What is Black August to a "planner"

Looking ahead for to 31 days of liberatory commemoration, practice, and discipline

I blinked and it’s been a year. 2022 was the first time that I engaged Black August commemoration in an intentional and (somewhat) organized way. Now here we are again, back in the final month of “summer” for those of us in school. For me, 2023 seems to be about preparation for the impending transitions and transformations that 2024 will bring, so for Black August this year, I would like to re-commit myself to personal discipline and accountability in preparing for the transitions in my personal life and in the world around us.

In that spirit, I’m sharing some of my (maybe ambitious) commitments for Black August 2023, most relevant here is that I have a goal of publishing one piece of writing related to Black Liberation and “planning” each week of the month. That might be an essay, a reflection, a poem, or something else. My other commitments are here under the Black August tenets of: Study, Fast, Train, Fight.

edit: check out the Black Alliance for Peace - Solidarity Network Prisoner Support Committee’s “Black August Teach-in Guide” for inspiration and guidance.

Forward Ever, Backwards Never.

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A personal Black August plan for discipline and accountability

“Do what must be done, discover your humanity and your love in revolution” George Jackson

Study

1. Read for 15 mins (or more) to start each day

2. Journal on political learnings/reflections for 10 mins each day

3. Read all or portions of: The War Before by Safiya Bukhari, Resistance and Decolonization by Amilcar Cabral, Decolonial Marxism by Walter Rodney, Elite Capture by Olúfẹ́mi O. Táíwò

Fast

1. Abstain from alcohol (+ other substances) for the entire month

2. Fast (food and drink) from sun-up to sun-down for 8 days during the month, or roughly twice per week

Train

1. Meditate 1x per day

2. Exercise for at least 15 minutes every day

3. Complete at least one personal journal entry everyday before bed

Fight

1. Practice anti-patriarchy through dedicating time to interrogating and shifting behaviors and actions in my home + personal life that might be reproducing patriarchy / male domination

2. Focus on nourishing and revisiting relationships with Black/African organizers in activists outside of the U.S. who I’m in relationship with

3. Support ongoing political prisoner struggles through organizations that I’m already a part of

4. Write 1x per week for this substack, with a focus on Black Liberation and ‘planning’