Martha Mutale: “I learned from my ancestors to always speak the truth. I go to bed every night anxious about how to house my caseload of people, how to combat microaggressions, how to enjoy my life with my partner, how to stay present even though I want to imagine a world without this much chaos, violence, and neglect.”
Martha Mutale on what feminism has taught her. “Growing up, I used to pray every day that I would wake up white. That shit is messed up. I thought being white would make my life easier, less complicated.”
When hurt people show up in your safe spaces
Remember who you are
Take a moment and hold yourself
From Self Love, a poem by Martha Mutale
“Black Lives Matter. Does mine? I faced some of my biggest hurdles this year. I was reminded daily that I matter, and reminded daily that I don’t. This pandemic has opened my eyes in some big ways and I am forever grateful.” Martha Mutale reflects on her work at a Halifax shelter.
Martha Mutale on navigating a world that has so little respect for women of colour, yet demands so much.
“We are Queens. We are loved, and we deserve love and must learn how to demonstrate love and leave the next generation of Black Queens feeling a bit more hopeful.”
It’s exhausting
The way we live
Taking home microaggressions
That we never ask for
From Tired bodies, a poem by Martha Mutale, a poet from Zambia who now lives in Nova Scotia