Meet Meet Krista Beerling
OT student, Class of 2021, NAU
Describe your morning – what time do you get up, what do you do first, next and what is for breakfast?
Mornings are pretty simple, I wake up sometime between 6:30 and 8:30am depending on the day's obligations, try to take some deep breaths and stretch, eat breakfast and typically do some reading, listening and taking action in support of current issues, in particular the Black Live's Matter movement and working towards a more just and peaceful world.
What happens next? What do you do for lunch?
School work, checking in with friends and family, educating myself about current events and how to be an effective ally, understanding my privilege and role in this all and introspection.
What do you do for dinner?
My breakfast lunch and dinner does not actually seem to be a significant topic at the moment. I find more significance in addressing the things we are doing as individuals, communities and society to create an equal and just world.
What art are you doing and when do you do it?
I primarily dance, but I also stilt dance, do work with found objects (sea glass, driftwood, natural objects), make jewelry, collage, and watercolor paint. Dance is the connection between our physical body, our spirit/soul, the people of the past and the future, and COMMUNITY. Dance has been my community for as long as I can remember, but especially through the pandemic- we make it a point to remain connected and dance "together while apart." I dance when I can, I try to make time for it every day, but that is not always possible. Dance is not just movement; it is a vehicle for intention, respect, beauty, and all the emotions and expressions we hold as human beings. To dance is to exist.
What are you reading?
I am listening to an eye-opening audio book by Ibram X. Kendi called How to be an Anit-Racist. I am also trying to read and keep up with as many articles and perspectives from people of color. This is not a trend or a phase, but a way of life and a pathway towards change. It is long overdue that we shift our narrative as a country and one way in doing so is choosing wisely what we read.
What are you streaming?
Dear White People 13th, The Children's March and LA92. I also stream a lot of ZOOMs and IG and FB Lives with people who inspire me and that centralize the voices of People of Color who have important, critical and highly significant messages to share. I recently listened to a wonderful two-hour conversation between Dona Ebomi Cici- a highly respected elder in the Brazilian Candomble community and a keeper of Afro-Brazilian history and traditions- and a Brazilian samba instructor. They discussed the history of Samba, which is rooted in resistance to colonialism and fighting against those in power who historically and presently oppress African and Indigenous traditions of the people and communities of Brazil. A quote from the discussion: "Samba is a dance of resistance, to dance in the streets is to dance for liberty, it is a dance to fight against European colonialism and capitalism. To dance samba is to be in prayer. When you are dancing you are praying and you are embodying the four elements into the dance. Samba comes from the black body and originates in the streets. To play, to dance, to interact with one another and to create a presence in the world. When you dance samba you are creating a connection between your body and the connections with the ancestors- the batuque and the sounds of the drum is directly related to our heartbeats."
How are you feeling?
A very loaded question. I feel a spectrum of emotions everyday: confusion, anger, hope, beauty, solidarity, fear, grief, fervor, guilt, acceptance, love... the list goes on. Listening to our feelings and honoring those of others and using them as fuel to create momentum and change has been my approach. Also, making my feelings less of the spotlight in my world and finding ways to listen to others feelings and listening to the voices of those who have been systematically silenced and oppressed.
What’s the first thing you’re going to do when the quarantine ends?
Again, a loaded question. My gut is to say hug everyone I see- but I think it'll be a lot of time before that happens. Life will not be the same, and it should not be the same. Returning to the "normal" which existed before quarantine feels like a deep regression, so I look forward to and hope for progression. I hope all the "lessons" we are learning bear the fruit of action and change. I am looking forward to connecting with communities and people in person to share ideas, hopes, plans of action.
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