“The function, the very serious function of racism is distraction. It keeps you from doing your work. It keeps you explaining, over and over again, your reason for being. Somebody says you have no language and you spend twenty years proving that you do. Somebody says your head isn’t shaped properly so you have scientists working on the fact that it is. Somebody says you have no art, so you dredge that up. Somebody says you have no kingdoms, so you dredge that up. None of this is necessary. There will always be one more thing.”

I wanted to open up my newsletter this issue with this Toni Morrison quote, because it sums up exactly why I’ve been struggling to write and produce this summer and honestly, for a good while.

This was punctuated by watching this video, which, while good, had a very pointed moment of why I get frustrated with even the most well-meaning urbanists. 

How many of you are out here thinking that only the South was this racist?

Who is really not talking about DC as part of the greatest hits of urbanism?

How many of you are using reading this newsletter as your education on racism, but not applying the lessons?

—

I realize that I have continued my own self-education and I’m wrestling with things that are far beyond just being Black and an urbanist and that may be throwing some of y’all for a loop.

However, not addressing class, racism, and disability in our urbanism, and patting ourselves on the back for being more feminist and queer-friendly is getting us nowhere.

I’m still losing a bus system this year here in DC.

I’m still working a day job where I don’t write about urbanism because the money just isn’t there.

Or is it? Maybe I should ask Ted Leonis and his family about that.

—

But last night I was in a room of amazing mostly Black and brown queer folks learning how to defend ourselves safely from attack. One of my fellow attendees approached myself and Les and complimented us on our podcasts.

Podcasts and platforms that are growing past just explaining a racism that we should know about.

No matter what platform you find your urbanism on.

Speaking of platforms, before I go, I’m working on being on X and all the Meta ones less. I honestly am only on X because the COVID-conscious and other disabilities community is still there, Facebook for immediate family and my high school classmates , and I do love my fiber family on my Kristpattern Instagram.

But, I’ve been working on my readings for this next Defying Gentrification podcast season; my next outfit, and new YouTube videos for Kristpattern

and of course, being on Substack and finally mastering Discord so I can be more active there.

And yes, the US election shifts have caused me to rethink my usage.

No matter who wins, those of us who are urbanists, writers, community makers, and activists will need to hold up the line and build the world we need. 

And the way X and the Meta sites ride on our dependence of their algorithm and the outrage cycle is already making a mess and rehashing older, unnecessary conversations and hostilities.

We don’t need this empire. We don’t need these bombs.  We the people are more than capable of running a society and an economy that balances technology and the humanity of everyone.

And just like we as urbanists get excited with just being represented, we as a people can’t just stop at having a Black woman president, when we’ve evolved to be intelligent beings and can see that it makes no sense to bomb folks for greed and access to ones God.

But, I’m still voting for her, because I can see her and the smidgen of progress as Audre Lorde’s temporary tool. A tool that is just sharp enough to hurt and push through some of the noise, but of course too blunt to maintain long-term action without the true power of the people and those who have not allowed their souls to get close to complete and utter rot.

I will end with one more relevant Toni Morrison quote that pushes me forward and I hope it will push you too:

“This is precisely the time when artists go to work. There is no time for despair, no place for self-pity, no need for silence, no room for fear. We speak, we write, we do language. That is how civilizations heal.”

Until next time,

Kristen