In a capitalist society, the holiday season is often presented as a time to buy stuff. At BB;ARR, we think instead of buying stuff we can be deliberate and purposeful about building community. It’s not what we buy, but who we build with that makes the biggest impact. Community to us means:
Community - n - the people and places we share presence and space with, used to build love or create conflict. A person can collaborate or disintegrate the community.
The legacy of colonialization endures to this day, and one of the ways it thrives is pitching one community against another. That’s another trick. It’s not my community versus yours, it’s a global community together. Even the phrase “minority” is misleading. Black and Brown People are the global majority. It’s on all of us to create community and resist the calls to hate each other.
OK, and how? Glad you asked! Here are some proven ways to build community.
Eat Together: That unique and beautiful smell when you walk into a community kitchen. The warm of the stove and the presence of being together. Community starts with the simple stuff, breaking bread together. Your presence is the present. In fact, here are some BB;ARR collaborators who create awesome food.
Learn Together: Each community has a unique story, how well do you know yours? Ask your elders about stories when they were young, research your family tree, ask people why they are named what they are named. When you learn about your community, you are empowering your collective knowledge.
Empowered Purchasing: OK, let’s be honest, you’re still likely going to buy some stuff during the season. So why not use your purchasing power for the good? You can empower Black and Brown business owners such as, Mask in a Bag. An organization run by Ms. M.J. Richardson (77 years young) that creates masks and donates to the community of Oakland. Other collaborators can be found here.
Meditate Together: Meditate? You mean sit quietly together to build community? Yes, that’s exactly what we are saying. The holiday season, and the culture of capitalism demands a frantic rush of doing and buying. Doing and buying. So why not pause? It’s a good thing to build the strength of stillness.
Are you looking to join a community? There are lots of ways to get involved, remote or in-person, with other people. BB;ARR is looking for contributors and content creators of color.
Do you know an amazing community builder? Want to share some love and appreciation? Hit the “Thanks for Building Community” button and send them a thank you message! It might take 30 seconds and may make a big difference in someone’s day.
Shalonda Ingram was recently featured in Innovation Starts With I, a top selling book by Saleema Vellani, and quoted on community. “We empower creative people to collaborate on the network to build impactful, equitable businesses that thrive.”