To Rise and Resist
Intentions for the new year
We stand on the edge of an unravelling,
besieged in crises upon crises,
fueled by corporate greed.
Wealth
siphoned away,
leaving the people and the Earth behind.
The seeds of our ancestors are stolen.
Forests sold to abusers,
and our stories forgotten.
The once-sacred tales of humility and belonging fade away,
as arrogance becomes the anthem of progress.
But the empire’s rule is fragile,
propped up by illusion.
Its need for control; desperate.
Its logic; fear.
Its power; brittle.
It dances in its own arrogance,
desperate to hold onto the facade of its dominance.
But nature whispers of its inevitable fall.
The tighter it grips, the more it crumbles.
Its walls are weak;
its control, like a scarecrow,
a mirage.
The seeds of rebellion are already breaking through,
quietly subverting,
waiting to reclaim what was robbed.
For centuries,
our land has been stolen,
our communities uprooted,
our families fractured.
Yet, like the seeds that break through concrete,
we resist.
The earth remembers us, and we remember it
this is our struggle, our fight for life itself.
In this moment of unravelling,
we rediscover the power of collective care.
As empires crumble,
communities rise.
We weave worlds anew.
Every step forward,
every act of care,
every hand extended,
every moment of defiance,
is an act of nature.
Resistance is not a distant dream
it is a living, breathing force.
It is in the soil,
in those who cultivate it,
in the hands of those who plant seeds for future generations.
We surrender to the tides, not tyranny.
To the seasons, not to suppression.
The empire, bloated with arrogance, will fall.
And from the rubble,
We,
the people,
the land,
the movement,
will rise.
We are not fighting for nature,
we are nature that fights.
As the new year begins, we want to thank all our readers for continuously supporting this publication. We appreciate the time and energy that many of you take to reach out to us after a post, share your thoughts, or amplify our work within your networks. Your donations and paid subscriptions help us to continue doing this work amidst the rising wave of corporate thirst for control over our narratives.
As social media platforms increasingly abandon fact-checking protocols to profit from misinformation and polarisation, we recognise that continuing to use them holds multiple contradictions. We remain committed to showing up in these spaces with the utmost intention.
One thing is certain, the visions and demands from the food sovereignty movement and other liberatory struggles need to be heard louder now, more than ever. We will continue building bridges. We will continue asking questions. We will continue making space to uplift alternative ways of living and organising — ways that honour the land, our communities, and the futures we are fighting for, together.
For years, we’ve wanted to carve space for other voices and perspectives in this newsletter, and we’re excited to start the year with the spirit of co-creation. Our first series of the year will feature the stories of guest writers with our long-time collaborator Shado Mag.
This evergreen piece and AGC favourite, by Bayo Akomolafe reflects on the concept of “a slower urgency,” inviting us to embrace a gentler, more deliberate approach to navigating the crises of our time. By resisting the frantic pace of modern solutions and instead honouring the wisdom of slowing down, we create space to truly listen, heal, and reconnect with the rhythms of the earth and each other. Slowing down reminds us that meaningful change is nurtured in the quiet moments of care, reflection, and community — transformation is not always immediate or linear but grows through tending to the present with humility and grace, allowing deeper possibilities to unfold.
The victory of our partners at the North American Marine Alliance and the Block Corporate Salmon campaign, in their struggle to stop genetically-engineered salmon production and commercialisation by AquaBounty. The U.S.-based biotechnology and aquaculture company’s last facility was shut down in early December 2024, after decades of controversy, widespread market rejection and legal and regulatory challenges. This is a paramount success of the hard work led by Indigenous, Black, and People of Color working together to uplift Indigenous solutions for Salmon protection and restoration. Check out the zine ‘Honoring Salmon, Honoring Life’ we co-created with the Block Corporate Salmon team last year.
This article by Joseph Lee for Vox explores how the Land Back movement, exemplified by the Northwestern Band of the Shoshone Nation reclaiming the Bear River Massacre site, is not only addressing historical injustices but also advancing climate resilience. By restoring ancestral lands and integrating Indigenous stewardship, tribes are healing both people and ecosystems, demonstrating that land redistribution is a powerful cultural and environmental solution, fostering biodiversity, improving water resources, and mitigating climate change.
2024 brought new currents and transitions for members of the AGC staff, and we’re looking to grow the team with a new Creative Director. If you or anyone you know are interested in applying, please read the job description and send the application to hiring@agrowingculture.org before January 24, 2025. Sharing our #hiring posts on Instagram and LinkedIn would be of great support too!
Upgrading to paid isn’t just about supporting this newsletter, but also resourcing all of our other work to resource movements around the world. If you have found value in these words and ideas, and you are in a position to become a paid subscriber or to donate directly to our organisation, we would be so grateful for your support. As always, thank you for reading.