“Tricia Hersey is a Chicago native living in Atlanta with over 20 years of experience collaborating with communities as a performance artist, theater maker, theologian, and community organizer. She is the founder of The Nap Ministry, an organization that examines rest as a form of resistance and reparations by curating spaces for the community to rest via Collective Napping Experiences, immersive workshops and performance art installations. Her research interests include Black liberation theology, womanism, somatics, and cultural trauma. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Public Health from Eastern Illinois University and a Master of Divinity from the Candler School of Theology at Emory University.”
Some key points from the Nap Ministry and Rest as Liberation:
Rest is a form of resistance: In a culture that values productivity, which Tricia emphasizes is rooted in white supremacy, capitalism, rest can be a radical act of resistance. By intentionally choosing to rest and take care of ourselves, we are challenging the societal norms that pressure us to constantly be busy and productive. White supremacy and capitalism often promote the idea that our worth is tied to our productivity and output, which dehumanizes us, preferring us to behave as machines and squeeze out every bit of production from exhausted body-minds. By prioritizing rest, we are challenging this narrative and redefining our value beyond our ability to produce.
Rest is a human right: Everyone deserves access to rest and self-care. No one should be forced to work excessively or neglect their well-being because of societal pressures or economic constraints. People who experience poverty, racism, sexism, ableism, or other forms of oppression may have less access to resources like time, money, and safe spaces to rest.
In capitalist societies, time is often seen as a commodity that can be bought and sold. By prioritizing rest, we are challenging this idea and reclaiming our time as a valuable resource that cannot be monetized or exploited.