02/28/2025
As we wrap up Black History Month, head into the weekend, and descend into a brave new world of American idiocy, indifference, and immorality, may this serve as a reminder not to let the bastards grind you down.
Toi Derricotte is an acclaimed American poet, writer, and educator known for her powerful prose exploring race, identity, trauma, and resilience. She has published several poetry collections, including The Undertaker’s Daughter, Tender, and a memoir, The Black Notebooks, which delves into her experiences as a light-skinned Black woman navigating race and privilege.
Derricotte is also a co-founder of Cave Canem, an influential organization dedicated to supporting Black poets. Her work is deeply personal yet universally resonant, often addressing difficult themes with honesty and lyricism. She has received numerous awards, including the PEN/Voelcker Award for Poetry and a National Book Award nomination.
“Joy is an act of resistance,” encapsulates her belief in the power of finding light in the dark and happiness despite struggle. Things are heavy, even frightening, for so many people at home and abroad right now. Choosing joy doesn’t mean ignoring hardship but refusing to be defined by it. It’s not just personal, it’s powerful.
Finding laughter in tough times, celebrating small victories, making time for simple moments of gratitude, and holding onto hope are all quiet forms of rebellion. As society feeds on noise, outrage, and exhaustion, joy makes a statement: We are still here. We still believe in love, beauty, nature, art, community, compassion, diversity, and better days ahead.
So keep creating, keep connecting, keep finding joy where you can. It isn’t frivolous or insensitive, it’s necessary. It fuels resilience, inspires others, and reminds us that even in difficult times, we can all DO BETTER.
