Values
These are the values that drive my daily work and life aspirations. Like me, this list is always evolving. See also the People and Resources who teach and inspire me.
Critical praxes – Engaging in critical praxis is central to my work and life. This means my librarianship, genealogy, research, astrology, etc., are all based on active exploration, understanding, questioning, challenging, and reimagining the practices, theories, and methods of traditional theories, systems, and methods of the past and present. Informed by critical race, queer, and feminist theories, I value what works and rebuild what doesn’t to help create a world in which systemic oppressions are examined, intersections are honored, accountability is taken, and relationships are more deeply explored.
Positionality – It’s important to me to acknowledge, honor, and reckon with where I come from, how I got here, and how my positionality and privilege inform my life and experiences. My experiences as a white, cisgender, queer, neurodivergent person born into a two-parent family in Wisconsin all affect the ways I see the world; I constantly remind myself to critically reflect upon and engage with these various identities to meet others where they are and to re-situate myself amongst a collective. Please see my About page for more information.
Feminisms – I don’t just mean white feminism. I’ve humbly and gratefully learned from Black feminists, Indigenous feminists, Latinx feminists, queer feminists, trans feminists, fat feminists, neurodivergent feminists, and working-class feminists. I’ve studied the books and the theories, I’ve sat back and listened, I’ve actively witnessed, I’ve made mistakes, apologized, and learned (and still do). My feminisms are both broad and nuanced.
LGBTQ+ – I love being queer. I am committed to troubling the cisalloheteropatriarchy in everything I do. This includes creating family trees for chosen families and finding ways to queer genealogical and family history traditions.
Anti-racism – I am committed to the interrogation and deconstruction of white supremacy in everything I do. As a white settler, I am aware of my privileges and am focused on listening, learning, acting, and using my platforms to support and highlight movements for liberation and to call in other white people to join me in this work.
Anti-capitalism – I’m still learning how to be effectively anti-capitalist in a capitalist society, but I believe that a true anti-racist society is based on, in large part, breaking down white supremacist, patriarchal, capitalist systems of oppression and violence.
Anti-colonialism – Imperialism and settler colonialism has caused remarkable violence across the country and the world. I support the deconstruction of colonial legacies and the rebuilding of sovereignty, especially among Indigenous communities.
Sovereignty and Land Back – See the point above regarding anti-colonialism. I support Indigenous sovereignty and the land back movement. I also understand the importance of walking my talk and following the lead of Indigenous groups in active collaboration and resistance.
Reciprocity – I am still learning how to live in true reciprocity with others. I especially look to Indigenous leaders and feminisms to inform and support the lessons and practices I am undertaking to break free of the individualistic, oppressive, white feminist maternalist, meritocratic conditioning which has informed my upbringing and adulthood.
Trauma-informed – I understand the importance of building holistic relationships. I know that trauma comes in many forms and can be passed intergenerationally, and I honor your experiences and truths. I always attempt to listen to your stories and care for your memories with compassion, integrity, and honor.
Healing – While oral histories, genealogical work, astrological exploration, and storytelling are no substitutes for professional assistance with trauma or past challenges, I believe in the power of these tools in healing.
Radical hope – In a world so full of violence, inequity, and injustice, it is hard to stay hopeful. I learn from and follow the lead of those working to create and maintain radical hope, joy, and resilience.