The 5 R's: Reimagination

Good Morning and Welcome back to the newsletter.

Before jumping into this week’s topic, Reimagination, I feel called to address the tragedy that occurred last week in Buffalo, NY.

On Saturday afternoon, a white 18-year-old gunman entered a grocery store and opened fire, killing 13 and injuring several others. 11 of the 13 victims were black and beloved community members.

I don’t know about you, but there’s a part of me that’s become numb to these horrific shootings. 

Overwhelming events over a prolonged period of time, can lead to numbness. Since 2009, there have been over 200 mass shootings, in which thousands of lives were lost. Staggering numbers like these turns victims into numbers, rather than humanizing them. In a way, tragedy has become commonplace.

Now more than ever, it is obvious that we face a crisis at the intersection of gun violence, mental health, and racism— systematic and otherwise.

The explicit racism displayed during this weekend’s event feels like a deep roundhouse kick to the soul.

The man drove over 200 miles to carry out this attack.

He’d been planning it for months, and allegedly posted a 180-page document filled with racist rants and white supremacist conspiracy theories online.

I can hardly stomach this… and that’s as a healthy white male. I grew up with privilege, in a resource-wealthy suburban area of Philadelphia, so I cannot even imagine the pain that the Buffalo and POC communities are feeling after this event. 

Please join me in sending love and prayers to Buffalo and the Black communities. Beyond thoughts & prayers, here are some tangible actions toward addressing racism and gun control.

If you’re somehow still thinking that this is an isolated event, maybe an incident of a misunderstood and angry teenager, it’s not.

White Supremacy is still (somehow) alive in this country, and NEEDS to be addressed. Check out the NYTimes graphic below.

I honestly have no idea how the country moves forward from here, but I know one thing is for sure: 

It’s no longer enough to “not be racist.”

We must be Anti-Racist, an idea from Ibram X. Kendi, brought forward in his book, “How To Be An Antiracist,”

“What’s the problem with being “not racist”? It is a claim that signifies neutrality: “I am not a racist, but neither am I aggressively against racism.” But there is no neutrality in the racism struggle. The opposite of “racist” isn’t “not racist.” It is “antiracist.” What’s the difference? One endorses the idea of a racial hierarchy as a racist or racial equality as an antiracist. One either believes problems are rooted in groups of people, as a racist, or locates the roots of problems in power and policies, as an antiracist. One either allows racial inequities to persevere, as a racist, or confronts racial inequities, as an antiracist.”

I still have much to learn when it comes to anti-racism, the country’s racial history, and my role in supporting BIPOC communities, but I’m committed to co-creating a future built on anti-racism. I believe that it’s the bedrock of a free, peaceful, and equitable future.

And it’s also a key element of today’s newsletter topic, Reimagination.

For me, Reimagination is the 2nd step in the 5-step DMH Transformation Framework— after Reconnection and before Rebuilding, Reflection & Refinement.

Let’s begin.

Reimagination sounds simultaneously grand and vague, but it’s really quite simple:

Regimagination is the process of getting clear on what we want the future to look like, regardless of current circumstance.

Reimagination is imagining our vision of ourselves and the world, free from the constraints of today’s systems, structures, and beliefs.

Remember Martin Luther King’s iconic “I Have A Dream” Speech? That’s reimagination.

Reimagination is answering the question, how might we create a new & improved life experience for ourselves and others?

See, reimagination comes in layers— individual, collective, and societal reimagination.

What is our vision for our lives and/or the world around us?

How might we reimagine what a healthier future can look & feel like?

For me, I reimagine—

A world where all beings are treated equally & equitably, regardless of gender, race, ethnicity, or sexual orientation.

A society in which we are all healthy & vibrant because we have access to affordable healthcare and education.

A future where you, I, and everyone we know are happy, driven, and fulfilled because we live our purpose each day.

A planet that is healthy and abundant, because we’ve re-learned how to live in reciprocity with nature.

A culture where people feel safe, daily, because mental health resources are accessible and effective, and military-grade weaponry is outlawed among civilians. It’s the little things… ya know?

I reimagine—

A government that brings the best ideas forward— regardless of age, experience, or political party.

A justice system that is fair and just for all constituents— regardless of pay grade or race.

And an economy that is based around Conscious Capitalism and Donut Economics— ideas created by John Mackey and Kate Raworth, respectively, that encourage businesses to operate ethically and consider larger questions than simply shareholder value— such as regenerating the planet and contributing to the disadvantaged.

Transformational ideas like these are becoming more and more accepted by the day, and, to me, suggest that we at least have a starting point for a future that’s more equitable and sustainable.

The key step in amplifying these ideas and stepping into a new, truly equitable reality, I believe, is cultivating the awareness that we are all the same.

We are all human beings. Full Stop.

We have different circumstances and contexts, sure, but our fundamental needs to feel heard, seen, and loved, are fundamentally the same.

Anytime we feel separated from another— that’s ego.

“One way to think about ego is as a protective heavy shell, such as the kind some animals have, like a big beetle. This protective shell works like armor to cut you off from other people and the outside world. What I mean by shell is a sense of separation: Here's me and there's the rest of the universe and other people. The ego likes to emphasize the "otherness" of others,” writes Leigh Newman, an author summarizing the work of Eckhart Tolle.

Moving past ego and truly honoring our inherent interrelatedness, I believe, is the path forward.

And this is why I’m so damn passionate about holistic health, nutrition, and food access.

Health could be the great unifier. The collective opportunity.

According to doctor and author, Dr. Mark Hyman, “There is one place that nearly everything that matters in the world today converges: our food and our food system– the complex web of how we grow, how we produce, distribute, and promote it; what we eat, what we waste, and the policies that perpetuate unimaginable suffering and destruction across the globe that deplete our human, social, economic, and natural capital.”

If we were to provide nutritious & equitable school lunch to ALL students - regardless of zip code - how would education change?

If we were to transition our food systems towards regenerative organic - how would our planet heal?

If we were to stop subsidizing chemical-laced wheat, corn, and soy, and instead put our money towards healthy fruits and vegetables - how would our healthcare system improve?

If we all were to commit to healing our past traumas and creating a more vibrant future - how would our lives transform?

So here’s the question I have for you.

What are you reimagining?

Which of today’s problems are most important to you? And how do you reimagine them in the future? How do you see the path forward?

Obviously, we don’t have all the answers, but I would love to hear from you.

I believe, deeply, that perspectives are enhanced through deeper understanding. 

And deeper understanding is cultivated through exposure to new ideas and ways of seeing the world.

So that is my goal here— to collect some responses, compile some ideas, and share the highlights with you, the Discover More Health Community, sometime down the road.

Like I mentioned in the first newsletter, it is my hope to create a collective container: one in which we collectively dive into our curiosities, learn from one another, and maybe even, reimagine what a healthier future can look & feel like.

No pressure to contribute— but I would love if you did— if you feel called. 

If there's one podcast you listen to this week, it's this inspiring Jon Batiste interview with UPenn organizational psychologist, Adam Grant.

Louisiana-born signer-songwriter, Jon Batiste, has taken the music world by storm.

In the last few months, he was nominated for 11 Grammys and took home 5, ranging across a wide ray of genres, including best American roots song and best score soundtrack for visual media.

He's also the first Black artist to win Album of the Year since 2008. 

If you haven't heard his song "Freedom" or seen its corresponding music video, I would recommend promptly doing so. The music video, below, won Music Video of the Year, and the song itself is one of the best feel-good dance jams I've heard in a long time.

While we’re on the topic of Black Excellence, I cannot recommend the new Kendrick album enough.

The only rapper with a Pulitzer Prize, Kendrick has a true pulse on what’s happening in today's culture and articulates his perspectives in a beautiful and moving manner.

Eminem tweeted that the album left him “Speechless” - and I’d confirm the same sentiment.

While the album is certainly worth a listen front-to-back, there are two songs that are in serious contention for song of the year:

The best music illustrates culture more than words can alone.

And that’s exactly what Kendrick did.

That's it for this week. I appreciate you reading and hope you have a beautiful one ahead.

Keep reimagining out there - individually AND collectively 🖤

With Gratitude, 

Aidan