. Dr. Yolanda Pierce, as posted on July 6th in honor of Alton Sterling's death for those who wonder where God is in all this evil, here is a meditation on God's weeping, screaming, holding, calling, as written in June 2015 after 9 Black folks were murdered at the Emmanuel AME Church in Charleston, SC for those folks, particularly Black folks, who need to hear "your life matters" here is Kenny Wiley's reflection on the topic from June 2015 for those who need some self-care support, here is an infographic with suggestions, an article on self/community care with tips on making care plans, and here is an interactive website that walks you through some ways to take care of yourself for those who want to see some beautiful and brilliant resistance, check out these photos from GROW Racial Justice, or search #StopFOP or #FundBlackFutures on Facebook or Twitter to see actions in cities across the country demanding police accountability and justice. and of course, there is always #Blackjoy to be found on social media, if you need a dose of that, because it is a form of resistance as well. keep surviving, dear ones. keep doing the good hard messy work. keep loving.