Creativity is an act of vision and optimism. So is activism. You can see in your mind’s eye what you desire to create, and you believe, or maybe just hope, that you can make it real. What you’ll find out is it takes *work* to create the change you want to see, and you cannot skip the messy process of progress.
I have some words for the peanut gallery of naysayers and haters and the crickets; the people out there criticizing or ignoring the artists and activists:
What are you doing to make things better? What are you doing to make things?
You have the power to create or destroy, by thought, word or deed.
Today I see online commenters hating on Kamala Harris and chanting for Bernie as though he were still in the running. The Austin City Council just voted to defund the APD by $100 million, and I see commenters saying it’s not a victory because it should have been $200 million. Compare the number of people following artists, activists or small businesses on social media, but how many actually support them with their dollars rather than sit in their living room funding Jeff Bez0s with one click?
Creativity requires you to dream, but it also delivers reality checks. It’ll teach you that:
You don’t always end up with exactly what you imagined, but you always grow from the experience and bring that growth into the next creation.
Perfection is a lie. You do your absolute best and the wobbles are what make the magic.
You can’t skip from Step 1 to Step 100. You have to go through each incremental step to get there; it’s not going to show up to your doorstep in 48 hours or less. Some days are great, some days are setbacks, some days you need a break, and you will probably want to quit. But if you stick with it, you end up making something that no one has ever seen before, or perhaps even imagined was possible.
We need change in America, in the world, and that requires creativity. Naysayers, haters and crickets are not going to make this world better; they’re just going to discourage the people who are actually standing up to do work. Every artist I know has been one step away from giving up, more times than they’d care to admit. I imagine it’s the same for activists. Creativity is the birthright of every human being, but it requires courage. If you aren’t brave enough to do the work to create change, then at least fund those who are, or take two seconds to encourage them. Better yet, get in the arena and take a swing at your own desires. If you get your ass kicked, welcome to the club!
To the creators and activists who are showing up to do the work: I see you, I salute you, and I am here for you.