The Weight of Witness, the Balm of Belonging

Mar 11

To Name What Wounds Us is to Begin the Work of Repair. To Gather is to Remember We Were Never Meant to Carry this Alone.

Hey, Collective,

We live in a country that thrives on spectacle—one designed not just to distract but to disorient. The theatrics of governance mask the deeper work of dismantling, the nostalgia for an empire long gone fuels policy built on exclusion, and the attacks on belonging grow bolder.

The question is no longer what is happening?—we see it clearly. The question is: How do we hold onto ourselves and each other in the face of it? How do we name the weight of what we witness while remembering that we do not carry it alone?

The Power of Discovery – Seeing Through the Smoke

To see clearly in times like these is an act of resistance. The country is being hollowed out—not suddenly, but deliberately. The machinery of power moves in cycles, dressing regression as progress, erasure as efficiency, and cruelty as pragmatism. We have seen this before, and we will not be fooled.

Meanwhile, a resurgence in language is forming around what we have long known. More Black women are naming the Pet to Threat phenomenon—the way admiration curdles into resentment the moment we refuse to shrink. It is not imagined; it is historical, structural, patterned. And in naming it, we refuse to be gaslit into silence.

Power of Discovery Curiosities:

What narratives are being pushed to justify these shifts, and who benefits from them?
How does nostalgia function as a political weapon, and what truth does it obscure?
Where do I see patterns of “Pet to Threat” in my own experiences or in those around me?

The Power of Discernment – Holding Onto Ourselves

Discernment is knowing that when systems fail, we must anchor ourselves in what remains true. Emma, in all her clarity and wisdom, reminded us on the podcast this week what it means to know who you are—to move through the world without waiting for permission to take up space. This kind of self-knowing is an act of resistance in a culture that profits from our uncertainty.

And in conversation with Dr. Katie Sandoe, on her show, Spark Something New, I named another truth: we are worthy of our own healing. Leadership is not just about what we give—it is also about what we refuse to sacrifice. Healing is not indulgence; it is necessity. Healing is not a luxury; it is a necessity.

Power of Discernment Curiosities:

Where do I still seek permission to take up space, and what would it mean to stop waiting?
How have I been conditioned to believe that tending to myself is selfish rather than necessary?
What does knowing myself beyond the gaze of others look like in practice?

The Power of Determination – Rooting in Community

Resistance cannot be sustained in isolation. In the midst of this chaos, I am constantly reminded of how healing community can be—how necessary it is to be seen, to be held, to be understood without explanation. But I also know the loneliness of navigating spaces that do not see us, the exhaustion of gendered racism, the hyper-visibility that coexists with erasure.

This is why the 3D Power Collective exists—not as another obligation, but as a space for recalibration. A space to breathe. A space to remember that we do not carry this alone. If you have not already, please take the needs assessment—it helps shape what this space can be, ensuring it is built not just for us, but by us.

Power of Determination Curiosities:

How does community become a site of healing rather than just another responsibility?
What kind of support do I actually need right now, and where can I seek it?
What small, intentional actions can I take to sustain myself and those around me?

Somatic Practices for Reclaiming Ourselves:

Grounding Through Breath: Place both feet on the ground. With one hand on your chest and one on your stomach, inhale deeply, and exhale slowly. Repeat the words: I am here. I am whole. I am not alone.
Resisting Shrinking: Stand with your arms stretched wide. Feel what it means to take up space unapologetically.
Releasing the Weight: Shake out tension from your hands, your shoulders, your jaw. Let go of what is not yours to carry.
Read, “I See You Black Woman: 10 Practices for Self-Soothing and 22 Influencers to Follow to (Re)claim Calm Amidst Political Chaos” for more

Closing Reflection: We Know the Way

Toni Morrison told us, "The function of freedom is to free someone else." And James Baldwin reminded us that "to be a Negro in this country and to be relatively conscious is to be in a rage almost all the time." But rage alone will not sustain us—we must transform it. Into action, into connection, into the radical insistence that we are worth fighting for.

This moment is heavy, but we have been here before. Our ancestors have been here before. And still, we rise. Not just in resistance, but in the fullness of our joy, our rest, our knowing. Because that, too, is a form of defiance.

In solidarity, action, and love,

Amber

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CTA: Take the Needs Assessment – Help Shape What Comes Next

This is for us. A space to name what we need, to build what sustains us. If you haven't already, please take the needs assessment and help shape what’s to come. Your voice matters. Your healing matters. Join us.

Thomas, K. M., Johnson-Bailey, J., Phelps, R. E., Tran, N. M., & Johnson, L. N. (2013). Women of Color at Midcareer: Going from Pet to Threat. Psychological health of women of color: Intersections, challenges, and opportunities, 275.

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