As the holiday season approaches, I am reminded of the radical potential of self-care and community care. These acts are not mere formalities, they are revolutionary strategies in times of political unrest and social struggle. In a world shaped by systems designed to exhaust and oppress, reclaiming care is an assertion of our humanity, our dignity, and our power to resist.
With 2025 on the horizon—a year set to test our collective resilience with policies highlighted in Agenda 47 and Project 2025—care must take center stage. These aren’t ordinary challenges; they are calculated assaults on the rights and protections we’ve fought so hard to secure. Our survival depends on how we reclaim and wield care, for ourselves and for our communities.
"Caring for myself is not self-indulgence, it is self-preservation, and that is an act of political warfare.” - Audre Lorde
As I reflect on my ancestors, I am reminded that our history as a people in America is rooted in collective survival, not because it was easy, but because it was necessary. During the Civil Rights Movement, victory was not achieved through marches and sit-ins alone; it was sustained by an infrastructure of care. Churches became sanctuaries where food was shared, strategies were formed, and spirits were lifted. Families opened their homes, risking everything to protect those fighting for freedom.
The Black Panther Party understood that care was an act of resistance. Their free breakfast programs and community health initiatives weren’t just about meeting basic needs; they were about confronting a system that sought to starve and silence us. They declared: We will take care of ourselves because the system will not.
And this legacy extends beyond one movement. LGBTQ+ activists built networks to care for one another during the AIDS crisis, when government indifference cost countless lives. Environmental justice movements have taught us that caring for the earth is inseparable from caring for the people who live on it.
"We who believe in freedom cannot rest until it comes." - Ella Baker
In a capitalist society designed to deplete us, taking time to replenish is a revolutionary act. It’s a refusal to be destroyed. Also, it's important to remember, while self-care prepares the individual, community care fortifies the collective. We’ve seen it time and time again: care binds us together and amplifies our power. As we approach the holiday season, let’s reconnect with the practices that have always sustained us.
Here are 3 community care actions to consider this holiday season and beyond:
- Check on Each Other: Isolation is a tool of oppression. Connection is its antidote. A simple call or visit can remind someone they are not alone in the struggle.
- Build or Support Mutual Aid Networks: From food drives to childcare, mutual aid creates tangible support systems that counteract the failures of oppressive systems.
- Create or Support Spaces for Healing: Whether through community dinners, support groups, or cultural gatherings, we must carve out spaces to grieve, reflect, laugh, and strategize.
The challenges of 2025 are daunting, but we are not powerless. The incoming administration may seek to dismantle progress and sow division, but we know how to fight. We fight by caring for ourselves, for our neighbors, and for the world we want to see.
This holiday season, let’s honor the legacy of those who came before us. Let’s remember the radical tradition of care that has always been our lifeline. Let’s commit to entering 2025 rested, connected, and ready to resist.
Because the truth is this: revolution is not sustainable without care. And when we care for ourselves and each other, we are unstoppable.
About the Author
Anneshia Hardy is a narrative strategist, scholar-activist, and social impact entrepreneur committed to leveraging storytelling and messaging for transformative social change. As Executive Director of grassroots communications and media advocacy organizations, Alabama Values and Alabama Values Progress, she leads efforts to strengthen the pro-democracy movement in Alabama and across the South through strategic messaging and digital strategies.
Co-founder of Blackyard LLC, Anneshia equips changemakers to amplify their impact in marginalized communities. With over a decade of experience, she has conducted narrative and messaging trainings for organizations like the NAACP and the Obama Foundation. Anneshia has also shaped strategies for landmark voting rights cases, including Allen v. Milligan. Rooted in the belief that culturally relevant narratives can drive equity and inspire action, she bridges academic insight and real-world advocacy to create lasting change.