It’s an understatement that the world today is marked by profound and escalating crises, signaling the inherent inadequacy and active failures of existing societal systems. A critical assessment reveals that the current system is fundamentally flawed and beyond repair, as it was “built by stolen bodies on stolen land for the benefit of a few” (indigenous organizer and my good friend, Ronnie James)

Attempts at minor adjustments, despite immense effort, are merely “half measures that can’t ever fully succeed,” indicating the futility of incremental reform in the face of deep-seated injustice. This perspective underscores that capitalism, in particular, is a system “fundamentally unable to meet people’s needs,” prioritizing “profit and property over people, leading to immense wealth concentration and widespread suffering”. The perspective from Des Moines Black Liberation further reinforces this, asserting that “capitalism has violated the communities of marginalized folks” and “must be reversed and dismantled”.

The very act of engaging in mutual aid is about actively building the desired future society in the present through one’s actions and relationships. It is not just about providing services within the existing framework; it is about constructing a new framework, demonstrating that an alternative world is not a distant utopia but an achievable reality. This reframes mutual aid from being a benevolent “good work” to being a profoundly “revolutionary act,” actively manifesting a spiritual vision of a just and equitable world.