Turning hopelessness into action: Narrative responses to the late-2018 political context by Tiffany Sostar
This video describes a series of narrative responses to the hopelessness, despair, and fear felt by some community members in late 2018, in response to:
the Kavanaugh hearings and confirmation; anti-trans legislation and sentiment being introduced in America (and parallel rhetoric in Canada); anti-woman legislation and sentiment; anti-immigrant legislation and sentiment; ongoing colonialism and white supremacy; rising fascism; and more…
These narrative responses included collective document creation, discussion groups, letter-writing campaigns, and a focus on invitations to solidarity and to collective action. Importantly, these narrative responses did not include a resistance to hopelessness, despair, or fear. These states may be unwelcome, but they also offer information about what is important, and what is at risk.
Tiffany Sostar is a white settler on Treaty 7 land in what is currently called Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Tiffany is a narrative therapist and community organiser in the bi+, trans, polyamorous, neuroqueer/neurodivergent, and disabled communities. They are particularly interested in collective narrative practice, and in helping marginalized communities tell their stories in ways that invite collective action, community care, and solidarity across difference.
Further reading:
- You can find the letter to Dr. Ford which was generated through Tiffany’s project here
- The Letters of Support to the Trans Community document can be found here
