I created this print when I was feeling stuck; I was feeling the effects of two years of sadness at not seeing friends and family because of the global pandemic, and at the endless barrage of climate disasters happening around the world. I was feeling anxiety, fear, and dread about reproductive health- there's been an endless series of hundreds of anti-human, anti-health legislation created around the country to prevent humans, particularly those who have a uterus, to access basic healthcare, including access to affordable and safe abortion, contraceptives, comprehensive sex education, prenatal care, childcare, the list goes on and on. It can sometimes feel like we are stuck in one large river of mud, not getting anywhere, to fight for basic human rights. We've been using the same slogans, and working towards the same goal of justice, for decades, centuries. On my best days I celebrate all the victories, large and small, that community and mass organizing have manifested. On great days I can sing the praises of all the organizing that have brought people together and improved the health of our communities. And other days, I feel stuck when it seems we are going in circles, to that the social justice landscape has moved backwards instead of forward. So this print I created as a reminder for those stuck days, that together we can lift ourselves up, move forward, that getting stuck happens sometimes, and we can persevere, together. This is a reminder that we all have days where we need our community to lift us up out of the mud, and persevere together.
Image detail: A cat is standing in a river of mud, it's legs are stuck below the surface. The words "we persevere when we get stuck" rise above the cat's head. It's printed in black ink on a lightweight, tan colored rice paper.
