The Spatial Collision of Change Making

I am a changemaker, and making such a statement sends a signal out into the universe that I am certainly up for a challenge. Tackling the impossible is a difficult task for anyone, for the relentless winds of conformity and conditioning exist to prevent any type of personal or mass scale transformation. As one begins to understand the mammoth task of adjusting unfair circumstances to restore a balance of power, it takes unending courage to show up to the battle each day with increased strength, determination and resilience to fight for much needed justice.

The process of changemaking relies on one’s faith, offering hope as sustenance to counteract the uncertainty of an unknown outcome. The encouraging support of faith exists hidden deep in the soul, unable to be swayed by the tornado of fear, force, inauthenticity or control. Faith allows a single individual to stand in their personal power, speak their beliefs with conviction, and know that a small, insignificant action may inspire those with a similar experience to stand united side by side.

A few years ago, I travelled through the deep south in the USA, visiting a number of significant landmarks that saw blatant violations of power on the African American population during the civil rights movement. Standing at the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, stopping at the site of Rosa Park’s Montgomery bus boycott, visiting sites of non-violent sit-in’s, viewing original footage of the freedom riders, and discovering untold stories of lynching victims, was mortifying to comprehend firsthand. The shameful degradation through humiliating acts of intimidation and violence was appalling, disturbing my fundamental ideal that everyone is entitled to live a peaceful existence without unnecessary disturbance. Since that point in time as I tune into filtered representations of ongoing difficulties in the South, the issue of intolerance has yet to be resolved. Being a witness to the struggles of daily life far removed from my own, enables me to objectively perceive the underlying pain of miscommunication and misunderstanding bred from a place of anger and hatred.

I came across an analogy of a candle that demonstrates the act of changemaking at the personal expense of human life. The analogy suggests that being a candle is not easy. In order to illuminate the way for others, the candle must consume itself through the heat of the burning flame. If this analogy focused instead on people and their vital substance, the actions undertaken during a lifetime depletes one’s source of energy in the hope of contributing a legacy that will outlast their existence. Those that choose to live life as a burning candle, gift impact through self-sacrifice in the hope of creating generational change for the immediate and long-term future of others.

As someone that regularly sends invocations and appeals to the invisible unseen forces upstairs, I have come to the conclusion that responses desire both hope and faith alongside affirmative action. It is no use wishing for a harmonious outcome without instigating an arduous conversation; nor is it any use praying for increased courage when this quality can only be learned through persistent confrontation. The experience of conflict, however distressing, is the quickest expression to combat unethical behaviour that over time has become so commonplace, the possibility of re-arrangement seems unattainable. One may be labelled some form of crazy during this impossible task, however, to be considered that outrageous, a person must really be fearless to act so bold, with such passion and unending, eccentric confidence.

Changemaking as a spatial edge, distinguishes a thin margin of accuracy between reality and possibility. The collision of opponents at this frontier, echo’s reverberations of intention outward in numerous directions. Interrogations between opposing forces highlights uncertainties from both sides, requesting witnesses to furthermore examine their personal beliefs and doubts. This spatial collision acts as an earthquake, creating endless movement through seismic shifts, while igniting anxiety - both for maintaining stability or risking transcience for a different outcome. Whether the issue is resolved at that point in time or requires additional confrontations, the space where this confrontation occurs is a constant flux of expansive energy, waiting to break through the barriers of narrow-minded confinement.

In my day to day life I am currently living this spatial collision through significant, ongoing confrontations. The opposing forces are numerous individuals comfortable with destroying others’ livelihood for their personal gain, and I am tired of being beaten into submission. To be a changemaker, I arm myself with my personal right to exist, reminding myself that I am not a possession that is easily replaceable. To be a changemaker, I get out of bed every morning and do the best I can, with what the day throws at me. To be a changemaker, I use my voice and my actions to inspire positive change, in the hope of making a small difference in the world. I am a changemaker by choice, because my existence is worthwhile, and I wouldn’t spend it any other way.