Let's talk about mutual aid
It's the best (only) way toward liberation...
“Without community, there is no liberation.” Audre Lorde
That quote sits behind my desk and is on display during any Zoom call or podcast recording.
I’ve never believed Lorde’s words more than in 2026.
The US government is reminding us of its cruelty. Corporations are proving that they’ll never value anything more than profits. And we’re all just struggling to survive the constant barrage of horrific news.
First, a story
My amazing business partner Faith Clarke told me today that she needs a car after an unfortunate run-in with a deer left hers totaled.
The insurance company is doing what corporations do best — treating her like a number and avoiding handing over the $5,000 she’s owed.
Even if/when she gets that money, she’ll need at least another $3,000 to buy a safe and reliable used car. She doesn’t have it, nor the capacity to deal with it.
She’s a queer, Black, immigrant woman. She’s the mother of dependent adult children, one of whom is autistic. She’s dealing with a medial issue. It’s all emotionally depleting (or as she put it, she’s “hemorraging capacity.”
And yet she shows up for her family, for her clients, for her business partner (me!), for her friends … and does so with grace, generosity, compassion, and a gorgeous smile.
How you can help
This problem is only overwhelming if Faith has to solve it alone.
If I had $3,000, I’d give it to Faith today. I don’t. But I gave $100, and 4 other folks I asked gave another $160.
28 of you giving another $100 solves it. Or less than 1 of 5 readers of this newsletter giving $10 solves it.
One person’s challenge, when shared collectively, goes from impossible to simple.
Unfortunately, most of us aren’t wired to think or act this way (most especially those of us who hold the most privilege).
Will you help Faith today? I’ve set up a “pay what you can” mutual aid fund, and 100% of it will go directly to Faith.
That’s what mutual aid looks like in practice.
Of course, it requires action. It’s not enough for folks to think “that’s a great idea.” It requires actually clicking this link, and sending $10 (or more) to make it happen. I hope you’ll consider it.
Why mutual aid matters
This week alone clarified for me how often mutual aid is already happening when we pay attention to it.
Earlier today, Kevin Chung, Andréa Jones, and Meg Casebolt showed up for me on a Substack Live to help me think through my book launch. They gave me strategic insight. For free.
It happened because over time, I’ve supported them through coaching, collaborating, making introductions, and amplifying their work.
That’s mutual aid.
Yesterday, I hosted a free networking call for about 30 people. People made amazing connections with values-aligned humans. They left energized and inspired. It took labor to create that space, and someone noticed.
Being seen and validated for work I give freely felt incredible. And 3 people sent money. I turned around and used that $40 to help Faith.
That’s the cycle. Support flows. Care circulates.
[If you’ve ever wanted to reciprocate the unseen labor I do, you can drop something into my “buy me a croissant” fund here.]
Taina Brown and I talk about mutual aid in the next episode of Messy Liberation, coming out Monday.
The winter storms reminded me that even basic survival (shoveling a driveway so someone can get to work, pick up medication, or buy food) is treated as a paid service instead of community care.
We talked about Mutual Aid by Dean Spade, which shares practical ways to to start shifting from me to we.
Start small. Start human.
Mutual aid doesn’t require a nonprofit or a savior complex.
It can look like:
Shoveling a neighbor’s driveway without being asked.
Watching a friend’s kid so they can make a medical appointment.
Sharing an opportunity instead of gatekeeping.
Paying for the groceries of the person behind you in line if they look like they’re struggling.
As Alice Walker said, “We are the ones we’ve been waiting for.”
In her collection of essays by that name, she argues that argues that liberation isn’t something we can outsource. It’s something we have to practice ourselves, right now.
No one is coming to save us from white supremacist, capitalist patriarchy. Only we can protect and liberate ourselves. And we can only do that collectively, repeatedly, and with care.
In solidarity,
Becky ❤️
P.S. My book, Liberate Your Business, is coming out in April! Will you join the waitlist?
This book is about building businesses that don’t require abandoning your values to survive. There’s practical tips for practicing liberation in real, everyday ways (including mutual aid).
Getting on the wait list is the best way to be the first to know when it’s available for purchase (and how to get the fun bonus bundle I’m putting together!).