We Are the Fire By Aidan Zingler Words pull push, agitate, infuriateI’m the fury of the world not seen.I beg, I cajole, I reason, I askI’m the pain of the dead not seen.Time is running out, time is running Black Lives burn bright and extinguish, Stars howl their sorrow at their lossDisabled flames smolder and… Continue reading We Are the Fire
COVID MEMORIAL SPEECH 2021
Covid Memorial Speech by Aidan Zingler I am a nonbinary neurodivergent disabled person. I am homebound and live alone with my cat. Many disabled folks I know are either in similar situations, live in a home, or forced to live with people that harm them. Many of us struggle in poverty due to restrictions on… Continue reading COVID MEMORIAL SPEECH 2021
My First Teacher: Iowa’s Land (Short Essay)
Reminded of my first teacher: Iowa’s Land. My first political foray: fighting to save wetland. Where I went to recover: the forest. The land teaches of justice, of hope, of ways of knowing beyond the confined narrow focus of our modern world. I miss nature: small patches of forest, paths along the lakes, the wetlands,… Continue reading My First Teacher: Iowa’s Land (Short Essay)
First Essay of 2021: Nothing about People is a Binary
Human beings are complex. We can both criticize each other and yet still love each other; the criticism does not mean our love is false, and yet society teaches us thus. This binary thinking is killing us. Our society teaches us that everything is a binary: either we are Black or White, Man or Woman,… Continue reading First Essay of 2021: Nothing about People is a Binary
Indigeous Peoples’ Day: We Need to Show Up Year Round
Indigenous People’s Day. The wind blows fiercely as the leaves tumble down the sidewalk. At the capitol, Indigeous people speak their truths, broadcast it in a livestream. Around them and us, Western Society throttles on slowly, its gears mucked up with Mother Nature, the pandemic slowly everything down. Ilarion (Larry) Merculieff (Unangan Tunuu) and Libby… Continue reading Indigeous Peoples’ Day: We Need to Show Up Year Round
Accessible Spaces
For definitions on the terms used here and an example that breaks down ableism, see my Tackling Ableism post. NOTE: i think i am probably preaching to the choir here, but i’ve thought a lot about disability justice lately and how movements practice that. (Note: i’m in pain today so capitalization isn’t happening). This was… Continue reading Accessible Spaces
Tackling Ableism Framing
I’m going to discuss Ableism framing in this article, and to do so, I’ll use an example from a friend (who attends social distancing church services). First, let’s cover some basic definitions. Definitions: Abled-bodied person is a person who is not disabled. As in they have no physical or mental disabilities. Or they are someone… Continue reading Tackling Ableism Framing
Reading Emergent Strategy with friends-Updated!
I am going to embark on a new project while I try to heal from Covid19 complications and autoimmune issues. Since several friends wanted to read Emergent Strategy by adrienne maree brown but they struggled to find an accessible audio book version, I decided to try my hand at reading it out loud. This is… Continue reading Reading Emergent Strategy with friends-Updated!
Riots are the Language of the Unheard
Important point by Robert Jones, Jr. (Son of Baldwin): Property damage should never matter more than people’s lives. If anyone cares more about the looting and damage to property, then I’m gonna ask y’all to sit down and think hard about every single death by police. Police are waging war on Black folks; folks fighting… Continue reading Riots are the Language of the Unheard
Quarantine Poetry
Living alone by Aidan Zingler Living in a pandemic while living alone splinters my mind, breaks me down pain ignites and drenches my soul an endless kaleidoscope nightmare again and again my body crushed against the shoals of silence. A slice of the sun burns my eyes Buzz of machine howls in my ears Cold… Continue reading Quarantine Poetry