CU LT URE
OUR PLACE IN TIME Coachella Valley’s Opportunity To Rise Up text CHRISTY JEZIORSKI color) seemed to set us up for mediocrity. My biggest fear at the time was getting stuck here, and so I spent the next 18 years living, studying, and working in three states and two other countries before I returned to the desert for family reasons. At first I was impressed by some of the developments - there was a local music and art scene, new and updated structures, and a revamped notoriety as an international vacation destination. Tastemakers from LA made attempts to add their touch to the area, giving the valley a cooler, more millennial vibe. However, to say that the Coachella Valley as a whole experienced progress and growth is an overstatement. It has housed progress for the privileged few, disparities have remained, and 2020 revealed the extent of the work that still needs to be done. I’ve been reminded times over of why I left in the first place.
Christy Jeziorski is a consultant, activist, and the founder of Inity, an agency for activist artists. She strives to develop content and creative opportunities at the intersection of the arts and social justice. www.Inity.Co / @initycreatives
2020 has been a year of loss and pain for most of us. From the pandemic and its domino effect that revealed the weaknesses of our institutions including healthcare and education, the face of systemic and overt racism that reared its ugly head, to an upcoming crucial election that has us on edge. It feels like we can’t get a break. It’s as if we’re being tested, though the times are rightfully forcing us to question our humanity and our purpose. Here, I invited notable members of the desert community to provide their insight on the times we’re facing. First, I’d like to share my own thoughts with you. I was born and raised in Palm Springs, and once I turned 18, I left. I couldn’t wait to get out of here. Something in me knew that there was more to life, and the valley always seemed to fall far behind in progress. The slow pace felt like death, and the lack of opportunities and outlets for young people (especially young people of
84
COACHELLA MAGAZINE
The Coachella Valley is relatively small. Because of that, I believe our lives are so intertwined, and that a concerted effort to make a real and positive difference can be achieved. We have the potential to be a model for our county, state, and nation - from flattening the curve on COVID-19, to addressing the systemic racism that certainly exists here. Now the economy is in shambles, and our inability to effectively cooperate with and help one another continues to amplify its detriment. Sadly, we’re dealing with the refusal and tantrums of many to wear a mask in consideration of the health of other humans. We’re witnessing the denial of leaders to take a step back, sit with, and learn from accusations that racism is being reinforced within local institutions. We watch as people pass us by rocking symbols and facial expressions to remind us that we’re wrongfully in their part of town, or to say “go back” to where we came from. We are so divided, and this is why we’re going to be behind, yet again, when other communities begin to recover. Writer and activist James Baldwin once said, “I love America more than any other country in the world and, exactly for this reason, I insist on the right to criticize her perpetually.” I’d say I’m doing the same. Just as a parent would want the best for her child, even Protestors rally in downtown Palm Springs. Photos by Jevpic and Lunafora.
