Loving Flowers, in Loving Hands, of Loving People
There is so much to say about the impacts of colonialism and the west actively funding multiple genocides around the world. The most important thing I want to state, which should be a given if you have read our Mission of Intent, is that Rooted Vernacular Studio (RVS) believes in a free Palestine, a free Congo, a free Sudan, a free Tigray, a free Puerto Rico, & many other places around the world. RVS believes, in the words of James Baldwin, that “the world will change because it has to change.”
You may be wondering why a publication about beauty, nature, & flowers is involved in politics. Beauty is political, & my politics are centered on an ethic of humanity. Many things truly have no middle ground & require personal sacrifice. Rooted Vernacular Studio is a Black Southern Woman-owned company which means that land has always been a complicated space for unruly roots to call home.
Yet, like Evie’s words convey there is a strong connection to the land not just for sustenance but for the sake of beauty. Despite living in a world that believes Black Folk don’t deserve access to beauty, leisurely spaces, rest, & comfort they have always permitted ourselves to indulge. BIPOC Folk have never required permission from anyone but the land itself. Participation in beauty is how people claim their right to a bountiful life. Beauty, like the natural landscape, takes many different forms.
Spirit is beautiful
Love is beautiful
Giving is beautiful
Receiving is beautiful
Breathing is beautiful
Dreaming is beautiful
Community is beautiful
Solitude is beautiful
Protesting is beautiful
Boycotting is beautiful
Knowledge is beautiful
Gathering is beautiful
Flowers are beautiful
Shared meals are beautiful
Intuitive sharing is beautiful
Sensitive hearts are beautiful
Rage is beautiful
Rage is beautiful
Rage is beautiful
[The clip above is from Mohammed Bakri's 2002 documentary entitled Jenin, Jenin. ]
So today’s flower delivery is thinking about the smiles in the 2004 photos & the act of claiming beauty when others desperately attempt to deprive you of it. These flowers, in the popular colors of Valentine’s Day, are called Carnations & they typically get a bad rep compared to roses.
However, I believe Carnations are some of the most beautiful long-lasting cut flowers you can receive. Carnations are said to symbolize devotion & remembrance. Furthermore, the work of remembering is also in tangent with preserving. We must remember that Palestine is still here, Palestine will be free, & that the work of bearing witness is to remember ancient ways of being while dreaming of an equitable future.
Remembering is beautiful
Dreaming is beautiful
Remembering is beautiful
Dreaming is beautiful
Remembering is beautiful
Please remember if you choose to quote this piece, share this piece, or any piece on this publication to always CITE BLACK WOMEN. Please always include my name (Kay Brown using she/her pronouns) and a link to the Assemblage: Baby’s Breath substack publication in your sharing practice.
To further support my writing practice, receive additional offerings that connect to my pieces, & be the first to hear about other ways to engage in the theory of assemblage, please consider becoming a paid subscriber. Soon I will invite fellow unruly folks to practice gathering & honoring with me in a generous clearing ✨. Stay tuned for updates!
Lastly, remember, that referrals are now available! This means you get to speak the name Assemblage: Baby’s Breath out loud to your community while receiving unique grounded gathered gifts from me. Thank you for being here 💙.