We often speak about the elements of resistance. About what is required to create a force for change. What incites that spark? What feeds that fire? We speak about hatred, violence, and oppression: fascist governments, rights stripped, suppression of speech, and the collective suffering of people. It’s easy to argue that resistance stems directly from our suffering.
The antithesis of oppression. An opposing force to counteract the other.
Never in my lifetime has there been such an abundance of suffering or a larger need for change. Maybe it feels like this to every generation at one point or another, but right now, it seems we’re fighting battles on all fronts with no end in sight.
With the continued rise of fascism and authoritarian governments around the world, alongside the ever expanding overt and systemic racism, misogyny, transphobia, homophobia, xenophobia, ableism, and countless other horrifying abuses, the world has no shortage of suffering.
We are facing the brutal unrelenting genocide of the Palestinian people in Gaza, inhumane and deadly detention camps of ICE and DHS in the United States, and acts of war across the globe: the recent bombings of Iran by the United States, Israeli attacks on Lebanon, the civil war in Sudan, continued war and forced displacement in the Democratic Republic of Congo, civil war in Myanmar and genocide of the Rohingya people, and Russia’s war against Ukraine to name only a few of the recent ongoing conflicts. Not to mention the humanitarian cost of each which has reached devastating levels. We’re on the precipice of change, one way or another.
It’s not enough to merely condemn these atrocities. I do, this magazine does, but it has to be more than that. When I first volunteered to spearhead this project, I wanted to do something. I’m not sure I had an exact vision of what this anthology would look like. It was mostly a feeling I wanted to convey. Strength of will maybe. Determination. I wanted to fan the flames or ignite that spark. I wanted to create something to pass on to our readers so they know that, whatever they are up against, they are not alone, that there are things worth fighting for. Throughout this project this feeling coalesced into something more.
It isn’t only the incredible force of will demonstrated within these pages that struck me so intensely, though there absolutely is that—a fire worthy of a revolution—but there is a human element beneath the flames that fuels that action from its core.
Within these stories I found such love and care embedded beneath each courageous act. An element nearly inextricable from the act of resistance itself. Beneath that fire burns compassion and empathy with such warmth it is sure to ignite something within.
In “133rd Live Podcast of the Gourmando Resistance” by Beth Cato, a taste of the past and an ancestor’s connection is worth risking everything for. This story speaks to the importance of connection both personally and collectively. The defiance of this piece is undeniable, but the strength comes from the heart.
Within “In the Name of Those Optimist Iranian Fools” by Pegah Ouji, a sister’s love is a force as strong as gravity bringing our protagonist back to the country she thought she’d left behind. This is a grief story that manifests a profound sense of loss but also an enduring resilience fueled by love.
In “Last Rites” by Cailín Frankland, we see that love and care transcend death and society’s edicts. We see respect and dignity preserved. Honoring a loved one’s wishes in death becomes the ultimate resistance.
Sometimes it is the small resistances that make the largest impact. In “Herself Anodyne” by Emma Burnett, the privilege of one is used to help the many. It is so satisfying to see someone working within the system to help people inherently oppressed by it. It may not be a radical act, but even a small act of kindness can change a life.
In contrast, Myna Chang’s “Null Empathy” explores empathy as a liability. Something to shield themselves from, or arm themselves against, in the name of self-preservation. This story certainly challenges our perception of what it means to be human and serves as a stark reminder of the cost of silence.
But these are only a few facets of what it means to resist. You’ll see both love and resistance reflected in a myriad of ways within the many exceptional stories here. You’ll find resilience of spirit in the face of impossible odds, enduring because it is the only choice. You’ll find resistance imperfect and on its own not enough. Small resistances that add up. Resistance in the form of fighting back and empowerment on a level that is magic itself.
And you’ll see what it looks like to turn away.
I hope this anthology serves as a reminder of our capacity to care and our strength to do something about it. Let these stories be a beacon in the dark, fuel to the fire, and a warning to keep that torch lit.
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Ⓒ Jeanna Cammarano