In times of darkness, I seek light.
Because the dark heaviness of genocide, destruction and oppression lies on my soul.
Because the screams of mothers, fathers, and children never stop.
Because the bombs keep falling, falling on their homes, their bodies, their land; while the world keeps watching and discussing the right of self-defense of the attacking country.
But the people keep dying, families vanish, entire ecosystems destroyed forever – and the shadows of darkness keep growing.
Because imperialist and capitalist powers keep oppressing and exploiting People of Colour around the world.
Because while this is the reality for so many people, many well-minded individuals of privileged societies discuss and dream of new worlds without acknowledging the need for radical solidarity, to be active using your privilege to oppose fascism and be anti-racist beyond your likes and self-promoting videos on Instagram.
But in times of darkness, I seek light.
I see those, trying to be more active, to weave new REAL truths and deconstruct the “norm” so many are used to.
But it is not enough!
Because solidarity movements know about the fights of those communities that achieved to be heard by those in more privileged countries.
Because it is so much more difficult for those that don’t have that privilege to be hyped by these movements.
Not because they don’t care, but just because people, especially in the West, tend to single out one struggle, one fight for survival and do not realize that it is a wider structural issue rooted in racism, patriarchy, fascism and capitalism that has to be addressed beyond just writing about it and discussing it.
Because we have to go beyond what we believe “fits” our struggle, our movement’s ideology but support social justice in its diversity, recognizing that the white-dominated narrative of a transversal struggle remains the perspective of them and probably does not “fit” with the rest of the world.
Because so many may now be aware that it is key to take care of your well-being, but fully miss the fact that our own well-being is important to support the community and collective well-being of all.
It is a dark shadow of individualism that follows closely behind those liberating themselves of the indoctrinated individualism and far too often one falls into that again.
But the people keep dying, families vanish, entire ecosystems destroyed forever – and the shadows of darkness growing.
It is key not to close our eyes in front of the ongoing and brutal slicing open, again and again, the forever healing scars of the brutally opened veins during colonialism,
The never ending bloody thirst,
Being addicted to capitalism, patriarchy, sexism, and destruction,
A deadly disease killing human and more-than-human in their paths,
Driven by power,
Driven by hate,
Rooted in separation and pain.
A disease reminding me of the fungus Ophiocordyceps unilateralis that turns their host into zombies,
Turning our neighbours now liberated from colonization into colonizers,
As it is the case for the people in Annobón, in Western Sahara, in Zanzibar,
Of those communities that suffer from being occupied and severely oppressed by new global powers and assimilation politics,
That have their land and families ripped away, while the occupiers celebrate with a global platform the gained resources and land, such as it happens for the Uighur, the Tibetan, the Palestinian, the Mapuches, and Kurdish communities since decades,
Of those suffering under the 4th authoritarian power structures, led by technological interest, as those communities of Resistencia Activa Ya! suffering from Glencore extracting the minerals and fossil fuels in their lands, contaminating their water, destroying their soil and contaminating their bodies with heavy metals, as it happens in the DRC, Brasil, Chad, Peru, Colombia, Argentina and many more by many more destructive multinationals.
In times of darkness I seek light.
The light of those shining love and hope.
The light of those standing up for those not heard.
The light of those using their privilege even though they could turn away.
The light of those weaving new networks, new communal power, new tactics.
In times of darkness I light a fire.
A fire of hope and courage.
A fire we can meet around to shine together.
A fire to heal the wounds that capitalism, oppression, racism, war, genocide and ecocide have left in us.
A fire that will grow with us uniting around the globe.
A fire that will burn down the false hateful narratives of the killers, the false promises of an economy rooted in capitalism, a global-minority-dominated worldview, and their banks, the IMF and the World Bank, their weapon industries for their genocides, the multinationals and their collaborators.
In times of darkness, I light a fire.
A fire of a new truth and a new reality, a fire you are all welcome to join so we can shine together.
Sitting with my fire, I remember. There is no shadow without light!
Alexandra Gavilano, Venezuela, June 2025