this is not okay: part ii
ways to fortify the life-affirming
pictured above: a reminder at the palm springs art museum in palm springs, ca
keep reading for details below on:
~good day studios seeking artists!
~move + create in klamath feb. 28
~annual seed, plant + scion exchange march 14
~innerwild creative retreat is back march 28
~urban plant walk + paint april 18
~i love aging submission deadline now may 1
It’s after midnight and I can’t sleep, apparently suddenly compelled to finally write on the topic that I’ve been kicking down the road since before my last share, which was in service of increasing the visibility of the horrors being inflicted upon my former home of Minneapolis at the hands of the federal government.
This will be a bit of a…lighter share, tho make no mistake—what is happening in Minneapolis, despite 700 of those asswipes leaving the state, this “surge” (like it’s a soda flavor) bullshit apparently being called off?, has very much been terrorizing the folks who are my friends, family and former community. Families are being torn apart, people have been unable to leave their homes to receive medical care and get groceries, lives have been lost. And what is happening in Minneapolis is merely a testing ground to see how much they can get away with.
The past month has been…interesting for me as I’ve oscillated between complete freeze and shut down, to feeling hopeful, to depression and deep anxiety and back to hope. I recognize that I have immense privilege in where I am at and who I am—I’m white, for one, and no longer living in Minneapolis (which not only means I didn’t have to deal with masked manchildren with semiautomatic guns right outside my home threatening my spanish speaking neighbors, but I’m not experiencing -35 degree weather on top of it all).
What is clear, however, is that the forces at play are not just aimed at the most vulnerable and disenfranchised in our society. It does not take much to see the current and potential horrors that threaten us all—the murder of an icu nurse who worked at the very va where they had set up a detention center for anyone they deemed “not american” (including the deeply ironic native americans who were taken into custody) for trying to protect a woman, bills being floated that lower the consent age to 13/prevent women for filing for divorce/impose steep financial yearly penalties for any woman over 30 who has not born a child (this is fucking REAL SHIT.), terrorist directives implicating anyone deemed leftist/anti-capitalist/anti-christian family values, people thinking Kid Rock is the epitome of a moral musician (????), Gwen Stefani’s conservative turn*, the list goes on and on.
Okay, I said this is supposed to be lighter, right?
Point being, if you are a human with any sense of empathy or concern for others (and yourself), it’s hard to not fall into pits of depression, anxiety or generalized fugue states in these moments, but we got to fortify ourselves for what’s to come, because, as my Twin Cities’ dear friend Mary shared from someone in her network, this is not a relay race, but a marathon.***
Which is all the more reason we need to take care of ourselves and loved ones while strengthening our communities—and we cannot do so in a perpetual state of depression and fear. Social justice workers are increasingly recognizing this, pointing to burnout and lack of self-regulation as reasons movement work and organizations fracture (HIGHLY recommend Prentis Hemphill’s What it Takes to Heal for more on how essential healing the trauma within ourselves is to lasting social change work).
Above all, we need to remember what we have is worth fighting for, and to center ourselves and actions around that which is life-affirming, that which comes from love.
It’s been really clear, over the past month or so, the times in which I have been able to move out of the downward spiral and back into action, into LIVING. Sometimes it comes in small reminders that we are NOT alone, that there are many, many people who are not only fighting for a better future for all, but doing so out of love, not hate—like Bad Bunny’s speech at the Grammys****, which made me cry a little (and also prompted the aforementioned claim of Kid Rock’s moral superiority in this upside down world, which I just can’t even with).
Other times, it comes from conversations and being in a group who is working together with similar values, like the day I attended a creative townhall in my town and got to hear other local artists talk about their needs, visions and work. It comes from time in the woods, walks at the beach, check-ins with friends living in the Twin Cities and beyond. It comes from doing my work, from dreaming and refusing to give into the clawing power of fear. It comes from watching and reading interesting, inspiring and sometimes just funny (or hot) stories. It comes from looking at beautiful patterns and colors, taking in the art of others, be it at a museum or a cool mug at a shop.
Again and again, I’m finding that three things are helping fortify myself: community, creativity and connection to nature. We all have different elements that nourish us; yours may be different than mine, but I do find that for many, one or more of these areas does the trick.
So today, my wish is that you too are able to turn toward that which fortifies YOU, and to nurture that.
In my own work of nurturing that which reminds me life is worth living, keep reading for a variety of projects and offerings I’d like to invite you into, so that you too can experience some of the magic that comes from nourishing your creativity, and connection to community and nature.
*Even my 14-year-old self, who was borderline obsessed with her (in large part because she was ^^^involved^^^ with the man who hearkened my sexual awakening, I found it all endlessly fascinating), would not be surprised by this at all on the grounds of a. the bindi b. her single-minded desire at like 25 to only be a wife and mother despite being super successful as a musician c. being terrible at spelling**
**No offense to those terrible spellers out there. I’m also not great at it (lost a spelling bee once because I didn’t know how to spell “calendar”)
***And marathons really freak me out (they are so unnatural!) so I REALLY need some fortification
**** If anyone cares about the insights of a 43-year-old woman living in Eureka California on a music industry event that took place like two weeks ago, I’d also like to let it be known that I thought Lola Young’s hogwarts/dusty tie dye sweatsuit look was brave, Justin Bieber’s commitment to showcasing his business socks was artistic genius***** and WTF with the belts Billie Eilish (who I also, up until the Grammys, thought was British????)
*****and possibly inspired by this?
ways to deepen into community, creativity + nature—together!
good day studios seeking artists
I’m THRILLED to be partnering with Marta of the amazing Good Day Shop to bring into being a dream we’ve both had for years—a shared artist studio workspace, which we’re calling Good Day Studios!
Marta & I are currently seeking artists to participate in the “spring season” of Good Day Studios. We’ll use this three-month period to experiment with what works in a shared studio space that will also be hosting events and workshops, and we’re eager to meet folks who want to come along for the ride!
The home of Good Day Studios is a ground-floor formerly residential apartment (meaning it has the benefits of a kitchen and bathroom, plus a shared lounge area that artists have access to in addition to the main workspace!) located behind Good Day Shop in downtown Arcata. For the spring season, we are seeking artists comfortable making a March 1st-May 31st commitment to help us trial the space and work out the details.
The space will allow for four artists to share a workspace that will allow each to have a roughly 6’x6’ dedicated area, in addition to having access to the common areas and amenities. Each participating artist will be responsible for $250/mo in rent (utilities included!) and a $100 security deposit. All artists will have 24/7 access to the space (with plenty of advance notice about any upcoming events that would interrupt personal work time -- note that we are aiming to host approximately two events per month during the spring season.)
We’re building something intended to grant a lot of personal agency to all members, meaning the cohort we’re looking to assemble will be comprised of responsible, trustworthy creatives who want to help be part of a project supporting the betterment of the community and one another—if you are interested, please reach out to hello@gooddayhumboldt.com to get the conversation started!
The space will accommodate four artists, with first priority going to folks who have already been in conversation with Marta about this project, so please reach out asap if you are interested!
We’ll also be hosting a special fundraising party at the space on Friday, Feb. 27th from 6-9 p.m. for y’all to check the space out, have some fun and support this vision for the community! Follow Good Day Shop on IG for more details!
movement & making: feb 28
movement & making: a FREE monthly community gathering
saturday, feb. 28
11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.
awc community center (225 klamath blvd., klamath)
Come stretch, move, play and create in community at the AWC Community Center in Klamath!
This month’s movement session will be facilitated by Del Norte yoga teacher Paulina Sanchez followed by a painting exercise led by me! Our gathering will center around the theme of “Radical Self-Acceptance,” to help us lead with love and better understand others.
This FREE community offering is open to all ages & skill levels!
No registration required!
This monthly gathering is brought to you by DiRT & Glitter’s Youth Art & Adventure Program in collaboration with the Yurok Tribe Parks & Recreation Department
seed, plant & scion exchange: march 14
The annual Seed, Plant & Scion Exchange from the Humboldt Permaculture Guild is back on Saturday, March 14!
Saturday, March 14, 2026
11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Arcata Community Center
Sliding scale admission, $0-10
Interested in becoming one of the volunteers who make this event possible? Fill out our volunteer form here!
innerWILD creative retreat: march 28
innerWILD creative retreat
Saturday, March 28th, 2026
11am - 4pm
Howland Hill Outdoor School (on Howland Hill Rd. approximately 15 min. outside of Crescent City in Redwood National and State Park)
Free for community members ages 17+ living in Del Norte County or adjacent Tribal lands*, donation suggested for those residing outside of this region
The innerWILD Creative Retreat is back on March 28! Join us for a day to connect with YOUR innerwild with movement & making in the heart of the redwoods at Howland Hill Outdoor School!
Deepen into your authentic creative self with experiences by DiRT & Glitter’s Lauren Godla and myself, and local artist and educator Julie Smiley.
Activities include yoga, authentic movement, intuitive painting and more, with lunch provided by Sugar Pine Dine.
Space is limited for this offering with registration closing March 12!
*this year’s innerWILD Creative Retreat is hosted by DiRT & Glitter, and is made possible by the support of the Yurok Tribe’s Promise Neighborhood Initiative
community urban plant walk & paint: april 18
earth party community urban plant walk + paint
saturday, april 18, 12-2 p.m.
old town eureka (meet + paint at two street art lab at 527 2nd St.)
free for all!
Come connect with nature, community and creativity for a very special Community Urban Plant Walk & Paint workshop!
Similar to past Earth Party community plant walks, this offering encourages you to share—and take in—info about the plant life that we can find even in the urban areas of our region. We’ll also talk about responsible foraging practices and basic herbal medicine preparations, centering around respecting the land and plants as we work with them.
After the walk, join in an intuitive painting exercise to create a piece of art inspired by the plants you encountered on our walk together. This offering is FREE and open to all, no matter what your experience with plants or painting!
To reserve your spot for this limited space offering, please register here!
The Community Urban Plant Walk & Paint is made possible through grant funding from the Eureka Cultural Arts District (ECAD), a partnership of the Wiyot Tribe, the Ink People Center for Arts & Culture, Eureka Main Street, and the City of Eureka. ECAD uplifts and amplifies the region’s creatives and culture keepers through grant initiatives, festivals, and community-driven leadership.
i love aging submission date now may 1!
With all the hubbub happening (good and bad), I’ve made the executive decision to push the submission deadline for i love aging: an existential fashion journal to May 1, my favorite holiday. You can learn more about i love aging and how to be part of the magic here!
Sending much love and hope that you may find a way, however small, to feel ok today. Know YOU ARE NOT ALONE! We are all in this together!
xo,
Holly