While raising money for our first issue of the Radical Witchcraft Zine, we posted interviews with our contributors. This interview with Asali was originally released on our GoFund Me on December 12, 2018. Learn more about the Radical Witchcraft Zine here.
I first learned about Asali’s work through the Little Red Tarot blog, and she is an absolute gem. From the activism she does in her own community, to her compilation/list of Tarot of the Queer, Trans, People of Color, to her practice of herbalism, Asali is spreading love, healing, and self care.
Read more about her in this micro-interview:
SWP: Tell us a little bit about yourself.
I’m a Black queer femme community healer and earthworker writing, practicing, and creating at Asali Earthwork. My work is rooted in using self-care as a means to disrupt systems of oppression and prioritize care for my community through deepening connection- of soul, love, understanding, and intuition.
SWP: How have you used your spirituality and witchcraft for social justice?
“Caring for myself is not self-indulgence, it is self-preservation, and that is an act of political warfare. ” -Audre Lorde
As a Black queer femme, my existence is politicized whether I consent or not. My response is to hold tightly to my right to be loved, held, and cared for. I practice self-care as a political act. I practice community-care as a political act. Whether it’s writing, herbalism, or card-slinging I prioritize connecting to and supporting those at the margins, in theory and practice. I also understand that the privilege I do hold is not canceled out by where I’m marginalized. I welcome correction, calling out and calling in, and seek to be a life-long learner in this practice.
What pieces of writing are you most proud of?
Black Women & Femmes Aren’t Only Relevant When We’re Angry
Ritual & Honey | A healer’s work in the riot
Ritual & Honey | Grief Journeys
What are you thinking of creating for the chapbook?
Something in the line of my ongoing Ritual & Honey series which has been a mish mash of social justice, tarot, conjuring, and reflection. Ultimately, I want to create something folks can connect to and find supportive to their journeys.