The Activist Spirit – Toward a Radical Solidarity   Victor Narro

In April of 2016 we published a powerful essay by Victor Narro entitled, “The Need for a More Radical Solidarity in the Labor Movement based on Spirituality, Mindfulness, and Self-Care”

The focus of Narro’s article was the importance of injecting and embracing spirituality in the community of labor and community organizers who over the long haul can be subject to physical and emotional burnout if there is not a support community sustained by love and comradeship. Narro’s essay predated the presumptive Republican nomination of Donald Trump for President of the United States. Trump’s surprise victory and his subsequent toxic presidency have fueled a very polarized climate in our country. But it is also a movement moment with tremendous potential for growing a powerful labor movement and a political left.

Victor Narro steps up again with a tight little volume of spiritual guidance for activists entitled: The Activist Sprit Toward a Radical Solidarity. This 139-page book is presented in short accessible chapters with Victor’s thoughts, an appropriate poem and then a space for making notes of self-reflection. It can work as a field manual and a sharing tool. Each short chapter has a thematic and cites famous contemporary and historical philosophers and spiritual leaders.

I was particularly interested in Narro’s treatment of the topic of anger. In a national moment when anger seethes from every pore of national and social media, how do we channel anger as organizers? My training has emphasized the importance of stoking and channeling anger as part of motivating workers for the difficult challenges of organizing in a climate infested with fear and intimidation. Narro writes in Chapter 3: “feelings of anger are normal for many of us who work for justice.” What matters more is how we channel those feelings of anger. With the right perspective and awareness, we are able to transform feelings of personal anger towards someone like Trump into what South African Bishop Tutu refers to as “righteous anger.”  In Chapter 6 Freedom Rider Ruby Sales distinguishes between “redemptive anger and non-redemptive anger. “Redemptive anger is the anger that moves one to transformation and human up building. Non-redemptive anger is the anger that white supremacy roots itself in.”

I have the utmost respect for Victor’s willingness to explore topics of love, compassion and spirituality. He is a soothing antidote to some of the hard and biting Marxist materialism that animates much of political discourse in the left progressive movement. 

The Activist Spirit is a quick read but a constant reference book. It is published by, and available from Hardball Press.

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