“The Groundwater is Contaminated” - Urgency of Systemic Change

Across the years I have observed the process of different movements and causes, and it has never been easier than now to be informed about what is happening in the world due to the far extent of the internet, social media, those who have the dedication to organize and report, and those who can break things down to facilitate access given our attention spans and understanding. 

There is an analogy that has been in my mind since the first time I heard it, “The Groundwater Approach,” where it describes layers to structural racism and roots to racial inequality.*

The metaphor describes the association with fish, lakes, and groundwater. 

Fish

If we find a fish who is floating dead in the water, we can wonder what the fish got into to get into that situation. How did it die? What happened? It can be very situational and depends on the actions of the fish. 

When there are several fish, a whole group, we take a look at the lake - what in the environment led for the fish to die?

Lake

If there are several lakes, near or far from each other, and they all have dead fish - we can no longer blame the fish. We can conclude that there is something in the water that is giving these fish that shared experience. Even if the lakes do not appear connected, they are. 

Groundwater

“Over 95% of the freshwater on the planet is not above ground where we can see it.” If the groundwater is contaminated, and poisons the lake, we are left with fish living and dying in similar ways. Different enough to observe and discuss the aspects of the fish, but in the end connected by the same system. 

We could give the fish medicine, and they may feel better, but then we throw them back into the same system where they got sick. 

We can work on the water, filter and try to clean - but things may return to the same systems if the fundamentals of it do not change. 

Movements throughout the years have influenced changes in our societies, policies, and lives - from local laws to world-wide organizing. 

However, movements risk falling into the realm of performative activism, where actions gather attention, and get coverage only to stop trending and the focus shift to other (still devastating) occurrences. Almost like each topic is taking its turn and we are gathering the hashtags to state how much we care about something. 

Having social movements become popular can bring awareness to systemic issues, however it can also show the pain and grief of something that has a long history be shown as something recent. 

Often activists of color are ignored, the ones who are most impacted and give the most dedication to a movement. 

This is why it is key to center and amplify the voices of Black and Brown individuals within social movements. 

We also must note our capacity and continue to advocate and organize - and work within a sustainable capacity. 

We can donate financially, we can promote with time and social media, we can provide services (pro bono therapy sessions for student organizers perhaps). Options for short term, and/or long term support. 

I am not saying to choose only one cause to support, because we must be conscious about what is happening around us, but it is important to gather information from the organizations of those who are dedicated to a particular cause and provide valuable information about what is happening. 

For the youth who may be limited in time and finances, taking the time to read and gather knowledge is enough. Opening up to the world, within systems where it is easier to ignore is already doing a lot. 

Young adults and students have organized protests and hold a lot of power.  

Sustainability - Individuals and Impact of Trauma 

We must acknowledge how organizers and advocates are susceptible to experiencing second hand trauma, burn out, moral injury, compassion fatigue, and triggers to their own trauma experiences.  

Most often it is our youth, children, and students who are using their energy to spread news on social movements. 

We cannot allow our youth to continue to lead the fights and burn out. 

It is grief in having them dedicate their youth and lives to situations that should not exist, but it will continue to happen if we do not look at our groundwater systems. 

We must look at intersectionality. 

And I mourn the vagueness of the information, because the Groundwater is wide and runs deep.  

Here is my short list of prominent movements, recent and ongoing issues - many without resolution. 

#FreePalestine

#FreeCongo

#FreeSudan

#Black Lives Matter

#Stop Asian Hate

#Me Too

#Hong Kong

#No DAPL

#Climate Change

#Gun Control

#Abolish ICE

#No Ban No Wall

#Flint Water Crisis

#Trans Rights Are Human Rights

#Keep Families Together

#Reproductive Rights

#Vivas Nos Queremos 

There are many more, and it is challenging to keep track because these are macro movements that when we zoom in into the individual we see the overlaps and influence to daily lives of people. 

Individuals who exist and work within movements may not only have to navigate the impact to their lives in society, but also the connection and stories of those around them - it cannot be overlooked. 

When interacting with interpreters working with refugee and asylee families, many also are refugees themselves. They are not only hearing and restating a story of trauma at times, but may also be activated and triggered themselves. 

Sometimes it does not feel that way, however after long term exposure it may be like a cup filling up drop by drop. 

In working with trauma, there are cases I know I am doing impacting work - and that is alright for me. 

Then, I am home months later discussing something and it opens the doors to the cases and realities that people have experienced - in both personal and professional life. The value of ‘for community by community’ means it cannot be disconnected. Some of us cannot clock out of everything. 

I sat outside recently, on my birthday when I began to write this, and I gazed at the leaves in my backyard and I felt grief and privilege. 

To be with my family and Airi, to sit and feel safe can be something so simple and overlooked. 

It cannot continue to be overlooked, we must do the work for ourselves to be sustainable in promoting change in our communities. 

As clinicians, myself and my peers, I ask that we find a way to contribute and ensure that our peers who are advocating and organizing protests and lobbying have the capacity to continue. 

Not just telling people how to bear the load, to exist in the day to day with things crumbling around us. But to have the balance to recharge, organize movements, and find ways to collaborate to decontaminate our systems.

*https://racialequityinstitute.org/groundwater-approach/