For the past eight years, she’s been protesting at major conventions and demonstrations, opposing Trump’s policies and exposing their impact.
Photo: Olivia Falcigno
Nadine Seiler, also known as the "Warrior Goddess for the Resistance," is a Black curator, archivist, historian, and speaker for the Black Lives Matter Memorial Fence as well as a T-shirt designer at SubversiveWare. Her activism ignited nearly eight years ago with the rise of the U.S. president-elect. A true rabble-rouser, she remains a relentless thorn in the side of those in power.
What does being a feminist mean to you?
Firstly, I don't conform to gender norms. Even when I didn't know what being a feminist meant, I never took the opportunity to be a "damsel in distress", in whatever ways, that would manifest and possibly give me an advantage. Being a feminist to me means, that I'm automatically given the benefit of the doubt, that I'm capable of using my brain to accomplish the same things of a similarly situated male. That means that IF I've the ability to lead in an area, I should - so that the goal is accomplish - periodt. IF someone else, who happens not to be female has more of an ability - in an area than me, I'm happy to defer. I shouldn't be stereotyped, into gender roles that I can't accomplish a task, whether being the president of the United States or moving furniture, until it's proved I can't do it.
Take us back to the beginning of your activism journey. Was there a moment or event that inspired you to start your advocacy?
The planting of the seed to my advocacy started with Barack Obama's rise. Before he was elected, I was totally jaded about America's promise of real equality. I participated in his campaign and continued to support his mission, especially for the Affordable Care Act, as the tide of backlash was rising against his existence in office via the Tea Party movement. I still have my first A.C.A. rally sign.
The roots of my advocacy sprouted with the ascendancy of tRump. I thought he would be laughed off the national stage. When the opposite occurred, I was flabbergasted that such a character was acceptable to anyone, and I made a last minute decision to attend the Women's March on January 21, 2017 and I never looked back.
I'll admit - I've tRump derangement syndrome and believe anyone with a moral compass would have it too. Like most people, I wanted to give We The People the benefit of the doubt and thought, obviously - sedition - would be the red line and that the world would be done of this amoral character but here we are in 2024, on the precipice of an American dictatorship. Yeah, this is who we are.
Photo: Robin Fader
In your experience as an activist, why do you think so many people are apathetic when it comes to advocacy? How does this apathy impact society?
I know the apathy is a combination of fear of being judged, a feeling of powerlessness and inefficacy.
Fear of being judged because we're tribal and feel we need company to go do things with. Too many people think, they need the legitimacy of a formal group. I'm too often asked "Who are you with?". My response always is "Myself". The thought of showing up alone somewhere intimidates most people. We feel we're being judged, in some form. The average person wants cover, when engaged in protesting. Maybe because they feel if something occurs, there's a group to take responsibility and/or to protect them. There's a fear of being unsafe, when you're standing alone, on the street, where you're an open target to anyone - with ill will. Too many people don't know the power of the individual voice, and like I once did, wait for others (who - for the most part - don't show up), to participate, and nothing happens, while we all wait. It's that cliché of we all wait, for someone else to do something and then nothing gets done.
Powerlessness may be an even stronger factor for apathy. It is usually associated with voting (but also includes other systems), because it feels like the system is rigged and no matter what one person does, nothing really changes. For example, millions more people vote for democrats but yet republicans, in the minority - still manage to control the levers of power.
Inefficacy because even when a person and/or group does move the needle, and we've seen people come together in groups, with great synergy and we feel, that would make a difference and then it seems all that was for nothing, as the movement fizzles out and there is no real substantial change or the change didn't bring about the desired results - as we had anticipated or imagined. We then feel defeated, like our efforts were wasted, and it's hard to motivate yourself to keep going as it seems fruitless.
Unfortunately, apathy means non-participation in the democratic process and as Plato said, when you don't participate in democracy, you're then governored by your inferiors. In the case of America, we're being governored by the selfish and greedy, who are bent on taking away the rights of marginalized groups.
Photo: Probal Rashid/LightRocket
You’ve protested outside of every major democratic building, convention, and demonstration. What practical tips do you have for someone who is thinking of attending their first protest?
Do NOT talk to the police. Police officers are not your friends, when you're protesting (if you've someone you personally like, that's fine). They're sent to "befriend" you and be nice as a way to control you, as generally you don't want people with whom you are friendly, to be disappointed - in your behavior, so you tend to "play nice" and want to be the "good prorester" as opposed to "those others"; it's a tactic. Always push back on their orders, because 9 out of 10, they're lying to you and attempting to intimidate and deceive you. The don't talk to, also applies to people who think they've authority over your actions i.e. hotel staff or building staff, acting on behalf of the 1%. Tell them where to get off. Politness is conformity. Conformity is control.
Always be cognizant of who is around you. Obviously, you can't be watching your back every moment but have a general sense, who is in your orbit, with occasional sweeps of the crowd. This way if anything pops off, you're not totally blindsided.
Befriend people who are curious, why you're doing what you're doing, if the opportunity presents itself; they can prove useful as witnesses, buffers and/or future travelers. Most of the people I regard as friends, are people I met along my activism journey.
Photo: Demetrius Freeman
Do you have any advice on how to speak to those who are apathetic and empower them to turn their apathy into action?
I go the route of reminding people, in marginalized groups, that we should never take our rights for granted because people made sacrifices, some the ultimate, to get you those rights. Don't squander the sacrifices of the ancestors. I try to reason with people, for them to see, that what we viewed as basic rights (i.e. voting, bodily autonomy, freedom of speech) are being eroded after years of struggle to attain them. One should be curious why would the system continues to suppress and take away your power?! Erosion of freedoms should be enough of a motivator to activate people away from apathy. Always be curious, ask questions and seek out the answers, from multiple sources.
What everyday practices do you incorporate into your life to stay hopeful and energized to take action?
I've no formal self-care routine, but I do take very looooong, very hot baths, soaking in Epsom salt (and often times, fall asleep in there), after a day of rabblerousing. Lots of my best ideas for strategy for actions and banner signage come to me during these times.
After traveling across the US in the last year in protest, what is something you learned you didn't know before?
I wouldn't say I didn't know it before, but my opinion that people don't use critical thinking and are mostly uninformed was confirmed.
What does a liberated future look like to you?
A liberated mind is a liberated future. A liberated future is a liberated mind; one cognizant (ideally free) of the brainwashing of colonialism and imperialism. Recognizing the mechanisms of the brainwashing ie. church, schooling and/or ethnic traditions, etc. and how they show up in our lives and how we participate in them, subconsciously and overtly as we advance patriarchy, White supremacy and capitalism on the daily - only then do you become WOKE (which is an anathema of the right). WOKE is good. Once you're awake and acknowledge how the systems of oppression work to keep you on the brainwashing treadmill, it will take work to reset your thinking, to move away from fear and be able to step off. It's a heavy lift and like in recovery, one is never cured. I've personally helped people off. We can do this.
