Dreaming as Praxis - Kinfolk Network Annual Convening 2024
In 2024, we gathered 22 Black activists on a farm for a residential retreat curated by Tobi and Martha, themed around dreaming as praxis, praxis meaning:
Informed Practice: A cyclical and responsive practice of moving between action, imagination and reflection. Putting theory into action and, in turn, learning from taking action.
We made the following enquiries and explorations together during the convening:
Multiplicities of praxis
What do we mean when we say Black liberation? What does decolonial praxis look like in our daily lives? How do our varying practices interconnect?
Timeless audacity
What are the temporalities* of Black liberation?
* how we physically and mentally experience the passage of time, the things that happen, our past, present and future
Being with
How can we ‘be with’ each other amidst the tangles and knots of liberatory work?
The role of ritual
What rituals do we already engage in? What rituals can we utilise to hold and ground us collectively and individually?
What did participants say?
“The retreat made me feel and think about the Importance of organising with global majority people and having these crucial holding spaces…I think there’s a shared comfort in not having to explain yourself or your experiences and not having to deal with unintentional biases in the room. Radical, liberatory principles were shared. In other mixed spaces it’s been difficult when white activists do not acknowledge their privilege and the distinctions between state violence against white bodies versus Black bodies, particularly when discussing direct action.”
“I really appreciated that there was a mixture of ages, including an elder and two young children. I feel like it’s important to include children…Since seeing this, I have been thinking about how to create this in our spaces. How can we be more inclusive and make it accessible for parents and their children to participate?”
Resources
Here is a snapshot of some of the materials we engaged with in preparation for the convening. We don’t necessarily agree with everything you will find here or know them in detail, but we wanted to share some of our inspirations and influences.
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