Editor’s Note (navajo):
Gabe Ortíz is a writer and activist focusing on immigration, LGBT, and Latino issues for the Daily Kos News Team. Prior to joining Daily Kos in 2017, Gabe was the Digital Editor of America's Voice and America's Voice Education Fund, an immigration reform advocacy group based in Washington, D.C. His work in immigrant rights activism was spurred by his personal experience as a first-generation American in an immigrant family. A graduate of San Francisco State University's College of Ethnic Studies, Gabe's writing has been featured in outlets like Univision, the Washington Post, and PRI.
Please welcome Gabe as an occasional writer for CUA. Thanks, Gabe! Great to have your voice here.
Hi, folks! If you don’t recognize my name, it’s probably because it hasn’t been here in the CUA series before. A big thanks to Navajo and Meteor Blades for thinking of me. If you have seen my name elsewhere on Daily Kos, it’s probably relating to immigration and some of the devastating deportation stories that have emerged since you-know-who ended up in the Oval Office.
While the immigration beat isn’t new for me, the level of viciousness surround some of these stories is. I guess you could say that about anything emerging from this administration, really. It’s why so many have been eager to write, call, march, protest, and resist, but this comes at the risk of quick burn out. The fact is that because we all need each other now more than ever, it’s important to take care of yourself mentally, physically, and spiritually. After all, if you can’t help yourself, how can you help someone else?
For me, dedicating anything from 15 minutes to an hour of my day to stepping away from the computer and television has quickly become a main form of self-care. What’s best about it is that because I decided not to attach any specific activity to it, what I do varies on how I feel. What’s most important though, is that I step away. Some days I go on a walk while listening to my favorite singer (Stevie Nicks, FYI). Other days it’s a book and a glass of wine (who said self-care can’t be a little boozy?), and some days something as simple as cuddling with my cat (he likes the laser pointer too).
What’s important, though, is that I have that time set aside for myself to just breathe. It’s simple, but it’s been helping a lot, and that’s what’s most important.
What about you? What’s your self-care these days?
RSVPS
1. Thinking Fella
2. Ojibwa
3. state of confusion
4. Lee Montana
5. MotherMags
6. MTmofo
7. woolibaar
8. Mhosz
9. Mrs. Mhosz
10. Maudlin
11. Mr. Maudlin
MAYBEES :
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1. ColoTim
2. Dr. Irene Aguilar
3. Decorina
4. justmypiece
5.
MAYBEES :
acpa +mom
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RSVPS
1. Bill in Portland Maine
2. Common Sense Mainer
3. navajo
4. markm667
5. vicki
6. vicki’s recruit 1
7. vicki’s recruit 2
8. smileycreek
9. paradise50
10. Ed Tracey
11. side pocket
12. Mrs. side pocket
13. Richard Cranium
14. YellowDogInGA
15. DebtorsPrison
16. brillig
17. mik
18. thatkid
19. K2
20. LuLu
21. moodyinsavannah
22. norm
23. Egberto Willies
24. Chris Reeves
25. Susan Grigsby
26. spedwybabs
27. Dee Austin
28. Pam Miles
29. Corrie Wikoff
30. Cindi Branham
31. Susan Higgins
32. jlms qkw
33. Larisa Thomason
34. evcoren
35. shermanesq
36. doggie269
37. jpup
38. BruinKid
39. Steve Stearns
40. loggersbrat
41. Walter Einenkel
42. Susan Gardner
43. Faith Gardner
44. Meteor Blades
45. nancyjones
46. edgery
47. SanDiegoDem
48. Will Rockafellow
49. Laura Clawson +high chair
50. Joan McCarter
51. Wagatwe Wanjuki
52. Drew Linzer
53. Mara Schechter
54. Michael Langenmayr
55. Kelly Macias
56. Gabe Ortiz
57. Monique Teal
58. scyellowdogdem
59. Kimm Lett
60. Rachel Gutauskas
61. Jeff Singer
62. Carolyn Fiddler
63. Rachel Colyer
64. Shayera Tangri
65. Irna Landrum
66. Carissa Miller
67. Jennifer Hayden
68. Susan Smith
69. JustOneMoreDad
70. Mrs. JustOneMoreDad
71. JustOneMoreDad’s kid
72. BeninSC
73. KathyinSC
74. annrose
75. shanikka
76. DAH
77. susans
78. gmats
79. 714day
80. Sandy on Signal
81. SouthDem
82. Bouapha Toommaly
83. watercarrier4diogenes
84. Chrislove
85. TrueBlueMajority
86. Wee Mama
87. peregrine kate
88. Thinking Fella
89. Denise Oliver-Velez
90. Jon Sitzman
91. Leslie Salzillo
92. Frank Vyan Walton
93. Dan Carlson
94. Arjun Jaikumar
95. Sher Watts Spooner
96. Sher Watts Spooner’s guest
97.
98.
MAYBEES :
momomia
MsSpentYouth
scyellowdogdem’s nephew Matt
jotter
aha aha
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RSVPS
1. randallt
2. Joieau
3. Gordon20024
4. Otteray Scribe
5. Burns Lass
6.
MAYBEES :
eeff
Zen Trainer
Tex Dem
VeloVixen
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