How #BlackLivesMatter’s Alicia Garza is still fighting for democracy during the COVID-19 pandemic
July is BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and People of Color) Mental Health Month, also referred to as Minority Mental Health Awareness Month. In an effort to bring awareness to struggles that people of color face regarding mental health in the U.S., Yahoo Life is republishing this story. It was originally published on May 13, 2020 at 4:08 p.m. ET.
As the coronavirus pandemic continues, it can be difficult to manage stress and anxiety. With most stay-at-home and social distancing orders still in effect, the pandemic has also uprooted everyday lives and businesses, forcing sometimes unwanted and tumultuous change.
“The world is changing right now, and a lot of that feels like it's out of our control,” says Alicia Garza, the co-creator of #BlackLivesMatter and principal at Black Futures Lab, which works to empower Black voters and communities in politics.
In an interview with Yahoo Life, Garza discusses how political participation is changing amidst the pandemic, and also shares her tips for mental wellbeing and productivity in a time of such uncertainty.
“Before this virus hit, what I would do to impact the political process was organize with my community,” Garza shares. “We’ve been forced to be adaptable in this moment.”
With the Black Futures Lab, Garza is working to clarify why black communities have been disproportionately affected by the coronavirus. “I'm so proud to present the Black Agenda 2020 as a series of solutions that really get to how we deal with rigged rules that have led to decimating our communities in horrible and devastating ways,” says Garza.
In addition to the Black Futures Lab, Garza is also the Strategy & Partnerships Director at the National Domestic Workers Alliance, which is the nation’s premier voice for millions of domestic workers in the United States.
“We launched a coronavirus care fund for domestic workers who are out of work or struggling to make ends meet right now,” Garza explains. Taking steps to care for others and ensure that those in power are held accountable, Garza says, “has given me a sense of there are things that I control.”
While her participation in politics has changed, so has Garza’s everyday routine, just like many others across the country and globe.
“When the quarantine started, I thought, as I think many people did, ‘Okay, I'll be working from home, and that's not a problem,” Garza explains. “When I realized that I was trying to work during a global pandemic, it actually shifted my expectations of myself, of what I could produce, [and] how to prioritize the things that meant something to me.”
One way Garza has been dealing with mental and emotional wellbeing during the pandemic is using essential oils. “I cannot start my day without my diffuser,” she says. “It helps me check in with myself. What is my mood today? What do I need? It encourages me to breathe.”
Depending on how she’s feeling and what needs to get done, Garza recommends different oils. “If I really need to focus because I have a lot of work to do, I use eucalyptus oils or rosemary oils,” Garza explains. “If I'm finding that my stress level is super high and like my heart is beating up in my neck, I definitely will use a lavender oil. If I need a little bit of clarity, I'll use a lemon oil.”
Garza has also been using exercise to help alleviate any stress and anxiety. “I have been exercising probably about four to five times a week, which is unheard of for me,” Garza shares. “But I'm finding that daily exercise is actually really important for anxiety and stress.”
Garza is also using this time to work on other projects, including her new podcast, Lady Don’t Take No, a weekly roundup of news and politics with a healthy dose of pop culture.
“As somebody who spends a lot of time in politics, I often retreat to understanding social dynamics through pop culture,” explains Garza. “I love to talk about voting, but I also love to talk about the latest season of Insecure or how much I loved the race commentary and Little Fires Everywhere, and so that's what you get on Lady Don’t Take No.”
Garza’s advice for dealing with stress around productivity during the pandemic?
“Don't feel pressured to try to do everything right now,” she says. “You could even just try mastering making the most excellent, chewy chocolate chip cookies, and that is an incredible accomplishment.”
Listen to Alicia’s podcast, Lady Don’t Take No, here.
For more information on the Black Agenda 2020, visit Black Future Lab’s website.
To learn more about how you can donate to the National Domestic Workers Alliance Coronavirus Care Fund, click here.
For the latest coronavirus news and updates, follow along at https://news.yahoo.com/coronavirus. According to experts, people over 60 and those who are immunocompromised continue to be the most at risk. If you have questions, please reference the CDC’s and WHO’s resource guides.
