The recognition that survival itself—getting through the day, staying alive, maintaining dignity—is meaningful political work for people navigating multiple oppressions, not a precondition to 'real' activism.
Sor Juana survived as an enslaved person's descendant, as a woman in patriarchal space, as an intellectual in a system designed to limit her thinking, as a nun in an institution that wanted her obedience. She did this through strategies of careful navigation, strategic relationships, intellectual rigor, and spiritual practice. Intersectional survival as praxis rejects the distinction between 'survival' and 'resistance'—survival under oppression IS resistance. It validates the knowledge of people managing chronic illness while organizing, raising children while building movements, working multiple jobs while studying. It centers disabled people's expertise in pacing and sustainability. It recognizes that not everyone can risk the most visible forms of activism, and that's information about systems, not individual failure. In practice, this means: Building movements that honor survival needs alongside resistance demands; creating sustainable practices; valuing invisible labor; recognizing that people managing multiple oppressions are already doing necessary work. Sor Juana's life shows that surviving with integrity, maintaining thought and dignity under pressure, continuing to create and resist—these are achievements and contributions, not mere preconditions to real politics.
Peri can explain this concept, give practical examples, help you decide whether it applies to your situation, or recommend a journey if appropriate.
Explore related journeys or tell Peri what you're working through.