Hey Steemit! Brooke here. #introduceyourself

Brooke Loving Bagwell
Creativist and Communitarian

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Hello Beautiful People!

Having heard so many wonderful things about this community, it feels good to finally be jumping in! Thank you all for receiving me.

My name is Brooke Loving Bagwell and I want to begin by telling you a story.

Growing up as an only child, I was raised in the company of adults. Despite their presence and influence in my upbringing, I remember spending the majority of my formative years tuning them out. I was alone with my thoughts.

You might think that I would have been lonely, but as a child, I did not experience the sense of separation that causes suffering. Instead I spent my days creating alternative realities.

Adopting the pseudo name, Murf, I set out on missions to save the world. I made friends with the animals, the trees, and water goddesses.

I share this story not because it is extraordinary, but because it feels most honest. Sure, I could tell you about all the things I do to occupy my time, but I feel that this insight into my childhood is most free from the social aim that I often try to achieve through social media.

I too, am not immune from the bouts of separation that we all experience in this world, but I would like to think that I have never lost sight of my inner child.

Today I call myself a creative+activist=[creativist]

I call myself this because I believe that reparation and creation are not mutually exclusive, but instead are two sides the same coin. Both are essential to the process of breaking down the current systems of oppression and privilege to make way for the new.

In times like these, when it feels like our world is imploding, it is easy to identify with the narrative of fear and chaos, but I find it much more gratifying to look for the opportunity among the tumult.

As a recent graduate of American University in Washington D.C. I am currently devoting my time to learning about new economy systems. Others and myself are currently working on a project that seeks to organize, inspire, and incubate shared-equity, cooperatively-owned neighborhoods in the urban centers of Baltimore, D.C., Philly and Lancaster as a way to counter gentrification and generate community wealth.

The question that I want to be asking myself on a daily basis is not what I want to do in this world but who I want to be. It is from this space of centering that I hope to share my full authentic self and my adventures with the Steemit community. I look forward to creating with you all!

with gratitude and zeal,

Brooke Loving Bagwell