No Matter How You Slice It.

You can't erase us.

Dear Troublemakers,

Did you hear the news? According to BBC News, “Mental-health crisis from pandemic was minimal, study suggests.” I’ll give you a minute. I sure needed one myself. Especially on the heels of a three-year-anniversary of sorts, where so many of my google photo memories are suggesting pictures from early days of the pandemic that immediately take me back to that time. Not a time I would call the good ol’ days by any stretch.

As you can imagine, social media had a field day with this headline. And as people dug in further, they quickly discovered why the study came to its conclusion. “The review did not look at lower-income countries, or specifically focus on children, young people and those with existing problems, the groups most likely affected, experts say, and risks hiding important effects among disadvantaged groups.”

Its not hard to come to a positive conclusion when you leave a bunch of vulnerable populations out of your study! Why even have the study to begin with?

This got me thinking about all the times people of color were and are erased. Sometimes we’ve been erased through white-washed, inaccurate history. Sometimes we’ve been erased through actual genocide, or interment camps, or segregation, or incarceration. And sometimes, we’ve been erased through suggestions that we don’t “count” the ways other humans do.

But despite white supremacy’s best efforts, we’re still here.

A FEW LINKS FOR LEARNING + DOING + JOYFUL RESISTANCE

JOIN… my book launch team (I’m closing the registration to the public today but giving you all an extra day or two - it’s gonna be a great time!

READ… this article about Black history being erased at the state level (and get ready to fight if dude runs in 2024)

WATCH… my favorite moment from the Oscars

I got such a great response from this article I shared last week that I decided to unpack the definition of intersectionality for my podcast “Meet This Moment” which is available exclusively to my patreon and paid substack supporters.

“Austin, that was so helpful. Thank you for making the distinction between intersection and Intersectionality. I have been hearing that word for the last five years and now I know I never understood it! You do have a talent for making the abstract clear.” - Mike, Patreon supporter

Subscribe now (or start your trial) and check out the podcast. Mike and I think you’ll be glad you did!