This is a short textual version of the final episode of the first season of the “We’ll figure it out” podcast, which focuses on people and initiatives that are changing our society.
This text will introduce you to the “Careful Conversation” action, which aims to create a space for non-violent communication and mutual support. Natasha Baranova, journalist, gender researcher and author of the “Experiencing Activism” Telegram channel, shares her experience on how activism helps to establish contact even with strangers, why conflicts in the activist environment are a natural part of the process, and how to build solidarity in the face of repression.
The “Careful talk” action is support in difficult times
The “Careful Conversation” action is dedicated to non-violent communication. It started with me simply walking around my hometown of Vyatka, as well as Chelyabinsk and St. Petersburg with a sign that read “Careful Conversation Here”. I would stand in the city center and invite the locals to talk to me in a safe and gentle way. This was in the winter of 2021, when Alexei Navalny returned to Russia, so it also coincided with the protests, it was all very unsettling.
I clearly remember my state of mind when I wanted to be not just with my family, colleagues, friends or allies. I wanted to get more solidarity, to venture out of the familiar space and talk to people I don’t normally talk to. Very different people approached me and shared that they were scared to go to the protests. This was what the action was built around. These people were saying that it was important for them to be among those who share their values, to be visible for each other.
For me this whole action was about seeking contact, trying to find common language and to express support amidst an already very difficult and emotionally charged time, when we all felt that a new round of repressions was right around the corner. It is particularly important to be close to each other in difficult times like this.
“Conflicts are normal, they are part of our life”
In the activist community whenever we talk about communications it’s almost impossible to avoid polarization or lack of unity, this has become particularly prominent in recent years. We are all trying to navigate these waters while learning to interact, to understand and support each other.
Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, many activists have been scattered around the world. We are all scattered: some stayed inside the country, some left. I wish I could fully understand and share the experiences of those who stayed, but I am in a different context, in a city where you don’t get detained for wearing a rainbow badge and where you can register a partnership. Different contexts affect how we perceive and react to what is happening, but it is important to try and hear each other’s stories without devaluing them.
“We can’t feel everything, but we try to not isolate ourselves.”
Bell Hooks, Audrey Lord and Sarah Ahmed are the researchers who explained that solidarity is not the same for everyone. Our pain is not the same, but we share common ground. It is a promise that we give to each other – that we will try and work together, admitting that we may have different perspectives.
Let’s say thank you to each other.
The so-called “shitstorms” on social media are always painfully visible, but whatever ends up in the media of any kind is just a tip of the iceberg. There is also a huge amount of work that happens out of sight. Yes, it’s not customary to rejoice in successes, but it’s necessary. I would suggest that you start meeting up with people just to say “thank you” to each other and celebrate what you were able to achieve. It helps to feel supported and realize that, despite everything, we continue to work and build alternative spaces without violence.
“It is important not to underestimate the complexity of our emotional states”
Since February 2022 [after the beginning of the full scale Russian invasion to Ukraine], the risks of repression have become particularly high for the activist community, which has obviously taken a toll on the emotional state of many activists. We are often exhausted, which is a normal psychological reaction when you try to defend and save your last resources. In these conditions, building support and care around us, both for ourselves and for our allies, becomes key. I see different initiatives, political groups, social and charitable movements crossing over and starting to work together. There is a definite movement towards each other.
Feminist Practices of Resistance
My experience includes interaction with activists and feminists from different countries – Iran, Palestine, Congo.
They totally understand the reality we live in, and no one ever questions why we don’t protest there.
It is important for me to convey this connection that we have with the international feminist and activist community. Finding each other can at times be difficult, especially in exile, but communicating experiences and a sense of shared struggle remains an important task.
Feminist practices include a variety of formats that help keep us connected and express care for each other. These can be zins, collective collages, sketchbooks, or simple meetings for a cup of coffee. Such practices help to share joy, which is particularly hard to find right now, and, what’s important, helps us find it together.