In this clip, Mei and Meshell engage in the work of being in community, prioritizing care, and making space for their full selves. Meshell wonders how we balance between the labor of resistance and self-care while Mei shares a story of self-care that is grounded in her connections with other people.
“I said that to a friend recently: ‘It’s like i’m collapsing. I feel like the pressure of everything is keeping me from being upright like a plant that hasn’t been outside, but now it’s outside and it’s not used to the resistance of the wind.’ Just having that acknowledgment and that recognition of like, ‘Hey I see you and I hear you,’ without having to hear everything. That’s really helpful for me.”

The notion of sustaining oneself through connections with community is very powerful. I found the statement that just letting your community know when you’re not doing okay without having to give lots of detail encouraging. Its a practice I don’t do enough of because I tend to resort to the position that I can do it all without help or I don’t want to “bother” others with my concerns or problems.