ACTIVE

I’ve come to realize that in recent weeks, my activism has been driven almost entirely by anger. Anger at those who seek to strip away my rights and the rights of others. But that anger threw me off balance. It consumed me, and in doing so, I lost sight of the deeper forces that once fueled me.

Instead of isolating myself in frustration with a world that can feel so lonely, I’m turning toward the spaces where I feel seen, safe, and connected. Lately, I’ve felt alienated from my country and from those around me, but this is not a moment to disappear. It’s a moment to refocus, to root myself in the people and places that remind me why I started.

Stepping back is not weakness. It is discipline. It is strength.

I cannot change the world alone, nor should I have to. Real change grows from patience, from understanding, from love. That is what I have always believed, even if I lost sight of it for a while.

My most powerful activism was never about destruction, it was about creation. Not breaking windows, but opening exhibition doors. Not shouting over others, but inviting them in. So I will still draw energy from anger, but it will not be my only source.

This is my project; an ode to activism. A testament to the power of standing up, of being visible, of claiming space in a world that often asks us to shrink. Because when we speak, when we show ourselves fully, we find each other. The mask, for me, is no longer about hiding. It is a symbol of resilience, of the strength it takes to stand firm, even when the world pushes back.

No more fighting for equality in the shadows. I am ready to face the hate. I am ready to embrace the vulnerability that comes with being seen. I carry the privilege to speak, and I will use it.