Joy is fun but far from frivolous. For many movements, such as those for Black and Disabled rights, joy is understood as a site of resistance and resilience that asserts the individual’s humanity and right to pleasure in the face of oppression. This allows activists to stay strong and healthy in the face of their struggles. Joy doesn’t happen automatically, however. It is an active practice that works to create spaces for happiness, so that it can co-exist alongside anger, fear, sadness, guilt and other difficult emotions that might be present.
As the planetary crisis worsens, people across the world are facing increasing threats. Climate distress is on the rise, leading to increasing polarisation, fracturing of communities, lowered personal capacity, and despair. Joy is an essential way to resource ourselves and our communities in the face of these problems.
Joy resets our nervous systems and creates spaces for difficult conversations. Joy supports activists to stay with the trouble. Joy connects people across divides. Joy holds space for trauma.
We need joy now more than ever.
climatejoy.org 