Care in the Time of Catastrophe
By: Chioma Uruakpa
*CW: suggestions of climate crisis, mentions of apocalypse*
We’ve been witnessing the reality of compounding crises revealing themselves.
Illusions are being peeled away; intensity, rising. This is the etymology of apocalypse: to unveil, to reveal what’s been covered.
And almost paradoxically, ironically, yet truthfully, the earth holds us. The earth witnesses, provides spaces of refuge, reminds us we can rest through the rage. I invite you to locate: where are you resourced? Where would you like to be resourced? What is available? Where can you locate care and tenderness for yourself?
I ask not as a thought exercise, but as a necessity–as a way to locate pockets of rest to resource yourself in the wake of what has revealed itself, and what is yet to come. Amidst the fires, literal and metaphorical. Amidst the genocides. Amidst this bloated empire that is eating itself alive, and doesn’t mind using the people that made it possible as collateral. We cannot survive this alone. Our work at Braided Seeds creates access to the outdoors so Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) communities can know the depth of care the earth has for us. We are not alone–there are other local organizations and spaces that hold this intention to build capacity so we can better care for each other. I’ve listed some as a resource below.
Image from a November 2024 Refuge Day hosted by Golden Bricks Events + Braided Seeds
Oshun Swim School is grounded in an Afro-Indigenous experience of water and swim-skill acquisition. Through healing-centered and trauma-informed courses and workshops, OSS builds safer spaces for BIPOC womxn and non-binary people to explore relationships with water and grow into embodied, joyful swimmers.
The Bronze Chapter transforms the outdoor experience for BIPOC by making outdoor recreation and environmental education accessible, inclusive, joyful, and engaging. The Bronze Chapter empowers BIPOC to care for our planet through education and skill development for accessible outdoor recreation.
Golden Bricks Events is the event production company behind Refuge Outdoor Festival. Their organization is BIPOC-led, and their events are intended to center BIPOC community involvement in the outdoors.
Queer The Land is a collaborative project grounded in the self-determination of Queer, Trans*, and Two Spirit Black/Indigenous/People of Color (QT2BIPOC) and the vision of collectively owning land and labor. QTL has hosted land-based work parties, book clubs, healing salons, workshops, barter fairs and other community building events.
Sea Potential empowers BIPOC youth ages 12-18 to develop heart-based relationships with marine ecosystems, heal water-related trauma, and explore maritime careers. Their maritime industry consulting centers on creating workplaces that prioritize diversity and inclusion, moving beyond assimilation to empower the next generation to thrive.
The Beacon Food Forest is a grassroots community space that provides fresh produce, educational opportunities, and–perhaps most importantly–a community where everyone is welcome to be, participate, learn, and teach.
Sunset Labs at The Beacon Food Forest. Image by Chiọma Uruakpa
The Heron’s Nest Outdoor Education Center is an outdoor education facility and community building project that allows members and visitors to share space while working together outdoors. They provide a safe place for youth and adults to learn skills, trades and outdoor stewardship. They have a community garden, an onsite trail, and access to the Duwamish River waterfront, which they share with the River Access Paddle Program.
Outdoor Asian’s mission is to create a community of Asian & Pacific Islanders in the outdoors. They’ve recently hosted nighttime tidepooling, snowshoeing, climb nights, fly fishing 101, and other community building events.
All the organizations I listed above have supported me and my community’s ability to feel connected to the earth and each other. These spaces have cultivated friendships, exploration, and wonder. It felt important to share them as resources, especially now, when all that’s going on around us can obscure the good that exists.
My intention with this post is not to compound on the doom that has been harped on; there’s enough of that out there. We all know we’re living through intense times. My hope is to make the work of repair sustainable–through this post, I want to invite reflection and provide resources to help transform the reflection into action.
Recently, I’ve heard from my Black queer community that we are living evidence that our ancestors have survived apocalypse, that if we lean on each other, we can do it again. Through tenderness. Through opening to what is here. Through resourcing ourselves, through being clear about what matters, and what is worth living for.
Have compassion for yourself and the people around you.
with deep and tender care,
chiọma