Joy, Love, and Resilience
Firstly, congratulations to the Seahawks for Sunday’s win!
Last week was a deliciously busy one—celebrating joy, love, and resilience. We witnessed the fabulous songbird Durand Bernarr take home their first Grammy. We spent a poetic night listening to the melodic, truth-telling words of Aja Monet. And we can’t forget the colorful, symbolic performance of Benito—aka Bad Bunny—reminding us that art, culture, and identity are inseparable.
Last week was a reminder that all truths can exist at once: joy, love, and resilience.
It was also a reminder of the infamous words of Nina Simone: “An artist’s duty, as far as I’m concerned, is to reflect the times. I think that is true of painters, sculptors, poets, musicians.”
The civil rights movement has been on my mind these past few days. I’ve been reflecting on how much joy, love, and resilience were stitched through that movement—and how our current reality is no different.
At its core, the civil rights movement was not only about protest, but about dignity, access, and belonging. Activists fought for—and won—key pieces of federal legislation that reshaped the nation:
The Civil Rights Act of 1964, which banned discrimination in public accommodations and employment.
The Voting Rights Act of 1965, which extended protections to voters—particularly in the South—against suppression and intimidation.
The Fair Housing Act of 1968, which made housing discrimination illegal.
These laws were hard-fought victories. And yet, decades later, the principles they were meant to protect—equal access, fair representation, and the right to live freely and safely—are still being challenged, reinterpreted, and defended anew.
As we continue to fight for our rights, joy, love, and resilience remain our cornerstone—just as they were then. They are not distractions from the struggle; they are fuel for it.
Love, Tiana M. Duncan
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