A New Start
Image Description: O.R.C.C.’s logo (a red flower with a small green leaf on both sides is positioned on top of blue hands) is on the left side. The words “Oceanside Radical Care Collective is written in green capitalized letters on the right side of the flower. Logo created by Jamie Brown.
Oceanside Radical Care Collective was founded after years of work in the non-profit, group practice, and community mental health sector as an undergraduate, a grad student, and a young professional. Incredibly quiet as a child, I was always more comfortable in the background, working quietly and maintaining an orderly, if not boring, existence. Despite my best intentions however, I “failed” to assimilate “properly,” noticing throughout the years that society’s demands for a fulfilling existence were unacceptable to me. The path, for a young Filipino/x “girl,” was always clear; follow the rules, be respectful, and most of all, be grateful. For years, this attitude of thankfulness and gratitude as a baseline permeated every aspect of my life, from personal relationships to employment. I spent eons putting others, especially authority figures, first at the expense of my values, stifling my thoughts, expression of self, and everything that made me “other.” I was sold the belief that if I played the game, I too would win.
“Winning,” is such an interesting notion, within today’s society. What does it mean to “win,” in this world? For others winning means to achieve the “American Dream,” of a house and a picket fence, a dog, a loving relationship, and, for many, it is simply the opportunity to keep afloat in today’s anxiety-inducing economy. The topic of winning seems predicated on the notion that society requires “losers,” and that such people are a “necessary evil,” in society, as one professor of mine apologetically commented during a lesson of economics and social welfare. Unfortunately, for many of us, “losing,” is where we’re at. Throughout my time in various internships, positions, and volunteer opportunities, there was a shared theme of reducing “reliance,” “over-dependence,” and a focus on building an individual’s ability to “change,” by method of identifying and building on personal and environmental strengths. Despite that focus, we find that success is hard to come by because the system upheld relies on an “us vs. them” approach. For years, Americans have been told to grab their bootstraps and get going, because the world won’t wait for them and that the need to “make it on our own,” is paramount.
Now, I know better.
I don’t want to live a life enforcing the principles that created pain I saw in systems like IPV shelters, community mental health clinics, and jails. Principles like uncritical support of societal norms and a focus on generating only profit and productivity led to feelings of dissatisfaction, alienation, and burnout. I am not a machine and neither are the clients I work with.
ORCC is ultimately the culmination of integrating my values with my work. It is a constantly evolving and growing space for me to connect with therapists, care workers, and clients who seek radical freedom and community. In my practice, I hope to provide equitable, accessible, and comprehensive services based on the principles of liberation psychology, decolonization, and a hope for building a beautiful future for all of us.
