Organized Grief = Social Movements with Malkia Devich-Cyril
There’s no denying the grief that permeates everyday life. It’s in the news, in our communities, and in our personal lives. The thing is - we never really talk about how much this grief connects us.
This episode is STUNNING. It has gifts for everyone - whether you’re grieving a personal loss or you’re an activist of any kind. If you ARE an activist or organizer, you need to hear what Malkia has to say about our narrative strategies, and what it really takes to make change happen. If we learn to lean into that grief together, we might really create the beautiful world we all long for.
Note: this episode was recorded in the summer of 2023, so you will not hear us mention P*lestine. The tools we discuss are even more needed now.
Follow the show on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and TikTok @refugeingrief and @itsokpod on TikTok
About our guest:
Malkia Devich-Cyril knows grief from the inside out. They grew up knowing their mom would die of her illness. They grew up immersed in the grief that is endemic to being Black in America. And they cared for their wife, comedian Alana Devich-Cyril, through her death in 2018.
Activist, writer and public speaker on issues of digital rights, narrative power, Black liberation and collective grief, Malkia Devich-Cyril is the founding and former Executive Director of MediaJustice. Their writing has appeared in publications like Politico, Motherboard, Essence Magazine, The Atlantic, and three documentary films including the Oscar nominated 13th. Find them at @radical_loss on instagram.
Additional resources:
- Read “The Antidote to Authoritarianism” from The Atlantic
- Want to talk with Megan directly? Join our patreon community for live monthly Q&A sessions: your questions, answered.
- Want to speak to her privately? Apply for a 1:1 grief consultation here.
- Check out Megan’s best-selling books - It’s OK That You're Not OK and How to Carry What Can’t Be Fixed
Books and resources may contain affiliate links.
