What does Collective Liberation look like?
IT BEGINS WITH HEALING
We begin by naming the harm that has been and is being caused, dismantling the systems that allow that harm and beginning to heal together, first as Black, Indigenous and other People of Color. We aim to create spaces for this and for those most affected by harmful systems to begin to unravel and reform new systems, first for ourselves and then for the world.
FUGITIVITY IS THE APPROACH
We are not striving for partial liberation, or incremental gains, we will settle for nothing less than total liberation for ourselves as individuals and as a collective. We intend to achieve this through radical and audacious thought, rooted in historical practices Afro-Futuristism, our collective ancestral knowledge and thorough exchanges with other liberation minded groups and individuals. This will allow us to model new systems and ways of being in the world for others to duplicate and share in.
“Fugitivity is a term that has been used by Black theorists to describe the process of seeking and creating freedom within completely enslaving circumstances past and present. I think of fugitivity as Harriet Tubman-ness, the process of seeking and prioritizing collective freedom. The shapeshifting evasion of capture by slave catchers, norms and institutions. The ways we find each other and free each other again and again.”
– Alexis Pauline Gumbs
RESOURCES WE NEED
We are raising $50MM to establish Dismantle Collective a Black-led, multigenerational, Queer People of Color (QPOC) centered social enterprise, creating our collective path to liberation. We are building and supporting liberating models of what we know our economy and ways of being will and should look like.
We name and recognize all of the Black, Indigenous, and People of Color ancestors, thought leaders, creatives, and wisdom holders who have been imagining and co-creating this possibility for centuries. We need time, money, and resources to aggregate this wisdom and lead us into this new reality.
THAT’S A LOT OF MONEY, ISN’T IT?
Of the 20 most prominent think tanks, the median annual budget is $36M, some of which whose purpose is the perpetuation of and promotion of the very systems of white supremacy we are working against. We need to be as bold and louder than they are and we need your help.
Real Estate Development + Management
We are advancing land liberation and housing justice through the acquisition and development of property for the purpose of collective mix use and community development.
Arts + Media Projects
We make and sell our art—visual, performance, and otherwise. We promote and present the work of BIPOC artists we admire. We produce a podcast called Collective Audacity. We plan to create and produce other art and media that centers our lives, dreams, and stories.
Events, Convening, + Cohorts
We bring people together for collective action. BIPOC-led grassroots organizations, leaders, and individuals. Activists, artists, and movement folks. Folks who know that there is something waiting for us on the other side of all of this and are working like hell to get there.
Why $50 MM?
Because widespread cultural transformation costs money. Because it’s owed to us and our ancestors. Because…why not?
Our immediate priorities (approx $25MM) are:
Wealth Creation: We refuse to accept that struggle is inevitable. In order to show up fully and completely for the work of dismantling, we must be able to meet our own needs. This means that we are raising enough money to be able to secure our long-term salaries, pay off all outstanding debts, and build towards the wealth of ourselves and our families.
Launching our First US-based Venture: We are in the process of finding and obtaining our first piece of land and/or property in New Mexico in order to build a retreat center. Our property, like our collective, will focus on the healing and liberation of BIPOC folks.
As the 3rd poorest state in the country, New Mexico is in an active phase of economic development that lifts up entrepreneurship in low income/underserved communities. Our retreat center will not only provide lodging, food, and event space for out-of-towners looking for a safe sanctuary in one of the world’s most beautiful places. It will serve as a community hub for local artists, entrepreneurs, and neighbors.
Podcast Production + Promotion: Our podcast, Collective Audacity, invites listeners into our weekly meetings. Through this medium, we are modeling how we work together in alignment with our values—Collectivity, Care, Enoughness, Liberation, Pleasure, Transparency, and Fugitivity. Our goal is to provide both inspiration and practical resources for other folks doing this work, igniting even greater impact.
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Small donations are definitely helpful and appreciated, and large donors are what’s required to truly push this work forward in effective and meaningful ways. We call first on all the large companies, like Ben & Jerry’s and Nike, to put their money where their mouth is and support our efforts to create a world that is truly equitable, that is free from white supremacy and runs on an economy that is rooted on the ideals equity and climate justice rather than profit for shareholders.