Yoga is...

🌾 Food, Justice, and Rebuilding the Village

We’re staring down the end of SNAP benefits on October 31st, right in the middle of a government shutdown. That means nearly **930,000 Washingtonians** — my home state — will lose access to the nutrition and grocery support they rely on.

Families. Elders. Children.

Humans and homes.

All of them will feel this loss while those in power argue over numbers and control.

Yoga Is Food Justice

Yoga absolutely *is* food justice.

It’s gender justice.

It’s politics.

It’s rebellion.

If you haven’t yet, explore the work of Susanna Barkataki (https://www.susannabarkataki.com) and Michelle C. Johnson (https://www.skill-in-action.com) — two BIPOC teachers who speak beautifully and courageously about the intersections of yoga, justice, and liberation.

I’ve been sitting with what this moment means — for our country, our community, and our collective nervous system. My heart aches for the families most impacted by these cuts.

Shifting in Our Own Home

In our house, we’ve made changes — not performative ones, but real shifts in how we live and eat.

We’ve cut back on unnecessary expenses, started cooking more from scratch, and are eating mostly vegetarian or vegan. We buy in bulk, reduce waste, and make smaller, more intentional grocery trips focused on nutrient-dense foods.

We’re a neurodivergent and chronically ill household, so balancing accessibility, nutrition, and cost is an ongoing dance. I have specific foods I need to manage my POTS, and my son has sensory needs that mean “safe foods” — often processed, consistent items — are non-negotiable.

Watching prices rise (a single bag of Pirate’s Booty for $7.99!) is both absurd and terrifying.

I share this not for sympathy, but to normalize a truth: we are all in this together — except for the absurdly wealthy.

Our “Enemy” Is Not Each Other

Our enemy has never been immigrants, or the working poor. We’re being sold propaganda meant to divide us while wealth consolidates above us.

True progressives, leftists, and humans with hearts share a few simple core beliefs:

* Everyone deserves housing.

* Everyone deserves healthcare.

* Everyone deserves food.

Speaking these truths is becoming increasingly dangerous, but silence is complicity. As someone with whyte privilege, I feel it’s my responsibility to use whatever small platform I have to say it out loud:

🌀 Autistics are not your enemy.

🌀 Immigrants make this country what it is.

🌀 Late-stage capitalism and the patriarchy are dying — and this chaos is their death rattle.

So… What Now?

How do we survive this together?

How do we care for each other while systems fail?

Here are some real, grounded options:

1. Community Meals & Shared Practice

Think of it as a potluck with purpose. Gather your people. Cook together. Share groceries. Split bulk buys. Invite families over for a pasta night so no one’s food goes to waste.

As mothers, we’ve lost our village.

It’s time to rebuild it.

No one is coming to save us — but we can save each other.

2. Get Creative with Bulk & Leftovers

I ran out of breadcrumbs last week, so I made some from stale bread.

Small action. Big shift.

Every step toward reducing waste helps — and the real currency here is *time.*

If you have it, use it. If you don’t, lean on others who do. This is how we rebuild interdependence.

3. Freeze It or Share It

If you’re prone to food waste, start portioning and freezing meals — or share bulk items with a friend or neighbor. A vacuum sealer helps (I found one at St. Vinnie’s once), but it’s not required. Creativity and community are.

4. Food Banks, Dumpsters, and Community Care

I’ve been poor. I’ve slept in my car. I’ve eaten what I could find.

There’s no shame in survival.

Food banks will be strained, so this is a two-part call:

→ Donate what you can.

→ Use them if you need to.

Join Buy Nothing groups.

Check out church lists or community dinners.

Mutual aid is ancient. We just forgot how to practice it.

5. Give What You Can

If you’re food-secure, make giving a rhythm — not a one-time gesture. Buy two of something and donate one. Add a small recurring contribution to a local pantry or mutual aid fund. Every little act feeds someone.

6. Find Free Joy

Joy is rebellion.

Joy fights fascism.

Dance, sing, rest, create.

Find beauty even in the cracks of the system. It’s how we stay human.

Building the Next World

If we can’t rely on broken systems, we turn to each other — to our hands, our kitchens, and our compassion.

This is how we build the next world: one meal, one act of care, one shared loaf of bread at a time.