The past few weeks have continued to be invigorating and exhausting. Coupling this work with engagement in the uprisings is challenging, but they also are very entangled. Sleep has been something I could use more of, but that seems like a never ending need. This summer has been the most eventful thus far, and I have really learned to remain present during this time.
Over the last few weeks I interviewed a couple of folks that have spent time at the zad. My intention was to also interview zad organizers living at the zone, but they have been difficult to reach and I imagine are dealing with a lot at this moment. One of the people I did interview is an NYU alumni, Justin. He stopped over at the zad for a few days after having learned about it in his Practical Utopias class. He spent his days at the zad walking the dirt roads, admiring the many haphazard barricades, and interacting with a few of the inhabitants. What I found most interesting is that he said most people at the zad don’t know everyone there, or even when people arrive to make themselves at home. This seems to echo the true autonomy of the autonomous zone. Justin described his confusion around the ability to sustain the zone, and that as of now donations are foundational for survival. Some of the most exciting parts of Justin’s stay were stopping over at the community bakery and community school. Overall, Justin was led to believe that the trust and mutual aid amongst those at the zad had set them up for better survival in the face of upcoming crises.
Learning from folks that have been to the zad makes me increasingly inclined to go there myself. Each interviewee had a different understanding, and to rely on their experience for my understanding of the project is a good introduction, but ultimately I don’t think I can do the zad justice until I go there myself. This is something I hope I can do in the upcoming year, and this research will have put me in a good position to understand more thoroughly the ways in which the zad is averting crisis in the capitalocene.