Throwback to a few months ago when we were still wandering the streets of Otrabanda, Curaçao. And came across this mural. I feel like it’s apt to share today: the day we commemorate the abolition of slavery in the Dutch former colonies.
Also: it’s been a week today that dissatisfied workers and youth of Curaçao took to the streets to demand change.
This past week I’ve been trying to use my words, wanting to make sense of my feelings about all that’s happening on my island. For someone that speaks 4 languages, it’s ironic how I keep struggling to find the best words, other than 'heartbroken' and 'furious'. So I kept sharing articles of people saying some of the things I wanna say, knowing that those were not all the words I feel like saying. So much conflicting thoughts and sentiments about it all. I hated the rioting and unrest and the anxiety it caused but I stand with the activism. I’ve been reading a lot of commentary only focusing on condemning the destroying of properties and totally deflecting from the real issues.
So. Wrong.
Revolution is needed to invoke change and that’s messy. Truly decolonized minds would get that.
Celebrating the end of slavery is fruitless if minds keep being enslaved.
Free your minds, the rest will follow.
(Note: I believe the mural is by Selwyn de Wind, but am not 100% sure. If you know whose it is: let a girl know.)