Freedom Ain't Free: Long Live the Indies
Independence Day, Our Way.
We didn’t wanna rain on your parade yesterday (joy is resistance, we know). But we spent the day:
Listening to angsty playlists (skip to the end if you don’t wanna hear cussing — it felt appropriate)
Eating good and catching up with loved ones
Rereading our Independence Affirmations (scroll down)
Reflecting on what independence actually means...
As we see it, independence is building our way toward autonomy from the ruthless systems of oppression we all inhabit. It’s sticking to our values, even when the sacrifice is great.
And we're encouraged to see more of our people charting their indie paths in the public eye:
Erykah Badu, dropping her next album under her own label.
Ava DuVernay, building her own distribution company and financing her films outside of the traditional studio system.
Issa Rae, writing her way into Hollywood — her way — and continuing to fight for ownership of her IP.
Indie life isn’t for the faint of heart (we know this all too well). It’s risky. It can be brutal. It comes at a personal cost.
But it’s also necessary if we want to break the cycle of begging to be "let in" — only to inevitably be let down.
And this applies to every field of endeavor.
Media, yes. But also: shoes, books, wine, toothpaste, tech. Everything.
Maybe for you, being indie looks like:
Buying land and learning to grow your own food
Making the jump from corporate — or finally starting that side hustle
Homeschooling your children
Learning more about your body and using food as medicine...
In other words: operating outside the systems that were never designed with us in mind.
"Indies" are the people who are willing to take big risks to create the world that they wish existed, based on the values that we all hold dear. These are the people who don’t ask for permission. They bet on themselves, and we should bet on them (us), too.
Independence Affirmations
(to keep from spiraling):
“Saving the world” starts with caring for myself, my family and my village.
Each tiny shift in my daily habits, speech and actions sends a ripple through the atmosphere — the community — that surrounds me.
Even when I feel powerless, I can take one action each day that creates more autonomy for myself and my family. These actions will compound, both personally and collectively.
I am guided by my Higher Power — by Truth — not by politicians.
I create space to unplug from the machine, to tune into my own intuition.
I take time to be still, to sit with my own thoughts and emotions.
I embody my core values, and work to align my daily actions with them.
And I am patient with myself when I inevitably fall short of my own expectations.
I speak kindly to myself, as I would to a cherished friend or family member.
I walk in closer alignment with my purpose, each and every day.
No matter what’s happening in the world, I choose to cling to the fact that the Collective is more powerful than these systems could ever be.