1 00:00:01,720 --> 00:00:10,480 Speaker 1: Cal Zone Media book Club book Club book Club, Hello 2 00:00:10,680 --> 00:00:13,200 Speaker 1: and welcome nicols On Media. Book Club, the only book 3 00:00:13,200 --> 00:00:15,400 Speaker 1: club where you don't have to do the mutual aid 4 00:00:15,680 --> 00:00:19,600 Speaker 1: organizing because I do it. No, No, that's not our 5 00:00:19,600 --> 00:00:24,079 Speaker 1: tack line. If you want to do some mutual aid organizing, 6 00:00:24,680 --> 00:00:27,000 Speaker 1: then the book we are reading this week and last 7 00:00:27,080 --> 00:00:30,440 Speaker 1: week is a good place to start. Dean spades book 8 00:00:30,840 --> 00:00:34,720 Speaker 1: Mutual Aid. This book that we're reading excerpts from last 9 00:00:34,720 --> 00:00:35,880 Speaker 1: week and this week, but you should go out and 10 00:00:35,920 --> 00:00:38,160 Speaker 1: read the whole book. This book, Mutual Aid will teach 11 00:00:38,159 --> 00:00:39,839 Speaker 1: you a lot of the most basic skills that you 12 00:00:39,880 --> 00:00:43,040 Speaker 1: need for this work. It tends to be more forward 13 00:00:43,080 --> 00:00:45,760 Speaker 1: facing and easy to get involved with mutual aid, and 14 00:00:45,760 --> 00:00:47,440 Speaker 1: it's a great way to get connected to other folks 15 00:00:47,479 --> 00:00:50,120 Speaker 1: doing good work around the scene. If you're shy or 16 00:00:50,159 --> 00:00:52,960 Speaker 1: not a people person, that's fine, there's a role for 17 00:00:53,040 --> 00:00:56,640 Speaker 1: you too. Plus, socializing is a muscle and it is 18 00:00:56,640 --> 00:00:58,920 Speaker 1: a thing that you can exercise and practice and get 19 00:00:58,960 --> 00:01:01,279 Speaker 1: better at, and so mutual Aid is a really good 20 00:01:01,320 --> 00:01:03,840 Speaker 1: way to do that. Anyway, Welcome to book Club, the 21 00:01:03,960 --> 00:01:06,240 Speaker 1: only book club where you don't have to read all 22 00:01:06,280 --> 00:01:08,720 Speaker 1: of Dean Spade's amazing book about how to do mutual 23 00:01:08,760 --> 00:01:11,319 Speaker 1: aid work because I'm going to read parts of it 24 00:01:11,360 --> 00:01:14,679 Speaker 1: to you and says this is part two. We're going 25 00:01:14,720 --> 00:01:16,440 Speaker 1: to be covering the second half of the book today. 26 00:01:17,480 --> 00:01:20,040 Speaker 1: Last week, Dean Spade, the author of the book, has 27 00:01:20,080 --> 00:01:22,400 Speaker 1: talked to us about some different definitions of mutual aid 28 00:01:22,400 --> 00:01:27,319 Speaker 1: and established some important traits of mutual aid. To recap that, one, 29 00:01:27,840 --> 00:01:30,640 Speaker 1: mutual aid projects work to meet survival needs and build 30 00:01:30,680 --> 00:01:35,759 Speaker 1: shared understanding about why people do not have what they need. Two, 31 00:01:36,319 --> 00:01:40,680 Speaker 1: mutual aid projects mobilize people, expand solidarity, and build movements. 32 00:01:41,400 --> 00:01:45,800 Speaker 1: And three mutual aid projects are participatory, solving problems through 33 00:01:45,840 --> 00:01:50,400 Speaker 1: collective action rather than waiting for saviors. Dean talks about 34 00:01:50,400 --> 00:01:53,840 Speaker 1: the slogan solidarity not charity, and how mutual aid is 35 00:01:53,880 --> 00:01:57,360 Speaker 1: different than philanthropy, going through some pitfalls of the charity 36 00:01:57,400 --> 00:02:00,360 Speaker 1: model of aid. Dean also writes about how the state 37 00:02:00,400 --> 00:02:02,680 Speaker 1: won't save us and how we'll need to be brave 38 00:02:02,800 --> 00:02:04,520 Speaker 1: enough to rely on each other if we want to 39 00:02:04,560 --> 00:02:07,440 Speaker 1: make it through the many crises at hand. But that 40 00:02:07,520 --> 00:02:09,440 Speaker 1: was last week, and you can go back and listen 41 00:02:09,440 --> 00:02:11,760 Speaker 1: to it all again if you want a more thorough recap, 42 00:02:12,320 --> 00:02:15,079 Speaker 1: or you can go back if you never listened to 43 00:02:15,080 --> 00:02:17,760 Speaker 1: it in the first place, although you should, but you 44 00:02:17,840 --> 00:02:21,560 Speaker 1: know you do you. These are excerpts from Part two 45 00:02:21,800 --> 00:02:25,200 Speaker 1: of mutual Aid, Building Solidarity in This Crisis and the 46 00:02:25,240 --> 00:02:31,960 Speaker 1: Next by Dean Spade, Chapter four, Some Dangers and Pitfalls 47 00:02:32,040 --> 00:02:37,480 Speaker 1: of mutual aid. Mutual aid groups face four dangerous tendencies, 48 00:02:38,120 --> 00:02:41,160 Speaker 1: dividing people to those who are deserving and undeserving of help, 49 00:02:41,840 --> 00:02:46,560 Speaker 1: practicing saviorism, being co opted, and collaborating with efforts to 50 00:02:46,560 --> 00:02:51,160 Speaker 1: eliminate public infrastructure and replace it with private enterprise and volunteerism. 51 00:02:51,600 --> 00:02:56,680 Speaker 1: Deserving this hierarchies. When mutual aid projects make more stigmatized 52 00:02:56,720 --> 00:03:00,200 Speaker 1: people ineligible for what they are offering, they replicate the 53 00:03:00,280 --> 00:03:04,840 Speaker 1: charity model. The charity model often ties aid and criminalization together, 54 00:03:05,280 --> 00:03:09,760 Speaker 1: determining who gets help and who gets put away saviorism 55 00:03:09,800 --> 00:03:13,960 Speaker 1: and paternalism. The idea that those giving aid need to 56 00:03:14,200 --> 00:03:16,560 Speaker 1: fix people who are in need is based on the 57 00:03:16,639 --> 00:03:20,560 Speaker 1: notion that people's poverty and marginalization is not a systemic problem, 58 00:03:20,600 --> 00:03:24,040 Speaker 1: but is caused by their own personal shortcomings. This also 59 00:03:24,080 --> 00:03:27,880 Speaker 1: implies that those who provide aid are superior. Most mutual 60 00:03:27,880 --> 00:03:31,200 Speaker 1: aid projects benefit from an explicit, ongoing effort to build 61 00:03:31,280 --> 00:03:35,200 Speaker 1: shared analysis among participants about the harms of saviorism and 62 00:03:35,240 --> 00:03:39,800 Speaker 1: the necessity of self determination for people in crisis co optation. 63 00:03:40,760 --> 00:03:44,080 Speaker 1: Politicians and CEOs who fantasize about a world where nothing 64 00:03:44,160 --> 00:03:47,240 Speaker 1: is guaranteed and most people are desperate and easily exploited 65 00:03:47,840 --> 00:03:52,040 Speaker 1: love the idea of volunteerism replacing a social safety net. 66 00:03:52,440 --> 00:03:55,320 Speaker 1: If we don't design mutual aid projects with care, we 67 00:03:55,400 --> 00:03:58,800 Speaker 1: can fit right into this conservative dream, becoming the people 68 00:03:58,840 --> 00:04:01,360 Speaker 1: who can barely hold the threats of a survivable world 69 00:04:01,360 --> 00:04:04,800 Speaker 1: together while the one percent extracts more and more while 70 00:04:04,800 --> 00:04:10,280 Speaker 1: heroizing individual volunteers. Wisdom from the feminist movement against domestic 71 00:04:10,360 --> 00:04:14,120 Speaker 1: violence can guide us in building successful groups and movements 72 00:04:14,200 --> 00:04:20,560 Speaker 1: and in resisting co optation. Characteristics of mutual aid versus charity. 73 00:04:22,040 --> 00:04:25,840 Speaker 1: Most mutual aid projects are volunteer based and avoid the careerism, 74 00:04:26,040 --> 00:04:30,799 Speaker 1: business approach and charity model of nonprofits. Mutual aid projects 75 00:04:30,800 --> 00:04:33,080 Speaker 1: strive to include lots of people rather than just a 76 00:04:33,080 --> 00:04:37,040 Speaker 1: few people who have been declared experts or professionals. If 77 00:04:37,040 --> 00:04:39,600 Speaker 1: we want to provide survival support to as many people 78 00:04:39,680 --> 00:04:42,359 Speaker 1: as possible and mobilize as many people as possible for 79 00:04:42,440 --> 00:04:45,680 Speaker 1: root causes change, We need to let a lot of 80 00:04:45,720 --> 00:04:48,720 Speaker 1: people do the work and make decisions about the work together, 81 00:04:49,400 --> 00:04:52,880 Speaker 1: rather than bottlenecking the process with hierarchies that let only 82 00:04:52,920 --> 00:04:56,960 Speaker 1: a few people lead. Despite these important goals, avoiding the 83 00:04:56,960 --> 00:05:01,560 Speaker 1: pitfalls of co optation, deserving as hierarchies, saviorism, and disconnect 84 00:05:01,600 --> 00:05:06,039 Speaker 1: from root causes work requires constant vigilance. Here are some 85 00:05:06,120 --> 00:05:08,800 Speaker 1: guiding questions for mutual aid groups trying to avoid these 86 00:05:08,920 --> 00:05:15,200 Speaker 1: dangers and pitfalls. Who controls our project? Who makes decisions 87 00:05:15,200 --> 00:05:18,200 Speaker 1: about what we do? Does any of the funding we 88 00:05:18,279 --> 00:05:21,160 Speaker 1: receive come with strings attached that limit who we can 89 00:05:21,200 --> 00:05:24,960 Speaker 1: help or how we help? Do any of our guidelines 90 00:05:24,960 --> 00:05:27,760 Speaker 1: about who can participate in our work cut out stigmatized 91 00:05:27,800 --> 00:05:32,200 Speaker 1: and vulnerable people. What is our relationship to law enforcement? 92 00:05:33,360 --> 00:05:35,599 Speaker 1: How do we introduce new people in our group? To 93 00:05:35,680 --> 00:05:44,120 Speaker 1: our approach to law enforcement? Chapter five? No masters, no flakes. 94 00:05:45,600 --> 00:05:48,680 Speaker 1: Groups are more effective and efficient when participants know how 95 00:05:48,720 --> 00:05:52,240 Speaker 1: to raise concerns, how to propose ideas, and when a 96 00:05:52,240 --> 00:05:55,039 Speaker 1: decision has been made and by whom, and how to 97 00:05:55,040 --> 00:05:58,160 Speaker 1: put that decision into practice. People who have gotten to 98 00:05:58,200 --> 00:06:00,960 Speaker 1: participate in decision making and feel co ownership of the 99 00:06:01,000 --> 00:06:04,640 Speaker 1: project stick around and do the work. People who feel 100 00:06:04,760 --> 00:06:07,320 Speaker 1: unclear about whether their opinion matters or how to be 101 00:06:07,400 --> 00:06:11,600 Speaker 1: part of making decisions tend to drift away. Strong structures 102 00:06:11,640 --> 00:06:14,560 Speaker 1: also help us plug in new people, orient them to 103 00:06:14,600 --> 00:06:17,120 Speaker 1: the work, train them in skills they need to build, 104 00:06:17,600 --> 00:06:21,320 Speaker 1: and give them roles they want. And do you know 105 00:06:21,360 --> 00:06:26,760 Speaker 1: what clear structure is our responsibility? That's right, it's ads. 106 00:06:27,640 --> 00:06:32,920 Speaker 1: It's clearly our responsibility to show you ads. You don't 107 00:06:32,920 --> 00:06:50,120 Speaker 1: have to listen to them, and we're back. This chapter 108 00:06:50,160 --> 00:06:53,880 Speaker 1: will explore three organizational tendencies that often emerge in mutual 109 00:06:53,920 --> 00:06:57,359 Speaker 1: aid groups that can cause problems and provide ideas for 110 00:06:57,440 --> 00:07:04,279 Speaker 1: how to avoid them. Secrecy, hierarchy, and lack of clarity. 111 00:07:05,400 --> 00:07:08,920 Speaker 1: Many groups that fail to create clear decision making methods 112 00:07:08,920 --> 00:07:12,920 Speaker 1: and carrying emancipatory cultures end up with participants not knowing 113 00:07:12,960 --> 00:07:16,280 Speaker 1: what is going on or who is making decisions, having 114 00:07:16,360 --> 00:07:19,000 Speaker 1: all the decision making concentrate in one person or click, 115 00:07:19,560 --> 00:07:22,640 Speaker 1: and risk the group being torn apart by conflict. Because 116 00:07:22,680 --> 00:07:28,840 Speaker 1: of these dynamics two, over promising and under delivering, non 117 00:07:28,880 --> 00:07:34,520 Speaker 1: responsiveness and elitism, many groups bite off more than they 118 00:07:34,520 --> 00:07:37,880 Speaker 1: can chew, promising to help more people than they can help, 119 00:07:38,480 --> 00:07:40,680 Speaker 1: or making it seem like they have a community need 120 00:07:40,800 --> 00:07:43,720 Speaker 1: covered when they don't actually have the capacity to address it. 121 00:07:44,600 --> 00:07:48,320 Speaker 1: This problem seems to be exacerbated when groups receive grants 122 00:07:48,320 --> 00:07:51,480 Speaker 1: for specific projects so there is money at stake and 123 00:07:51,560 --> 00:07:53,960 Speaker 1: falsely claiming to be able to accomplish more than they 124 00:07:54,000 --> 00:07:57,160 Speaker 1: are able. It also happens when people are not making 125 00:07:57,160 --> 00:08:00,120 Speaker 1: decisions together and someone makes promises for the whole group 126 00:08:00,160 --> 00:08:03,360 Speaker 1: without consulting everyone else about whether that work is a 127 00:08:03,360 --> 00:08:08,880 Speaker 1: priority or a possibility. This tendency can include being non responsive, 128 00:08:09,320 --> 00:08:12,680 Speaker 1: especially to community members in need, and sometimes being over 129 00:08:12,760 --> 00:08:17,040 Speaker 1: responsive to elites. Many groups, especially when money or ego 130 00:08:17,120 --> 00:08:21,200 Speaker 1: is involved, answer calls from media or elected officials, but 131 00:08:21,320 --> 00:08:23,920 Speaker 1: not from the community members that they are supposed to serve. 132 00:08:25,480 --> 00:08:32,240 Speaker 1: Three Scarcity, urgency, and competition. Some groups also develop a 133 00:08:32,240 --> 00:08:36,840 Speaker 1: culture of scarcity of money, time, attention, and labor, which 134 00:08:36,920 --> 00:08:39,840 Speaker 1: makes sense giving the real scarcity that exists in many 135 00:08:39,840 --> 00:08:43,319 Speaker 1: of our lives under capitalism. However, when we do our 136 00:08:43,360 --> 00:08:46,080 Speaker 1: work from a feeling that there is not enough money, time, 137 00:08:46,160 --> 00:08:49,400 Speaker 1: or attention to go around, we sometimes get competitive with 138 00:08:49,480 --> 00:08:52,160 Speaker 1: other groups or with other people within our group, or 139 00:08:52,200 --> 00:08:55,160 Speaker 1: we feel so much urgency about particular tasks that we 140 00:08:55,200 --> 00:08:57,840 Speaker 1: don't take the necessary steps to do our task well, 141 00:08:58,360 --> 00:09:00,560 Speaker 1: and we forget about being kind to each other in 142 00:09:00,600 --> 00:09:03,559 Speaker 1: our rush to get something done. This can lead to 143 00:09:03,640 --> 00:09:08,840 Speaker 1: conflict or making mistakes that harm our communities. This section 144 00:09:09,120 --> 00:09:12,400 Speaker 1: will provide tools for addressing these tendencies in our groups 145 00:09:12,400 --> 00:09:16,839 Speaker 1: and in ourselves, so that we can cultivate transparency, integrity, 146 00:09:16,880 --> 00:09:20,200 Speaker 1: and generosity in our work and build our capacities to 147 00:09:20,240 --> 00:09:24,080 Speaker 1: avoid the pitfalls discussed in chapter four. We will look 148 00:09:24,080 --> 00:09:26,719 Speaker 1: at what decision making in leadership look like when these 149 00:09:26,760 --> 00:09:30,880 Speaker 1: tendencies prevail, what alternatives to these ways of working look like, 150 00:09:31,480 --> 00:09:34,479 Speaker 1: and what personal qualities and behaviors we need to cultivate 151 00:09:34,840 --> 00:09:43,600 Speaker 1: to address these tendencies. Group culture groups have cultures. Group 152 00:09:43,640 --> 00:09:46,120 Speaker 1: culture is built from the signals we give people when 153 00:09:46,160 --> 00:09:49,600 Speaker 1: they join or attend an event norms the group follows, 154 00:09:49,920 --> 00:09:53,160 Speaker 1: how we celebrate together, how we engage in small talk, 155 00:09:53,559 --> 00:09:56,200 Speaker 1: what our meetings feel like, how we give feedback to 156 00:09:56,240 --> 00:10:00,240 Speaker 1: each other, and more. There is no one correct or 157 00:10:00,240 --> 00:10:03,680 Speaker 1: perfect group culture. Groups should be different from each other 158 00:10:03,840 --> 00:10:05,800 Speaker 1: because the people in them are different and we all 159 00:10:05,800 --> 00:10:09,920 Speaker 1: bring different quality, skills and viewpoints. Ideally, we want a 160 00:10:09,960 --> 00:10:12,600 Speaker 1: group culture that supports participants in doing the work they 161 00:10:12,640 --> 00:10:15,679 Speaker 1: came together to do, to be well and to build 162 00:10:15,720 --> 00:10:20,160 Speaker 1: generative relationships. We want to be flexible, and we also 163 00:10:20,240 --> 00:10:23,640 Speaker 1: want to have a culture of responsiveness, reliability, and punctuality. 164 00:10:24,480 --> 00:10:27,480 Speaker 1: How do we work to cultivate both? Most of us, 165 00:10:27,480 --> 00:10:31,679 Speaker 1: having received our concept of responsibility from dominant culture, associate 166 00:10:31,720 --> 00:10:34,920 Speaker 1: it with being forced, lured, or shamed into being good, 167 00:10:35,520 --> 00:10:38,240 Speaker 1: ignoring our needs and fearing punishment if we do wrong. 168 00:10:39,040 --> 00:10:41,840 Speaker 1: How do we hold our values of flexibility, compassion and 169 00:10:42,000 --> 00:10:44,240 Speaker 1: justice while building a culture where we show up and 170 00:10:44,640 --> 00:10:47,800 Speaker 1: do what we said we would. These tensions are real. 171 00:10:48,520 --> 00:10:50,839 Speaker 1: If we do not talk about them together, we run 172 00:10:50,880 --> 00:10:54,280 Speaker 1: the risk of falling into automatic behaviors, driving out new 173 00:10:54,280 --> 00:10:59,120 Speaker 1: people and falling apart. Creating a group culture intentionally and 174 00:10:59,200 --> 00:11:01,200 Speaker 1: having a shared vis about how we want it to 175 00:11:01,240 --> 00:11:03,520 Speaker 1: be does not mean we all need to be just 176 00:11:03,720 --> 00:11:08,600 Speaker 1: like each other. We can acknowledge differences in our capacities, talents, desires, 177 00:11:08,640 --> 00:11:12,000 Speaker 1: and difficulties and still aim to create a culture where 178 00:11:12,000 --> 00:11:14,840 Speaker 1: we support each other in the work, learn new skills, 179 00:11:15,120 --> 00:11:18,480 Speaker 1: and are connected and kind to each other. The goal 180 00:11:18,559 --> 00:11:20,880 Speaker 1: is not that everyone be similar, but that we all 181 00:11:20,920 --> 00:11:24,480 Speaker 1: complement each other and build some shared practices based in 182 00:11:24,520 --> 00:11:32,280 Speaker 1: shared values. MADR Mutual Aid Disaster Relief. Madr's slogan mutually 183 00:11:32,280 --> 00:11:37,640 Speaker 1: a disaster relief slogan is no masters, no flakes, and 184 00:11:37,720 --> 00:11:40,280 Speaker 1: it is a great summary of key principles for collective 185 00:11:40,360 --> 00:11:44,440 Speaker 1: mutual aid work. This dual focus on rejecting hierarchies inside 186 00:11:44,440 --> 00:11:48,360 Speaker 1: the organization and committing to build accountability according to shared 187 00:11:48,440 --> 00:11:52,840 Speaker 1: values asks participants to keep showing up and working together, 188 00:11:53,080 --> 00:11:55,400 Speaker 1: not because a boss is making you, but because you 189 00:11:55,480 --> 00:12:01,360 Speaker 1: want to making decisions together. Perhaps the most central group 190 00:12:01,400 --> 00:12:06,000 Speaker 1: activity that makes everything else possible is making decisions. When 191 00:12:06,040 --> 00:12:08,320 Speaker 1: we do it well, we make good decisions on the 192 00:12:08,320 --> 00:12:11,560 Speaker 1: basis of the best information available, We feel heard by 193 00:12:11,600 --> 00:12:14,320 Speaker 1: each other, and we are all motivated to implement what 194 00:12:14,360 --> 00:12:18,640 Speaker 1: we decided. When we do it poorly, our decisions are unwise. 195 00:12:19,120 --> 00:12:22,079 Speaker 1: Some people are left resentful or hurt or disconnected from 196 00:12:22,080 --> 00:12:24,920 Speaker 1: the group, and there is less motivation to proceed together 197 00:12:24,960 --> 00:12:28,959 Speaker 1: on purpose. It's important to remember that no decision making 198 00:12:29,040 --> 00:12:33,119 Speaker 1: structure can prevent all conflict or power dynamics, or guarantee 199 00:12:33,120 --> 00:12:35,720 Speaker 1: that we will never be frustrated or bored or decide 200 00:12:35,720 --> 00:12:39,400 Speaker 1: to part ways. But consensus decision making at least helps 201 00:12:39,440 --> 00:12:42,480 Speaker 1: us avoid the worst costs of hierarchy as a majority rule, 202 00:12:43,000 --> 00:12:46,600 Speaker 1: which can include abuse of power, demobilization of most people, 203 00:12:46,840 --> 00:12:51,160 Speaker 1: and inefficiency. Consensus decision making gives us the best chance 204 00:12:51,200 --> 00:12:54,719 Speaker 1: to hear from everyone concerned, address power dynamics, and make 205 00:12:54,760 --> 00:12:57,680 Speaker 1: decisions that represent the best wisdom of the group and 206 00:12:57,760 --> 00:13:01,160 Speaker 1: that people in the group will want to implement. What 207 00:13:01,280 --> 00:13:06,040 Speaker 1: is consensus decision making. Consensus decision making is based on 208 00:13:06,120 --> 00:13:08,440 Speaker 1: the idea that everyone should have a say in decisions 209 00:13:08,480 --> 00:13:11,640 Speaker 1: that affect them. If we are working on a project together, 210 00:13:11,679 --> 00:13:13,640 Speaker 1: and we should all get to decide how we are 211 00:13:13,679 --> 00:13:16,360 Speaker 1: going to do the work rather than someone telling us 212 00:13:16,400 --> 00:13:19,720 Speaker 1: how to do it. We will honor people's different levels 213 00:13:19,720 --> 00:13:22,720 Speaker 1: of experience and wisdom as we listen to each other's ideas, 214 00:13:23,200 --> 00:13:26,000 Speaker 1: but we will not follow someone just because they act bossy, 215 00:13:26,200 --> 00:13:28,800 Speaker 1: god here first, or have a higher social status in 216 00:13:28,880 --> 00:13:33,080 Speaker 1: the dominant culture because they're a professional, white, older male, 217 00:13:33,240 --> 00:13:38,280 Speaker 1: formally educated, etc. Consensus decision making happens when everyone in 218 00:13:38,320 --> 00:13:42,199 Speaker 1: the discussion hashes out possibilities and modifies a proposal until 219 00:13:42,200 --> 00:13:46,960 Speaker 1: everyone can live with it. Consensus cultivates interest in the 220 00:13:47,000 --> 00:13:50,840 Speaker 1: whole group's purpose and wellness, rather than cultivating a desire 221 00:13:50,880 --> 00:13:55,599 Speaker 1: to have things exactly my way. In consensus, any participant 222 00:13:55,600 --> 00:13:58,320 Speaker 1: can block a decision, so we take time to actually 223 00:13:58,360 --> 00:14:01,600 Speaker 1: talk through each member's concerns because we cannot move forward 224 00:14:01,679 --> 00:14:04,920 Speaker 1: without each other, because we are trying to build agreement 225 00:14:05,040 --> 00:14:07,640 Speaker 1: by modifying the proposal until it comes as close as 226 00:14:07,679 --> 00:14:10,240 Speaker 1: possible to meeting the full range of needs and concerns. 227 00:14:11,000 --> 00:14:13,760 Speaker 1: We also build the skill of making decisions with group 228 00:14:13,800 --> 00:14:17,120 Speaker 1: members and community members in mind, not just ourselves and 229 00:14:17,160 --> 00:14:19,920 Speaker 1: our clicks, and being okay with something that is not 230 00:14:20,000 --> 00:14:23,920 Speaker 1: our most preferred version going forward. That is, we learn 231 00:14:23,960 --> 00:14:27,160 Speaker 1: to imagine how decisions affect us all differently and how 232 00:14:27,200 --> 00:14:30,720 Speaker 1: to productively move forward taking other people's needs and desires 233 00:14:30,720 --> 00:14:36,600 Speaker 1: into account. People can stand aside in consensus processes, letting 234 00:14:36,640 --> 00:14:39,360 Speaker 1: others know that while they are not totally behind this proposal, 235 00:14:39,800 --> 00:14:41,560 Speaker 1: they agree it is best for the group to go 236 00:14:41,680 --> 00:14:44,120 Speaker 1: forward with the decision given all the views that have 237 00:14:44,160 --> 00:14:48,880 Speaker 1: been expressed in the efforts made to address concerns. Here's 238 00:14:48,880 --> 00:14:53,320 Speaker 1: an example of what consensus could ideally look like. Over 239 00:14:53,360 --> 00:14:56,080 Speaker 1: a period of time, a group has hashed out a proposal, 240 00:14:56,560 --> 00:15:00,320 Speaker 1: heard concerns, and collective discussions and tweaked it until it 241 00:15:00,360 --> 00:15:03,760 Speaker 1: seems like everyone may be ready to agree. Someone calls 242 00:15:03,800 --> 00:15:05,840 Speaker 1: for consensus and checks to see if there are any 243 00:15:05,880 --> 00:15:09,640 Speaker 1: stand asides, those who want to signify disagreement but don't 244 00:15:09,640 --> 00:15:13,440 Speaker 1: want to block the proposal for moving forward, or blocks, 245 00:15:14,080 --> 00:15:17,160 Speaker 1: those with disagreements significant enough that they feel the proposal 246 00:15:17,200 --> 00:15:21,520 Speaker 1: cannot be passed without modification. If there are blocks, it 247 00:15:21,600 --> 00:15:25,400 Speaker 1: means the proposal needs more work. The person or people 248 00:15:25,440 --> 00:15:28,040 Speaker 1: blocking can share their concerns, and the group can either 249 00:15:28,120 --> 00:15:31,720 Speaker 1: work further on modifying the proposal then and there, or 250 00:15:31,760 --> 00:15:33,640 Speaker 1: have some people work on it and come up with 251 00:15:33,680 --> 00:15:37,720 Speaker 1: a way forward before the next meeting. If no one blocks, 252 00:15:37,880 --> 00:15:41,040 Speaker 1: but many people stand aside, the group may decide to 253 00:15:41,080 --> 00:15:43,360 Speaker 1: discuss the reasons for the stand aside for a bit 254 00:15:43,440 --> 00:15:45,600 Speaker 1: longer to see if they can be resolved by making 255 00:15:45,600 --> 00:15:49,560 Speaker 1: the proposal better. If someone finds themselves blocking a lot, 256 00:15:49,880 --> 00:15:52,080 Speaker 1: it may be worth examining whether they are in the 257 00:15:52,160 --> 00:15:56,000 Speaker 1: right group, Do they believe in the shared purpose, or 258 00:15:56,040 --> 00:15:58,720 Speaker 1: whether they are withholding their views earlier in the process 259 00:15:58,840 --> 00:16:02,600 Speaker 1: or feeling not life listen to in the group. In general, 260 00:16:03,120 --> 00:16:06,720 Speaker 1: blocking should be rare. It is worth noting that this 261 00:16:06,760 --> 00:16:10,760 Speaker 1: process often unfolds over multiple meetings, with step one happening 262 00:16:10,800 --> 00:16:12,840 Speaker 1: at one meeting and a group of people agreeing to 263 00:16:12,840 --> 00:16:15,360 Speaker 1: come to the next meeting with a developed proposal to 264 00:16:15,400 --> 00:16:19,680 Speaker 1: be discussed. Consensus decision making does not mean that every 265 00:16:19,680 --> 00:16:23,000 Speaker 1: decision is made by the whole group. Decisions can still 266 00:16:23,040 --> 00:16:25,800 Speaker 1: be delegated to teams working on implementing part of the 267 00:16:25,800 --> 00:16:30,880 Speaker 1: group's larger plan. For example, if the group does grocery deliveries, 268 00:16:31,280 --> 00:16:34,080 Speaker 1: a specific team can work on filling out the delivery 269 00:16:34,080 --> 00:16:38,160 Speaker 1: schedule and assignments. For consensus to work well, people need 270 00:16:38,200 --> 00:16:41,200 Speaker 1: a common purpose, some degree of trust in each other, 271 00:16:41,600 --> 00:16:45,280 Speaker 1: an understanding of the consensus process, a willingness to put 272 00:16:45,320 --> 00:16:47,960 Speaker 1: the best interests of the group at the center, which 273 00:16:48,000 --> 00:16:50,320 Speaker 1: does not mean people let themselves be harmed for the 274 00:16:50,360 --> 00:16:53,080 Speaker 1: good of the group, but may mean being okay not 275 00:16:53,120 --> 00:16:56,920 Speaker 1: always getting their way. A willingness to spend time preparing 276 00:16:56,960 --> 00:17:02,800 Speaker 1: and discussing proposals, and skillful facilitat and agenda preparation. These 277 00:17:02,800 --> 00:17:05,639 Speaker 1: skills and qualities can develop as any new group learns 278 00:17:05,640 --> 00:17:08,639 Speaker 1: to work together. It is okay that we don't have 279 00:17:08,760 --> 00:17:11,840 Speaker 1: all these in place at the start. The greatest area 280 00:17:11,880 --> 00:17:15,080 Speaker 1: of strength for most mutual aid groups is a common purpose. 281 00:17:17,240 --> 00:17:24,560 Speaker 1: Advantages of consensus decision making One better decisions. When more 282 00:17:24,560 --> 00:17:27,720 Speaker 1: people get to talk through a decision, openly sharing their 283 00:17:27,720 --> 00:17:31,440 Speaker 1: insight without fear of reprisal from a boss, parent, or teacher, 284 00:17:32,200 --> 00:17:35,440 Speaker 1: more relevant information and wisdom about the topic is likely 285 00:17:35,480 --> 00:17:40,680 Speaker 1: to surface. Two. Better implementation when we get to look 286 00:17:40,680 --> 00:17:43,080 Speaker 1: at a proposal together and tell each other how it 287 00:17:43,160 --> 00:17:46,320 Speaker 1: might be improved. Hashing out our best ideas until we 288 00:17:46,359 --> 00:17:48,560 Speaker 1: have something that we all like or at least can 289 00:17:48,600 --> 00:17:51,679 Speaker 1: live with, We are more likely to vigorously do what 290 00:17:51,720 --> 00:17:55,000 Speaker 1: we all decided, instead of drifting apart or failing to 291 00:17:55,000 --> 00:18:00,920 Speaker 1: follow through. Three. Bringing more people into the working them involved. 292 00:18:02,000 --> 00:18:05,840 Speaker 1: People come to contribute, but they stay because they feel needed, included, 293 00:18:06,000 --> 00:18:10,760 Speaker 1: and a part of something. Four helping to prevent co optation. 294 00:18:12,320 --> 00:18:14,520 Speaker 1: When a small number of people have the power to 295 00:18:14,560 --> 00:18:16,800 Speaker 1: shift the direction of a project, it can be hard 296 00:18:16,840 --> 00:18:21,480 Speaker 1: to resist the incentives that come with co optation. Five. 297 00:18:22,600 --> 00:18:28,360 Speaker 1: We learn to value and desire other people's participation. If 298 00:18:28,400 --> 00:18:31,000 Speaker 1: the goal of our movements is to mobilize hundreds of 299 00:18:31,040 --> 00:18:35,160 Speaker 1: millions of people, we need to genuinely want each other's participation, 300 00:18:35,800 --> 00:18:38,880 Speaker 1: even when others bring different ideas or disagree with how 301 00:18:38,880 --> 00:18:44,760 Speaker 1: we think things should be done. Making consensus decisions. Practicing 302 00:18:44,840 --> 00:18:51,439 Speaker 1: meeting facilitation. Skillful facilitation helps us make decisions together, feel 303 00:18:51,480 --> 00:18:55,080 Speaker 1: heard and included by each other, prevent and resolve conflict, 304 00:18:55,440 --> 00:18:59,000 Speaker 1: celebrate our accomplishments and wins, grieve our losses, and become 305 00:18:59,080 --> 00:19:03,680 Speaker 1: people who can be together in new, more liberating relationships. 306 00:19:04,800 --> 00:19:08,359 Speaker 1: Some very basic elements of good meeting facilitation worth considering 307 00:19:08,440 --> 00:19:13,600 Speaker 1: are start and end on time. Write out an agenda, 308 00:19:13,920 --> 00:19:15,719 Speaker 1: a list of what the group will talk about at 309 00:19:15,720 --> 00:19:18,600 Speaker 1: the meeting, a sign, a note taker who will take 310 00:19:18,640 --> 00:19:20,720 Speaker 1: notes that the group can refer back to or share 311 00:19:20,760 --> 00:19:24,200 Speaker 1: with people who couldn't be at the meeting. Assign each 312 00:19:24,200 --> 00:19:27,760 Speaker 1: agenda item a time amount, and have a timekeeper watch 313 00:19:27,800 --> 00:19:29,720 Speaker 1: the time so the group doesn't end up running the 314 00:19:29,760 --> 00:19:36,040 Speaker 1: meeting too long or not getting to important items. Provide food, beverages, poetry, 315 00:19:36,119 --> 00:19:39,680 Speaker 1: a game, or music. Also consider opening with a go 316 00:19:39,720 --> 00:19:42,720 Speaker 1: around check in question that is funny or invites people's 317 00:19:42,760 --> 00:19:46,320 Speaker 1: personalities to shine a little to help the meeting be 318 00:19:46,359 --> 00:19:51,119 Speaker 1: a participatory in supportive space. Establish group agreements. The group 319 00:19:51,160 --> 00:19:53,679 Speaker 1: can agree, for example, that each person will wait for 320 00:19:53,720 --> 00:19:57,600 Speaker 1: three other people to speak. Before speaking again sometimes called 321 00:19:57,960 --> 00:20:02,200 Speaker 1: three before me, or that they will respect people's pronouns, 322 00:20:02,640 --> 00:20:05,159 Speaker 1: or whatever else the group decides will create a caring 323 00:20:05,240 --> 00:20:09,080 Speaker 1: and respectful space. Go over these agreements at the beginning 324 00:20:09,119 --> 00:20:12,320 Speaker 1: of each meeting and make sure newcomers understand them and 325 00:20:12,400 --> 00:20:17,040 Speaker 1: get to ask questions or suggest editions when talking about 326 00:20:17,040 --> 00:20:20,199 Speaker 1: something important. If time allows, consider a go around so 327 00:20:20,240 --> 00:20:23,600 Speaker 1: that the group hears from everyone. This is especially important 328 00:20:23,640 --> 00:20:26,280 Speaker 1: if the same people are usually talking and others are 329 00:20:26,359 --> 00:20:30,120 Speaker 1: usually quiet, And do you know what else is talking 330 00:20:30,359 --> 00:20:35,800 Speaker 1: while we are quiet? That's right, the advertisements for the 331 00:20:35,840 --> 00:20:40,520 Speaker 1: products and services that support this show and keep the 332 00:20:40,680 --> 00:21:02,800 Speaker 1: pods casts podding, and we're back leadership qualities that support 333 00:21:02,880 --> 00:21:08,480 Speaker 1: mutuality and collaboration. When we get a sense of ourself 334 00:21:08,560 --> 00:21:12,000 Speaker 1: from fame, status, or approval from a bunch of strangers, 335 00:21:12,960 --> 00:21:16,000 Speaker 1: we're in trouble. It is hard to stick to our 336 00:21:16,040 --> 00:21:18,760 Speaker 1: principles and treat others well when we are seeking praise 337 00:21:18,760 --> 00:21:23,919 Speaker 1: and attention. If we are to redefine leadership away from individualism, competition, 338 00:21:24,040 --> 00:21:27,360 Speaker 1: and social climbing, we have to become people who care 339 00:21:27,400 --> 00:21:30,800 Speaker 1: about ourselves as part of a greater whole. It means 340 00:21:30,840 --> 00:21:35,200 Speaker 1: moving from materialist self love, which is often very self critical. 341 00:21:35,880 --> 00:21:38,400 Speaker 1: I will be okay and deserve love when I look right, 342 00:21:38,480 --> 00:21:41,840 Speaker 1: when others approve of me, when I am famous, and 343 00:21:41,920 --> 00:21:45,680 Speaker 1: toward a deep belief that everyone, including ourselves, deserves dignity, 344 00:21:45,720 --> 00:21:49,560 Speaker 1: belonging in safety just because we are alive. It means 345 00:21:49,560 --> 00:21:53,840 Speaker 1: cultivating a desire to be beautifully exquisitely ordinary, just like 346 00:21:53,920 --> 00:21:58,960 Speaker 1: everyone else. It means practicing to be nobody special. Rather 347 00:21:59,000 --> 00:22:01,800 Speaker 1: than a fantasy of being rich and famous, which capitalism 348 00:22:01,840 --> 00:22:04,760 Speaker 1: tells us as the goal of our lives, we cultivate 349 00:22:04,800 --> 00:22:07,200 Speaker 1: a fantasy of everyone having what they need and being 350 00:22:07,240 --> 00:22:11,080 Speaker 1: able to creatively express the beauty of their lives. This 351 00:22:11,240 --> 00:22:14,160 Speaker 1: is a lifelong, unlearning practice because we have all been 352 00:22:14,200 --> 00:22:18,959 Speaker 1: shaped by systems that make us insecure, approval seeking, individualist, 353 00:22:19,240 --> 00:22:23,679 Speaker 1: and sometimes shallow. Yet we also have all the deeply 354 00:22:23,760 --> 00:22:26,719 Speaker 1: human desire to connect with others, to be of service 355 00:22:26,720 --> 00:22:29,320 Speaker 1: in ways that reduce suffering, and to be seen and 356 00:22:29,440 --> 00:22:31,920 Speaker 1: loved by those who truly know us. So we can 357 00:22:32,000 --> 00:22:35,760 Speaker 1: notice these learned instincts and drives in ourselves and unlearned them, 358 00:22:36,359 --> 00:22:39,040 Speaker 1: that is, make choices to act out of mutuality and 359 00:22:39,200 --> 00:22:43,439 Speaker 1: care on purpose. Margaret, here, I'm going to interject with 360 00:22:43,480 --> 00:22:45,360 Speaker 1: my own thoughts, which I like never do. But this 361 00:22:45,400 --> 00:22:48,000 Speaker 1: is a thing that I think about a lot because 362 00:22:48,040 --> 00:22:51,240 Speaker 1: I actually come to a position where I'm, you know, 363 00:22:51,920 --> 00:22:54,919 Speaker 1: an anarchist, socialist or whatever, like someone who's very pro community. 364 00:22:55,400 --> 00:22:59,640 Speaker 1: I come at it from a much more i would 365 00:22:59,640 --> 00:23:03,640 Speaker 1: sayessentially individualist background, right, And I'm not ashamed of that. 366 00:23:03,800 --> 00:23:06,680 Speaker 1: And actually I think that this piece is really important 367 00:23:06,760 --> 00:23:11,040 Speaker 1: to that this idea having a fantasy of trying to 368 00:23:11,040 --> 00:23:14,640 Speaker 1: be rich and famous is bad for you as an individual, 369 00:23:15,040 --> 00:23:19,080 Speaker 1: even if you're less concerned about the community, being more 370 00:23:19,160 --> 00:23:21,800 Speaker 1: concerned about the community, like cultivating a fantasy where everyone 371 00:23:21,840 --> 00:23:24,159 Speaker 1: has what they need to be able to creatively express 372 00:23:24,200 --> 00:23:28,399 Speaker 1: the beauty of their lives. That is a nicer and 373 00:23:28,640 --> 00:23:35,119 Speaker 1: freer way to live. Because if you're constantly seeking points 374 00:23:35,200 --> 00:23:38,720 Speaker 1: in this point system that we've been sold, you're never 375 00:23:38,800 --> 00:23:41,720 Speaker 1: going to be happy. And I know that's like easy 376 00:23:41,760 --> 00:23:44,080 Speaker 1: to say or whatever, but it's just true. And so 377 00:23:44,280 --> 00:23:46,600 Speaker 1: I think that even if you are coming from an 378 00:23:46,640 --> 00:23:49,600 Speaker 1: individualist position, which I don't think is inherently bad, it's 379 00:23:49,640 --> 00:23:52,080 Speaker 1: just a thing to be careful around. I think that 380 00:23:52,200 --> 00:23:57,080 Speaker 1: this sort of pro social way of organizing and imagining 381 00:23:57,119 --> 00:24:00,879 Speaker 1: life to be better is frankly better for you as 382 00:24:00,880 --> 00:24:06,320 Speaker 1: an individual anyway. Again, I'm sorry to add commentary Dean. 383 00:24:06,440 --> 00:24:11,040 Speaker 1: I hope you forgive me for that. Back to Dean's writing, burnout. 384 00:24:12,440 --> 00:24:15,399 Speaker 1: Burnout is a reason people often give for why they 385 00:24:15,520 --> 00:24:19,520 Speaker 1: leave mutual aid groups. Burnout is more than just exhaustion 386 00:24:19,720 --> 00:24:23,159 Speaker 1: that comes from working too hard. Most often, people I 387 00:24:23,240 --> 00:24:25,680 Speaker 1: meet who describe themselves as burnt out have been through 388 00:24:25,720 --> 00:24:28,720 Speaker 1: painful conflict in a group they were working with and 389 00:24:28,840 --> 00:24:31,479 Speaker 1: quit because they were hurt and unsatisfied by how it 390 00:24:31,520 --> 00:24:37,119 Speaker 1: turned out. Burnout is the combination of resentment, exhaustion, shame, 391 00:24:37,280 --> 00:24:40,679 Speaker 1: and frustration that makes us lose connection to pleasure and 392 00:24:40,760 --> 00:24:46,200 Speaker 1: passion in the work and instead encounter difficult feelings like avoidance, compulsion, control, 393 00:24:46,320 --> 00:24:50,159 Speaker 1: and anxiety. If it were just exhaustion, we could take 394 00:24:50,200 --> 00:24:53,080 Speaker 1: a break and rest and go back, But people who 395 00:24:53,119 --> 00:24:55,679 Speaker 1: feel burnt out often feel they cannot return to the 396 00:24:55,720 --> 00:24:58,240 Speaker 1: work or that the group or work they were part 397 00:24:58,280 --> 00:25:03,400 Speaker 1: of is toxic. These feelings and behaviors are reasonable results 398 00:25:03,400 --> 00:25:06,000 Speaker 1: of the conditions under which we do our work. We 399 00:25:06,080 --> 00:25:09,560 Speaker 1: are steeped in a capitalist, patriarchal, white supremacist culture that 400 00:25:09,680 --> 00:25:14,760 Speaker 1: encourage us to compete, distrust, hoard, hide, disconnect, and confine 401 00:25:14,800 --> 00:25:17,199 Speaker 1: our value to how others see us and what we produce. 402 00:25:18,160 --> 00:25:21,840 Speaker 1: Our work is under resourced in important ways. Many of 403 00:25:21,880 --> 00:25:24,080 Speaker 1: us come to the work because of our own experiences 404 00:25:24,119 --> 00:25:27,440 Speaker 1: of poverty or violence, and doing this work can activate 405 00:25:27,480 --> 00:25:31,160 Speaker 1: old wounds and survival responses. We come to this work 406 00:25:31,200 --> 00:25:33,960 Speaker 1: to heal ourselves in the world, but we often do 407 00:25:34,080 --> 00:25:36,760 Speaker 1: the work in ways that further harm ourselves and impede 408 00:25:36,840 --> 00:25:40,600 Speaker 1: our contribution to the resistance. When our groups are focused 409 00:25:40,640 --> 00:25:44,520 Speaker 1: on getting important things done out there, there is rarely 410 00:25:44,600 --> 00:25:47,600 Speaker 1: room to process our strong feelings or admit that we 411 00:25:47,640 --> 00:25:50,520 Speaker 1: do not know how to navigate our roles in here. 412 00:25:52,200 --> 00:25:58,560 Speaker 1: Burnout is created or worsened when we feel disconnected from others, mistreated, misunderstood, ashamed, 413 00:25:58,640 --> 00:26:05,919 Speaker 1: overburdened with outcomes, perfectionist or controlling. Burnout is prevented or 414 00:26:06,000 --> 00:26:09,040 Speaker 1: lessened when we feel connected to others, when there is 415 00:26:09,080 --> 00:26:12,399 Speaker 1: transparency in how we work together, when we can rest 416 00:26:12,400 --> 00:26:15,359 Speaker 1: as needed, and when we feel appreciated by the group, 417 00:26:15,720 --> 00:26:18,679 Speaker 1: and when we have skills for giving and receiving feedback. 418 00:26:19,600 --> 00:26:22,080 Speaker 1: There are several things that groups can do to cultivate 419 00:26:22,080 --> 00:26:25,639 Speaker 1: conditions that prevent, reduce, or respond to burnout, and there 420 00:26:25,640 --> 00:26:29,800 Speaker 1: are things that individuals experiencing burnout can do Before People 421 00:26:29,840 --> 00:26:32,520 Speaker 1: who are burnt out leave groups, they often cause a 422 00:26:32,520 --> 00:26:35,760 Speaker 1: lot of disruption at damage, so this section is also 423 00:26:35,800 --> 00:26:38,800 Speaker 1: aimed at reducing the harm that burnt out or overworked 424 00:26:38,800 --> 00:26:41,880 Speaker 1: people can cause. Figuring out how to have a more 425 00:26:41,920 --> 00:26:45,159 Speaker 1: balanced relationship to work and overwork is a matter of 426 00:26:45,200 --> 00:26:50,960 Speaker 1: both individual healing and collective stewardship of the group. Signs 427 00:26:51,000 --> 00:26:55,960 Speaker 1: of overwork and burnout high stress when thinking about tasks 428 00:26:55,960 --> 00:26:58,400 Speaker 1: being performed by someone else who might do it differently, 429 00:26:58,840 --> 00:27:00,840 Speaker 1: or the group coming to it a different decision than 430 00:27:00,840 --> 00:27:05,320 Speaker 1: we would make. Feelings of resentment I've done the most 431 00:27:05,359 --> 00:27:08,639 Speaker 1: for this group, or I work harder than anyone else. 432 00:27:09,320 --> 00:27:12,440 Speaker 1: This can include creating a damaging group culture of competition 433 00:27:12,480 --> 00:27:16,960 Speaker 1: about who works the hardest, not respecting group agreements or 434 00:27:17,000 --> 00:27:19,679 Speaker 1: group process because we feel above the process as the 435 00:27:19,760 --> 00:27:24,240 Speaker 1: founder or the hardest worker. Feelings of competition with other 436 00:27:24,320 --> 00:27:27,119 Speaker 1: groups that are politically aligned or with other issues or 437 00:27:27,200 --> 00:27:32,240 Speaker 1: activists that we perceive as receiving more support, Feelings of martyrdom, 438 00:27:32,840 --> 00:27:36,639 Speaker 1: desire to endlessly be given credit for our work, a 439 00:27:36,680 --> 00:27:39,760 Speaker 1: desire to take on tasks and responsibilities in order to 440 00:27:40,160 --> 00:27:45,520 Speaker 1: be important to the group or control outcomes. Feeling overwhelmed 441 00:27:45,600 --> 00:27:50,160 Speaker 1: or experiencing depression and or anxiety, Feeling like we have 442 00:27:50,280 --> 00:27:53,679 Speaker 1: to do all these things, cannot see any way to 443 00:27:53,720 --> 00:27:58,320 Speaker 1: do less work or have less responsibility, inability to let 444 00:27:58,359 --> 00:28:03,359 Speaker 1: others take on leadership roles, hoarding information or important contacts 445 00:28:03,440 --> 00:28:06,119 Speaker 1: that others cannot rise to the same level of leadership. 446 00:28:06,720 --> 00:28:10,720 Speaker 1: This behavior is usually rationalized in some way, a life 447 00:28:10,800 --> 00:28:13,520 Speaker 1: and death feeling that it must be done the way 448 00:28:13,560 --> 00:28:16,639 Speaker 1: I do it. An extreme version of this can result 449 00:28:16,680 --> 00:28:19,920 Speaker 1: in leaders sabotaging the group or project rather than recognizing 450 00:28:19,960 --> 00:28:21,840 Speaker 1: that it may be time to step back and take 451 00:28:21,880 --> 00:28:26,399 Speaker 1: a break from leadership. Paranoia and distrust about others in 452 00:28:26,440 --> 00:28:28,920 Speaker 1: the group or other people working in this kind of work, 453 00:28:30,040 --> 00:28:33,879 Speaker 1: Feelings of being alone, feelings of me against members of 454 00:28:33,920 --> 00:28:39,360 Speaker 1: the group, other groups. Everyone over promising and under delivering, 455 00:28:39,440 --> 00:28:42,560 Speaker 1: which can lead to feeling fraudulent and afraid of being 456 00:28:42,600 --> 00:28:47,680 Speaker 1: caught so far behind. Having feelings of scarcity drive decision making, 457 00:28:48,120 --> 00:28:52,760 Speaker 1: there's not enough money, time, attention, having no boundaries with work, 458 00:28:52,840 --> 00:28:56,120 Speaker 1: working all the time during meals. First thing upon waking 459 00:28:56,160 --> 00:28:59,240 Speaker 1: the last before sleeping during time that was supposed to 460 00:28:59,240 --> 00:29:02,120 Speaker 1: be for connecting with loved ones, not knowing how to 461 00:29:02,160 --> 00:29:06,040 Speaker 1: do anything besides work, not having fun, and feeling relaxed 462 00:29:06,080 --> 00:29:10,400 Speaker 1: on vacation or days off, dismissal of the significance of 463 00:29:10,440 --> 00:29:14,080 Speaker 1: group process, and overvaluation of how the group is perceived 464 00:29:14,120 --> 00:29:18,840 Speaker 1: by outsiders such as funders, elites, and others, being flaky 465 00:29:19,120 --> 00:29:22,920 Speaker 1: or unreliable, being defensive about all of the above, and 466 00:29:23,000 --> 00:29:26,400 Speaker 1: unwilling to hear critique. I'm doing so much, I'm killing 467 00:29:26,400 --> 00:29:28,959 Speaker 1: myself with work. How can you critique me? I can't 468 00:29:29,000 --> 00:29:34,680 Speaker 1: possibly do any better? Slash more shame about experiencing all 469 00:29:34,720 --> 00:29:39,960 Speaker 1: of the above. We also carry around fallback attitudes and 470 00:29:40,000 --> 00:29:43,400 Speaker 1: behaviors that can undermine our principles, especially when we are 471 00:29:43,440 --> 00:29:46,960 Speaker 1: stressed out in over capacity. These can be behaviors we 472 00:29:47,040 --> 00:29:49,480 Speaker 1: learn from dominant culture and also roles we learned in 473 00:29:49,520 --> 00:29:53,040 Speaker 1: our families. When we are stressed and overworked, these things 474 00:29:53,080 --> 00:29:55,600 Speaker 1: can come out in damaging ways. It can mean we 475 00:29:55,680 --> 00:30:00,080 Speaker 1: misuse or obstruct group processes, disappear from the work, or 476 00:30:00,160 --> 00:30:02,640 Speaker 1: act from a place of superiority or dominance on the 477 00:30:02,680 --> 00:30:08,960 Speaker 1: basis of gender, race, ability, class, or educational attainment. How 478 00:30:09,080 --> 00:30:13,600 Speaker 1: mutual aid groups can prevent and address overwork and burnout. 479 00:30:15,720 --> 00:30:18,480 Speaker 1: Overwork is pervasive in mutual aid groups, and if we 480 00:30:18,560 --> 00:30:21,520 Speaker 1: can move away from shaming and blaming ourselves and others 481 00:30:21,560 --> 00:30:26,040 Speaker 1: and toward acknowledging it, we can support change. It is 482 00:30:26,040 --> 00:30:28,800 Speaker 1: hard to confront another person about behavior that is harmful, 483 00:30:29,240 --> 00:30:31,680 Speaker 1: and it is hard to be confronted about harmful behavior 484 00:30:31,760 --> 00:30:35,360 Speaker 1: and listen to what is being said. The ideas below 485 00:30:35,640 --> 00:30:38,680 Speaker 1: do not change that, but they may help individuals or 486 00:30:38,720 --> 00:30:45,240 Speaker 1: groups create concrete steps to address the problems. One make 487 00:30:45,320 --> 00:30:49,239 Speaker 1: internal problems a top priority. The group cannot do its 488 00:30:49,280 --> 00:30:52,480 Speaker 1: important work if it is falling apart inside and cannot 489 00:30:52,520 --> 00:30:54,560 Speaker 1: do its work well if it is promising to do 490 00:30:54,640 --> 00:30:57,880 Speaker 1: work it does not have the capacity to do. This 491 00:30:57,920 --> 00:31:00,480 Speaker 1: does not mean the group's work needs to stop, but 492 00:31:00,520 --> 00:31:03,200 Speaker 1: it may mean calling a moratorium on new projects and 493 00:31:03,200 --> 00:31:06,200 Speaker 1: commitments so that the situation does not worsen, so that 494 00:31:06,240 --> 00:31:11,040 Speaker 1: people can carve out time for working on internal problems. Two. 495 00:31:12,240 --> 00:31:15,200 Speaker 1: Making sure that new people are welcomed and trained to 496 00:31:15,320 --> 00:31:18,800 Speaker 1: co lead. This means new people are given a full 497 00:31:18,840 --> 00:31:21,760 Speaker 1: background on the group's work, understand that they are being 498 00:31:21,800 --> 00:31:25,280 Speaker 1: asked to fully participate in all decisions and have space 499 00:31:25,360 --> 00:31:28,400 Speaker 1: to ask any questions they need to in order to participate. 500 00:31:29,200 --> 00:31:31,640 Speaker 1: Ensuring that everyone is getting access to what it takes 501 00:31:31,640 --> 00:31:35,160 Speaker 1: to co lead is essential to building leadership among more people. 502 00:31:35,960 --> 00:31:38,120 Speaker 1: Group members and the group as a whole would be 503 00:31:38,120 --> 00:31:40,840 Speaker 1: better off if many people are leading, not just one 504 00:31:40,920 --> 00:31:46,680 Speaker 1: or two. Three Establish mechanisms to assess the workload and 505 00:31:46,760 --> 00:31:50,960 Speaker 1: scale back. How many hours is each member working? Is 506 00:31:51,000 --> 00:31:52,920 Speaker 1: it beyond what they can do and maintain their own 507 00:31:52,920 --> 00:31:55,840 Speaker 1: well being? Did they actually track their hours for a 508 00:31:55,880 --> 00:31:57,600 Speaker 1: week to make sure they are aware of how much 509 00:31:57,600 --> 00:32:01,360 Speaker 1: they are working. Assess the workload and scale back projects 510 00:32:01,400 --> 00:32:04,840 Speaker 1: into the workload is under control. Create a moratorium on 511 00:32:04,920 --> 00:32:09,760 Speaker 1: new projects until capacity expands. Enforce the moratorium. No one 512 00:32:09,800 --> 00:32:12,280 Speaker 1: can unilaterally take on new work for the group or 513 00:32:12,320 --> 00:32:16,440 Speaker 1: for themselves as a member of the group. Four Build 514 00:32:16,480 --> 00:32:20,240 Speaker 1: a culture of connection. How can the group's meeting culture 515 00:32:20,320 --> 00:32:25,440 Speaker 1: foster well being? Goodwill? Connection between members, eating together, having 516 00:32:25,520 --> 00:32:29,120 Speaker 1: check ins with interesting questions about people's favorite foods, plants, movies, 517 00:32:29,240 --> 00:32:33,200 Speaker 1: or politicizing moments may feel silly at first, it makes 518 00:32:33,240 --> 00:32:37,200 Speaker 1: a big difference. Bringing attention to wellness into the group's 519 00:32:37,200 --> 00:32:41,000 Speaker 1: culture means helping members be there as multi dimensional people 520 00:32:41,600 --> 00:32:45,600 Speaker 1: rather than just as work or activist machines. People need 521 00:32:45,600 --> 00:32:48,360 Speaker 1: to build deep enough relationships to actually be able to 522 00:32:48,400 --> 00:32:52,080 Speaker 1: talk about difficult dynamics that come up, or those dynamics 523 00:32:52,080 --> 00:32:56,840 Speaker 1: will fester. Make sure that the facilitation of meetings rotates, 524 00:32:56,920 --> 00:33:01,920 Speaker 1: including agenda making and other key leadership tasks. Rotating tasks 525 00:33:01,920 --> 00:33:05,280 Speaker 1: can help us address on fair workloads and transparency concerns. 526 00:33:06,000 --> 00:33:08,880 Speaker 1: Making sure everyone is trained on how to facilitate meetings 527 00:33:08,960 --> 00:33:11,560 Speaker 1: in ways that maximize the participation of all members of 528 00:33:11,560 --> 00:33:15,320 Speaker 1: the group can help. Whenever there is danger that just 529 00:33:15,360 --> 00:33:18,800 Speaker 1: a few people will dominate an important conversation, use a 530 00:33:18,840 --> 00:33:22,680 Speaker 1: go around rather than having people volunteer to speak Quieter 531 00:33:22,800 --> 00:33:29,000 Speaker 1: members speaking up can really change the dynamic six as 532 00:33:29,040 --> 00:33:32,320 Speaker 1: a group. Recognize the conditions creating a culture of overwork. 533 00:33:33,000 --> 00:33:35,360 Speaker 1: It is not one person's fault and everyone may be 534 00:33:35,360 --> 00:33:38,640 Speaker 1: feeling the different forms of pressure. Have one or many 535 00:33:38,680 --> 00:33:41,840 Speaker 1: facilitated discussions about the pressures and dynamics that lead to 536 00:33:41,880 --> 00:33:46,680 Speaker 1: overwork or to an individual's dominating or disappearing behavior. Create 537 00:33:46,680 --> 00:33:49,000 Speaker 1: a shared language for the pressures that members may be 538 00:33:49,120 --> 00:33:51,680 Speaker 1: under so that they are easier to identify and address 539 00:33:51,680 --> 00:34:00,200 Speaker 1: Moving forward, what individuals experiencing overwork and burnout need. In 540 00:34:00,200 --> 00:34:03,480 Speaker 1: addition to creating group approaches to burnout, we can take 541 00:34:03,560 --> 00:34:06,080 Speaker 1: action in our own lives when we recognize our own 542 00:34:06,120 --> 00:34:09,839 Speaker 1: symptoms of overwork and burnout. This requires us to work 543 00:34:09,880 --> 00:34:12,600 Speaker 1: on changing our own behavior and that we be willing 544 00:34:12,640 --> 00:34:15,640 Speaker 1: to examine the root causes of our impulses to over commit, 545 00:34:15,840 --> 00:34:20,880 Speaker 1: to control, to overwork, or to disconnect. This is healing 546 00:34:21,000 --> 00:34:23,520 Speaker 1: work aimed at helping us be well enough to enjoy 547 00:34:23,560 --> 00:34:26,799 Speaker 1: our work, make sustained, lifelong contributions to the movement we 548 00:34:26,880 --> 00:34:30,040 Speaker 1: care about, and receive the love and transformation that is 549 00:34:30,120 --> 00:34:34,000 Speaker 1: possible in communities of resistance. Above all, we must take 550 00:34:34,040 --> 00:34:37,919 Speaker 1: a gentle approach to ourselves, avoid judgment, recognize the role 551 00:34:37,960 --> 00:34:41,480 Speaker 1: of social conditioning and producing these responses in us, and 552 00:34:41,600 --> 00:34:46,040 Speaker 1: patiently and humbly experiment with new ways of being. The 553 00:34:46,080 --> 00:34:50,719 Speaker 1: compulsive worker, overworker, or control freak might come to understand 554 00:34:50,800 --> 00:34:54,920 Speaker 1: their needs in the following ways. I need trusted friends 555 00:34:55,040 --> 00:34:56,960 Speaker 1: who I can talk to about what is going on, 556 00:34:57,440 --> 00:35:00,319 Speaker 1: who I can ask for honest feedback about my behavihavior, 557 00:35:00,680 --> 00:35:02,879 Speaker 1: and who can help support me and soothe me when 558 00:35:02,920 --> 00:35:05,160 Speaker 1: I am afraid of doing something in a new way. 559 00:35:05,760 --> 00:35:08,319 Speaker 1: For example, these people might remind me that even though 560 00:35:08,360 --> 00:35:10,880 Speaker 1: someone else in the project will do this task differently, 561 00:35:11,400 --> 00:35:13,319 Speaker 1: it is better to let them do it so that 562 00:35:13,360 --> 00:35:15,319 Speaker 1: they can build their own skills and I can use 563 00:35:15,360 --> 00:35:17,640 Speaker 1: the time for something healing that might be missing from 564 00:35:17,640 --> 00:35:20,719 Speaker 1: my life. These people might help remind me that it'll 565 00:35:20,760 --> 00:35:23,160 Speaker 1: be okay if I say no to a task or project. 566 00:35:23,840 --> 00:35:26,160 Speaker 1: These friends can help me give love to the wounds 567 00:35:26,239 --> 00:35:30,759 Speaker 1: underneath my compulsive, competitive or controlling behavior, reminding me that 568 00:35:30,800 --> 00:35:33,120 Speaker 1: I am worthwhile and my value does not hang on 569 00:35:33,200 --> 00:35:36,000 Speaker 1: what the group does, how much work I do, or 570 00:35:36,000 --> 00:35:40,440 Speaker 1: what other people think of me. I need supportive people 571 00:35:40,560 --> 00:35:44,240 Speaker 1: who can also point out compulsive, competitive, or controlling behavior 572 00:35:44,320 --> 00:35:47,399 Speaker 1: or ideas when they hear them from me or see 573 00:35:47,400 --> 00:35:50,320 Speaker 1: me engaging in them. It can be difficult to receive 574 00:35:50,360 --> 00:35:54,400 Speaker 1: such feedback, but it is truly a gift. When I 575 00:35:54,400 --> 00:35:57,600 Speaker 1: get feedback from friends or collaborators about concerns they have, 576 00:35:58,160 --> 00:35:59,960 Speaker 1: I need to resist the impulse to defend my mine. 577 00:36:00,000 --> 00:36:03,080 Speaker 1: I solve a critique the way they delivered their message. 578 00:36:03,120 --> 00:36:06,680 Speaker 1: This feedback, including any anger they express while sharing it, 579 00:36:06,760 --> 00:36:08,680 Speaker 1: is likely a sign that others think I am a 580 00:36:08,760 --> 00:36:11,719 Speaker 1: leader and what I do matters. They are doing the 581 00:36:11,760 --> 00:36:14,600 Speaker 1: hard and uncomfortable task of raising a concern because they 582 00:36:14,600 --> 00:36:17,760 Speaker 1: see me as a person with influence. I can remember 583 00:36:17,760 --> 00:36:20,200 Speaker 1: that no matter how it is delivered, this feedback is 584 00:36:20,239 --> 00:36:23,160 Speaker 1: an investment in me and our work and an act 585 00:36:23,200 --> 00:36:26,160 Speaker 1: of love. I can seek out a friend separately to 586 00:36:26,200 --> 00:36:29,480 Speaker 1: process the difficult feelings that receiving this feedback brings up. 587 00:36:30,040 --> 00:36:32,719 Speaker 1: The need to avoid acting out of my defensiveness or 588 00:36:33,040 --> 00:36:35,600 Speaker 1: taking on a victim narrative is especially important when I'm 589 00:36:35,640 --> 00:36:37,920 Speaker 1: in a position of privilege of any kind and or 590 00:36:38,040 --> 00:36:42,279 Speaker 1: have more developed leadership in the group or project. If 591 00:36:42,280 --> 00:36:44,640 Speaker 1: I hate everyone I'm working with, or feel like I 592 00:36:44,680 --> 00:36:46,799 Speaker 1: am going to die, or like I have to stay 593 00:36:46,880 --> 00:36:50,560 Speaker 1: up all night working, this is probably about something older 594 00:36:50,680 --> 00:36:54,960 Speaker 1: or deeper in my life, not about the current work, workplace, group, coworker. 595 00:36:56,800 --> 00:36:59,640 Speaker 1: If my heart is racing, if I feel threatened, if 596 00:36:59,640 --> 00:37:01,279 Speaker 1: I feel fel like I can't get out of bed, 597 00:37:01,360 --> 00:37:03,600 Speaker 1: if I feel like I can't speak to my coworker 598 00:37:03,760 --> 00:37:07,800 Speaker 1: or I'll explode, I am probably experiencing pain deeply rooted 599 00:37:07,840 --> 00:37:11,240 Speaker 1: in my life history. To get out of this reactive space, 600 00:37:11,719 --> 00:37:14,480 Speaker 1: I need to devote resources to uncovering the roots of 601 00:37:14,520 --> 00:37:17,839 Speaker 1: my painful reactions and building ways of being in those 602 00:37:17,840 --> 00:37:20,560 Speaker 1: feelings that don't involve acting out of harm to myself 603 00:37:20,600 --> 00:37:24,800 Speaker 1: for others, including the harm of overworking. The first step 604 00:37:24,880 --> 00:37:28,080 Speaker 1: is recognizing that my strongest reactions may not be entirely 605 00:37:28,200 --> 00:37:31,719 Speaker 1: or primarily about the work related situation directly in front 606 00:37:31,760 --> 00:37:35,000 Speaker 1: of me, and being willing to slow down or explore 607 00:37:35,040 --> 00:37:39,320 Speaker 1: what is underneath. I need a healing path for myself 608 00:37:39,360 --> 00:37:41,160 Speaker 1: if I want to be part of healing the world. 609 00:37:42,080 --> 00:37:44,239 Speaker 1: What that looks like is different for everyone, and could 610 00:37:44,239 --> 00:37:48,080 Speaker 1: include an individual, group or group therapy, twelve step programs, 611 00:37:48,160 --> 00:37:55,200 Speaker 1: including workaholics, anonymous exercise, body work, spiritual exploration, art practice, gardening, 612 00:37:55,480 --> 00:38:00,000 Speaker 1: and building meaningful relationships with family or friends. Whatever it is, 613 00:38:00,080 --> 00:38:01,960 Speaker 1: I have to engage in a gentle way and be 614 00:38:02,040 --> 00:38:04,759 Speaker 1: careful that it does not become another thing to perfect 615 00:38:04,920 --> 00:38:07,360 Speaker 1: or try to be the leader of. Pursuing a healing 616 00:38:07,400 --> 00:38:09,719 Speaker 1: path can be a way to practice doing things because 617 00:38:09,719 --> 00:38:13,640 Speaker 1: they feel good, rather than because they accomplish something. I 618 00:38:13,719 --> 00:38:17,000 Speaker 1: need to stick around. It may be tempting to disappear 619 00:38:17,040 --> 00:38:19,920 Speaker 1: altogether from a group if relationships have gotten difficult and 620 00:38:20,000 --> 00:38:23,759 Speaker 1: I am experiencing negative feelings, about myself and others. If 621 00:38:23,760 --> 00:38:25,880 Speaker 1: I want to move toward a more balanced role in 622 00:38:25,880 --> 00:38:28,719 Speaker 1: the group, or even transition out altogether, I need to 623 00:38:28,760 --> 00:38:32,560 Speaker 1: do so gradually and intentionally. I need to transfer relationships 624 00:38:32,560 --> 00:38:34,680 Speaker 1: and knowledge and skills that I hold, and make sure 625 00:38:34,719 --> 00:38:36,840 Speaker 1: that my transition is done in a way that ensures 626 00:38:36,840 --> 00:38:40,680 Speaker 1: support for the people continuing the work. I'll end on 627 00:38:40,760 --> 00:38:44,600 Speaker 1: this paragraph From Dean's conclusion, everything is at stake, and 628 00:38:44,640 --> 00:38:49,120 Speaker 1: we are fighting for our lives. Mutual aid work plays 629 00:38:49,120 --> 00:38:52,480 Speaker 1: an immediate role in helping us get through crises, but 630 00:38:52,560 --> 00:38:55,080 Speaker 1: it also has the potential to build the skills and 631 00:38:55,120 --> 00:38:57,600 Speaker 1: capacities we need for an entirely new way of living 632 00:38:57,640 --> 00:39:00,840 Speaker 1: at a moment when we must transform our societ or 633 00:39:00,880 --> 00:39:06,279 Speaker 1: face intensive uneven suffering followed by species extinction. As we 634 00:39:06,360 --> 00:39:10,920 Speaker 1: deliver groceries, participate in meetings soew masks, write letters to prisoners, 635 00:39:11,239 --> 00:39:16,799 Speaker 1: apply bandages, make medicines, facilitate relationship skills classes, hide our 636 00:39:16,840 --> 00:39:19,520 Speaker 1: loved ones from the police, learn how to protect our 637 00:39:19,560 --> 00:39:25,120 Speaker 1: work from surveillance, disable government vehicles, sabotage tech, plant gardens, 638 00:39:25,160 --> 00:39:28,840 Speaker 1: and change diapers. We are strengthening our ability to outnumber 639 00:39:28,880 --> 00:39:32,719 Speaker 1: the police and military, protect our communities and build systems 640 00:39:32,719 --> 00:39:37,680 Speaker 1: that make sure everyone can have food, housing, medicine, dignity, connection, belonging, 641 00:39:37,760 --> 00:39:41,640 Speaker 1: and creativity in their lives from every cell block, meadow, 642 00:39:41,760 --> 00:39:47,160 Speaker 1: housing project, forest, trailer park, wilderness, abandoned lot, urban garden, 643 00:39:47,600 --> 00:39:53,000 Speaker 1: in every watershed, bioregion, grassland, floodplain, burnscar, migratory path, and 644 00:39:53,080 --> 00:39:57,160 Speaker 1: crisis zone. This is the work we must do, fighting 645 00:39:57,200 --> 00:40:00,520 Speaker 1: back against the greed and violence that threatens all life, 646 00:40:00,880 --> 00:40:03,520 Speaker 1: and building as many ways of surviving as we can. 647 00:40:04,360 --> 00:40:09,520 Speaker 1: The stakes could not be higher anyway. That's all for 648 00:40:09,560 --> 00:40:11,719 Speaker 1: this week. Thank you for joining me uncle's own media 649 00:40:11,760 --> 00:40:14,719 Speaker 1: book club and for a very very abridged version of 650 00:40:14,760 --> 00:40:17,440 Speaker 1: Dean Spade's Mutual Aid. You should check out the whole 651 00:40:17,440 --> 00:40:20,320 Speaker 1: book if you have any interest in any of these excerpts. 652 00:40:20,600 --> 00:40:23,000 Speaker 1: There's so many more nuggets of wisdom from Dean's own 653 00:40:23,120 --> 00:40:26,840 Speaker 1: organizing and his research work, including sections on handling money, 654 00:40:26,920 --> 00:40:31,840 Speaker 1: working with joy, unlearning, perfectionism, a lot of useful charts, resources, activities. 655 00:40:32,640 --> 00:40:34,520 Speaker 1: If you're looking for a place to start or just 656 00:40:34,560 --> 00:40:37,560 Speaker 1: need a place to recalibrate, mutual Aid, the book by 657 00:40:37,600 --> 00:40:41,400 Speaker 1: Dean Spade is a good place to return to anyway. 658 00:40:41,520 --> 00:40:45,680 Speaker 1: Dean Spade's biome. Dean Spade is an organizer, writer, and teacher. 659 00:40:46,120 --> 00:40:48,960 Speaker 1: He has been working to build queer and transliberation based 660 00:40:49,000 --> 00:40:51,719 Speaker 1: in racial and economic justice for the past two decades. 661 00:40:52,280 --> 00:40:55,040 Speaker 1: He is a professor at the Seattle University School of Law. 662 00:40:55,560 --> 00:40:57,760 Speaker 1: He's the author of Love and a Fucked Up World, 663 00:40:58,080 --> 00:41:01,520 Speaker 1: Normal Life, and This Book Aid, which is getting an 664 00:41:01,600 --> 00:41:05,480 Speaker 1: updated reissue from Versa with new chapters, updated case studies, 665 00:41:05,719 --> 00:41:09,000 Speaker 1: and retooled writing for a new political context. Dean is 666 00:41:09,000 --> 00:41:11,040 Speaker 1: also the host of the Love and a Fucked Up 667 00:41:11,080 --> 00:41:13,640 Speaker 1: World podcast, Only it's not spelled fucked up. It's spelled 668 00:41:13,760 --> 00:41:19,120 Speaker 1: f apostrophe, not apostrophe asterisk cked. You can keep up 669 00:41:19,160 --> 00:41:22,560 Speaker 1: with this projects online at Deanspade dot net or by 670 00:41:22,560 --> 00:41:26,520 Speaker 1: following him on Instagram at Spade dot Dean or Blue 671 00:41:26,560 --> 00:41:30,440 Speaker 1: Sky at Dean Spade. Anyway, if you like this reading, 672 00:41:30,560 --> 00:41:32,560 Speaker 1: you should let me know that you want more of it. 673 00:41:32,640 --> 00:41:35,760 Speaker 1: You can find me Margaret on Blue Sky at Margaret 674 00:41:36,080 --> 00:41:38,640 Speaker 1: because I got real lucky or I showed up early 675 00:41:38,719 --> 00:41:41,960 Speaker 1: to Blue Sky whatever maybe that's embarrassing, and on Instagram 676 00:41:42,000 --> 00:41:44,279 Speaker 1: at Margaret Kiljoy. And you can find the book club 677 00:41:44,280 --> 00:41:46,040 Speaker 1: itself on the feeds for it could Happen here and 678 00:41:46,080 --> 00:41:48,439 Speaker 1: cool people did cool stuff as well as its own feed. 679 00:41:48,960 --> 00:41:50,719 Speaker 1: If you like Dean, I did an interview with him 680 00:41:50,760 --> 00:41:53,520 Speaker 1: on mutual aid and disaster preparedness for my other podcast, 681 00:41:53,680 --> 00:41:56,040 Speaker 1: Live Like the World Is Dying, which you should also 682 00:41:56,080 --> 00:41:59,080 Speaker 1: listen to. Hazel helps me with the scripts and research. 683 00:41:59,239 --> 00:42:02,760 Speaker 1: Eva does our audio editing. And that's it from us tonight, 684 00:42:03,040 --> 00:42:09,160 Speaker 1: Stay safe, Stay dangerous, Fuck Ice Bye. It could Happen 685 00:42:09,200 --> 00:42:11,520 Speaker 1: here as a production of cool Zone Media. For more 686 00:42:11,560 --> 00:42:14,879 Speaker 1: podcasts from cool Zone Media, visit our website coolzonemedia dot 687 00:42:14,920 --> 00:42:17,920 Speaker 1: com or check us out on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, 688 00:42:18,000 --> 00:42:21,000 Speaker 1: or wherever you listen to podcasts. You can find sources 689 00:42:21,000 --> 00:42:24,160 Speaker 1: where it Could Happen Here, updated monthly at coolzonemedia dot 690 00:42:24,200 --> 00:42:26,400 Speaker 1: com slash sources. Thanks for listening.