Slow Syrup #1

Introducing myself, hello, it's me

Is is time for a newsletter?

Two excellent newsletters (Notes of a Crocodile and Mountain of the Sun) came into my inbox today so I thought, maybe I should write my first newsletter. I had been meaning to write one all January but I went to Mexico City (a fucking delight) with my partner Felix and I started up as a publisher at Metonymy Press, so starting in February will have to do.

I’ve been finding myself in loops over the state of the world and while trying to work on the re-design of Metonymy Press’ website. It’s been a lot of start, stop, restart, start, stop stop stop, restart, stop, start, restart, OH I FIGURED IT OUT! Wait, why didn’t anyone on the internet mention this much easier way of doing this?

It’s left me loopy, spinning around in circles, but I’ll try to straighten out my thoughts a little.

Why am I starting a newsletter you may ask? You might say, it’s 2026 Eli Tareq. It’s too late. Social media is dead Eli (yeah maybe). Do you think you’ll be that widely read? Do you think you’ll be able to maintain people’s engagement with your work? Even more absurd, do you think this is going to grow your readership? Don’t you think that there might be better ways of spending your time?

And to all this I say, look, I understand (am I talking to me or you?). But I miss long form and I hate Instagram. Why? First, from minor to major, I’m hooked and I’ve lost my old attention span. Second, it shadow bans important content all the time and deletes leftist users and upholds far right racists. And third, it’s owned by Mark Juckerturd. Somehow despite all this, I stayed on when others left. My career? Yeah sort of. Mutual aid? Yeah that too. On the ground news from Palestine? Definitely.

But I’m done now. I can’t keep giving money and engagement to evil billionaire freaks, who everyday make themselves out to be more like black and white cartoon villains than we even imagined they could be. If their actions weren’t so horrifying, I could almost call it cliché. Off with their heads.

So I’m trying this older school way. Trying to get anyone who cares about what I have to say to follow me here. As a freelance full-time artists, it’s rough out here. I’m still trying to earn a living.

What’s this thing going to be about anyways?

This newsletter is going to be about a few things, including political activism, reading, poetry, capitalism, a place for me to share more non-fiction writing, a place to send updates about what I’m up to, what classes I’m teaching, etc. etc.

It’ll be a place I might share what I’m learning. I’ve always loved reading about history and lately I’ve been particularly interested in the histories of movements/activists/organizers. Felix is currently reading Burnout:The Emotional Experience of Political Defeat and will sometimes read me snippets. I haven’t read from it yet but the snippets they’ve shared have reminded me that I too could deep dive into the movements of the past and the ways activists have organized before. A lot of us talk about not needing to always reinvent the wheel, but still we don’t look back as much as we could. I’m planning to spend this year reading more political theory. Maybe I’ll start a book-club?

In particular, I’ve been reminded that I want to read a good book about The Black Panther Movement, their ethos, and how they functioned (recs are more than welcome). I’ve always admired the ways they protected, educated, and strengthened their communities as part of the activism. I’ve also been interested in the ways armed resistance has existed on these territories before (The Oka Crisis), and how much the police/ICE/the military have always made it clear armed resistance is necessary? If you want to read a comic about this, Ben Passmore has written Black Arms to Lift You Up: A History of Black Resistance.

If you want to look to the present, look at Sudanese resistance, Palestinian resistance, and even closer (to me physically), what we’re seeing happening in Minnesota. It’s amazing seeing people build on networks of support and find ways to actively fight back and protect each other. I’ve been hearing through the grapevine that people on the ground have been feeling the solidarity, the connection, and feel real hope that they can help change things. Folks on the internet have been declaring that Minnesota is teaching the rest of the US what’s needed. People said the same thing of Palestinians who showed us what truly solidarity means. I think they’re right.

Next week I’ll send something about writing and disability and Johanna Hedva’s Your Love is No Good?

With love and solidarity, and till the next time,
Eli Tareq

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