Sacred Justice: An Exploration of Equity and Self-Actualization Through Poetry

The words "Sacred Justice by Dara Burwell" sit on top of a picture of placid ocean waves. Below there are three distinct blocks. The first is an image of the earth, the second features the words “a love poem to myself,” and the third is an aerial view of trees growing around and inside a cavern.

Oppression is many things – including a form of collective trauma. Each type of oppression is anywhere from hundreds to thousands of years old, and permeates us individually and collectively through society’s dominant ideology, institutions/systems, interpersonal and intergroup… Read More

Oppression’s Essential Guide to Nowhere: Poking Holes in the Roadmap to Success, Part 2

Ladder to Success

Models promoting the guarantee of middle class success (including the middle class’ guide to upper class status) typically work as follows:  You are in a boat with 100 other people trying to reach the same island.  They are… Read More

Oppression’s Essential Guide to Nowhere: Poking Holes in the Roadmap to Success, Part 1

Thumbs Up

I am lectured by my internalized oppression: “A writer?  Fool. Do you honestly believe that what you have to say matters or carries any importance in the world?  That anyone will want to hear it?  You speck.  You nothing. The… Read More

Demystifying Monsters: A Piece of the Journey

Bare trees and blue sky reflecting on the surface of still water, photo by Luminouslens

A few weeks back, the women attending the Women of Color Writing Circle graciously agreed to workshop my blog piece “Forgiving” Men and Other Oppressors before I published the second part.  They were thoughtful and introspective, and one… Read More

“Forgiving” Men and Other Oppressors, Part II

Dim light peaking through gray clouds, photo by Eprom

For a few months now, I have been thinking about a conversation with Nicole Hurt – a gifted artist, community organizer, and Co-President of Transformative Alliances.  In that conversation, Nicole described to me the consequences of dubbing another… Read More

“Forgiving” Men and Other Oppressors, Part I

Stern metal sign featuring a skull and crossbones composed of electricity, German wording underneath, photo by Tuncay Demir

Not long ago I shared tea with a friend of mine who is deeply concerned about what he believes to be his beloved’s painful and overly contentious relationship to white people.  My friend (who we will dub “Jay”)… Read More