Hi Reader,

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Martin Luther King Jr. Day is my favorite holiday.

Why? Because 1) it was created in my lifetime so it feels like I was a part of its inception, 2) it honors someone who did really, really good things for this country, and 3) it’s in the middle of January when, just as you think you can’t possibly work another 5 days in a row (if you have a typical 9-to-5 job), you get a reprieve.
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It was a shame his day was shared by the inauguration of someone so polarly opposite of his goodness. In direct opposition to the civil rights and women’s empowerment work that Martin Luther King Jr. championed, the new president shut down federal DEI departments and the government’s website on women’s reproductive health.
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I’m appalled that in my lifetime this country has gone from blatant racism and bias, to Civil Rights Amendments and Anti-Discrimination Laws to address them, and back to blatant racism and oppression. Then, I stumbled on this documentary series 1971: The Year That Music Changed Everything and my heart is truly breaking. We are so fucked.

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I was 10 years old in 1971. Inexplicably (to me at that time), I was drawn to soul and R&B music over the white rock artists of the time. When I was younger, I wanted to listen to what my older cousin was listening to (The Beatles, The Archies, The Monkees). But in the 70s, my ears perked up to something else. Watching this documentary helped me understand why.
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The message.​
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The musicians weren’t talking about holding hands and kissing, they were talking about important issues that were affecting people's lives: oppression, racism, the Vietnam War, and capitalism. Women were sick of 1950s-era gender roles and demanded more for themselves (though the references to women in 1970s music were still pretty unenlightened). Young people didn’t want to become who their parents were.
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Now, it’s not like I was watching the evening news or reading up on current issues when I was 10. But hearing these songs—long before I really knew what they meant—I was in!

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I have always been and always will be for the oppressed. I came into this world to be a champion of people who are marginalized. I know the dual sides of privilege as a white person and oppression as a woman. While I'm all about love and nature and peace, I will fight for everyone to have access to those basic things that make life beautiful, not just for me or people like me.

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This country has moved so far backward that we are again facing a time where the government, schools, employers, banks, health care facilities, landlords, and on and on can discriminate based on race, gender, and sexual orientation. Personal hatred and ignorance will have the run of the show with no system of checks and balances.

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But we do not have to let mean-spirited, selfish people who can’t stand the thought of sharing abundance get away with it.

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What can good people like us do?

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Be like Martin. Do everything in your power to reach out and help those impacted by these forms of oppression. Implement your own DEI initiatives in your home, workplace, or school. Hire folks from marginalized communities, protect trans and queer people, help women access reproductive care, and give extra help to people who don’t have the benefits from years of not being oppressed.

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Please, just be decent, good-hearted, citizens of the earth. Do it because Martin's ability to do so was taken from him. 🙏🌎♥️

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What I'm listening to, reading, and watching:

​1971: The Year That Music Changed Everything — See above. (Apple TV+)

​Sipsworth — Simon Van Booy. Meh, nothing to write home about, but it was the first book I got to read as part of the new book group I joined. Which I’m very excited about!

​What’s Going On — Marvin Gaye’s classic anti-war ballad. His voice and the lyrics touch my heart every time I hear it.

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What are you listening to, reading, or watching that you think I’d like? Reply and let me know.

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Let me know if there's anything special you'd like to hear about in the coming weeks. Just reply and I'm on it!

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I hope your life is free of oppression and hate. Help someone whose life isn’t.

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Thanks for reading,

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Carrie

So You Want to Be a Doula

​​Website​​​

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P.S. I’ve been hearing many people talk about leaving social media. If you are active on Instagram but don’t want to be held hostage to the whims of Meta, here’s an alternative to leaving entirely: Beyond the Scroll: How to Create a Static 9-Grid.​​

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I was delighted when I got turned on to a kick-ass business coach, Success with Soul’s Kate Kordsmeier, in this podcast by Amy Porterfield: How I Quit Social Media & Still Grew My Business 165%.​​

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I loved hearing the incredulousness (and just about downright disbelief) in Amy’s voice throughout the interview. But I was a believer and went right over to buy Kate’s course, ​Beyond the Scroll: How to Create a Static 9-Grid.​​

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If you want to learn how to market your business without social media, ​check it out​ and learn how to get off Instagram and still attract clients to your business. (​You can see my 9-grid here​.)

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P.P.S. The link to Kate’s course above is an affiliate link. I get a small commission if you buy a course from her using my link. Thanks!