Julia Ward
@jujuward.bsky.social
Therapist, musician, mother, artist.
Let’s talk about love, care, community, and liberation.
Let’s talk about love, care, community, and liberation.
Currently reading “The Message” by Ta-Nehisi Coates and having my heart ripped out of my chest. What a beautiful writer.
October 7, 2025 at 6:58 PM
Currently reading “The Message” by Ta-Nehisi Coates and having my heart ripped out of my chest. What a beautiful writer.
I picked my son up from middle school yesterday and he sat in the passenger seat, grabbed my hand and held it while I drove. No words exchanged. Presence. Safety.
Boys will be boys indeed. Caring, loving, gentle.
Boys will be boys indeed. Caring, loving, gentle.
October 7, 2025 at 6:57 PM
I picked my son up from middle school yesterday and he sat in the passenger seat, grabbed my hand and held it while I drove. No words exchanged. Presence. Safety.
Boys will be boys indeed. Caring, loving, gentle.
Boys will be boys indeed. Caring, loving, gentle.
I am recovering from a stomach bug and needed to remind myself of the importance of rest and slowing down. Thanks as ever to Tricia Hersey and Audre Lorde for the reminders of the necessity of rest.
As I work to decolonize my mind and examine white supremacy’s tangled web in my brain, rest is vital
As I work to decolonize my mind and examine white supremacy’s tangled web in my brain, rest is vital
March 2, 2025 at 6:28 PM
I am recovering from a stomach bug and needed to remind myself of the importance of rest and slowing down. Thanks as ever to Tricia Hersey and Audre Lorde for the reminders of the necessity of rest.
As I work to decolonize my mind and examine white supremacy’s tangled web in my brain, rest is vital
As I work to decolonize my mind and examine white supremacy’s tangled web in my brain, rest is vital
Since I clearly dropped the ball on my book recs, they are just going to have to continue! Black history is American history- why limit ourselves to one month?
Today’s book rec is… “So You Want To Talk About Race” by Ijeoma Oluo. She offers clear, simple, and confronting writing.
Today’s book rec is… “So You Want To Talk About Race” by Ijeoma Oluo. She offers clear, simple, and confronting writing.
February 24, 2025 at 7:05 PM
Since I clearly dropped the ball on my book recs, they are just going to have to continue! Black history is American history- why limit ourselves to one month?
Today’s book rec is… “So You Want To Talk About Race” by Ijeoma Oluo. She offers clear, simple, and confronting writing.
Today’s book rec is… “So You Want To Talk About Race” by Ijeoma Oluo. She offers clear, simple, and confronting writing.
Whether you are single or partnered, check in today with those who make your heart happy. Remind those you love of your care.
And, give yourself some extra care today, too.
Photo of p.5 “all about love” by bell hooks
And, give yourself some extra care today, too.
Photo of p.5 “all about love” by bell hooks
February 14, 2025 at 4:35 PM
Whether you are single or partnered, check in today with those who make your heart happy. Remind those you love of your care.
And, give yourself some extra care today, too.
Photo of p.5 “all about love” by bell hooks
And, give yourself some extra care today, too.
Photo of p.5 “all about love” by bell hooks
Valentine’s Day is a good reminder of the importance of love in our lives. However, our focus on romantic love (which can be joyful/wonderful/amazing obv) distracts us from friendship & kinship love, which is often the most sustainable, lasting, challenging, and enriching relationships we have. 1/2
February 14, 2025 at 4:26 PM
Valentine’s Day is a good reminder of the importance of love in our lives. However, our focus on romantic love (which can be joyful/wonderful/amazing obv) distracts us from friendship & kinship love, which is often the most sustainable, lasting, challenging, and enriching relationships we have. 1/2
Reposted by Julia Ward
Happy Valentine's Day!
Love is an action and a practice and need not be romantic.
Love fiercely, love humbly, love truthfully, love deeply. We all we got.
Love is an action and a practice and need not be romantic.
Love fiercely, love humbly, love truthfully, love deeply. We all we got.
February 14, 2025 at 1:10 PM
Happy Valentine's Day!
Love is an action and a practice and need not be romantic.
Love fiercely, love humbly, love truthfully, love deeply. We all we got.
Love is an action and a practice and need not be romantic.
Love fiercely, love humbly, love truthfully, love deeply. We all we got.
Ack I missed posting yesterday so two books today: “All About Love” a bell hooks classic AND “Pleasure Activism” by Adrienne Marie Brown! Joyful, thoughtful, explorations of love and loving in thought and action!
February 14, 2025 at 4:02 PM
Ack I missed posting yesterday so two books today: “All About Love” a bell hooks classic AND “Pleasure Activism” by Adrienne Marie Brown! Joyful, thoughtful, explorations of love and loving in thought and action!
Black History Month book recommendation time!
If you’re interested in psychology, you’ve probably heard about somatic therapy and trauma. The best book on this topic is “My Grandmother’s Hands” by Resmaa Menakem.
Incorporating clear and thoughtful writing with effective and powerful exercises.
If you’re interested in psychology, you’ve probably heard about somatic therapy and trauma. The best book on this topic is “My Grandmother’s Hands” by Resmaa Menakem.
Incorporating clear and thoughtful writing with effective and powerful exercises.
February 11, 2025 at 8:02 PM
Black History Month book recommendation time!
If you’re interested in psychology, you’ve probably heard about somatic therapy and trauma. The best book on this topic is “My Grandmother’s Hands” by Resmaa Menakem.
Incorporating clear and thoughtful writing with effective and powerful exercises.
If you’re interested in psychology, you’ve probably heard about somatic therapy and trauma. The best book on this topic is “My Grandmother’s Hands” by Resmaa Menakem.
Incorporating clear and thoughtful writing with effective and powerful exercises.
Yay Black History Month! Okay - here’s a great book (essays!) examining the intersections of race, beauty, politics, pop culture, money and more from the BRILLIANT Tressie McMillan Cottom. Her work is unflinching, provocative, funny, and full of “oh shit” statements that floored me.
February 9, 2025 at 6:21 PM
Yay Black History Month! Okay - here’s a great book (essays!) examining the intersections of race, beauty, politics, pop culture, money and more from the BRILLIANT Tressie McMillan Cottom. Her work is unflinching, provocative, funny, and full of “oh shit” statements that floored me.
Black History Month book rec time! Don’t sleep on romance! Jasmine Guillory writes the best meet cutes. Her debut novel “The Wedding Date” is cute and smart and fun and lovely - even for ersatz misandrists like me!
February 8, 2025 at 6:28 PM
Black History Month book rec time! Don’t sleep on romance! Jasmine Guillory writes the best meet cutes. Her debut novel “The Wedding Date” is cute and smart and fun and lovely - even for ersatz misandrists like me!
Black History book rec!
“Parable of the Sower” by Octavia Butler. Stunning prose with an important message kind of frightening in its prescience. Everyone is telling you to read it and everyone is right. Brilliant work reminding us of the importance of imagination, self-sufficiency and COMMUNITY!
“Parable of the Sower” by Octavia Butler. Stunning prose with an important message kind of frightening in its prescience. Everyone is telling you to read it and everyone is right. Brilliant work reminding us of the importance of imagination, self-sufficiency and COMMUNITY!
February 7, 2025 at 3:53 PM
Black History book rec!
“Parable of the Sower” by Octavia Butler. Stunning prose with an important message kind of frightening in its prescience. Everyone is telling you to read it and everyone is right. Brilliant work reminding us of the importance of imagination, self-sufficiency and COMMUNITY!
“Parable of the Sower” by Octavia Butler. Stunning prose with an important message kind of frightening in its prescience. Everyone is telling you to read it and everyone is right. Brilliant work reminding us of the importance of imagination, self-sufficiency and COMMUNITY!
Reposted by Julia Ward
I remember watching Star Wars as a kid and asking myself, who would voluntarily join the dark side? I understood Darth Vader's motivation, but not the stormtrooper's.
February 5, 2025 at 4:21 PM
I remember watching Star Wars as a kid and asking myself, who would voluntarily join the dark side? I understood Darth Vader's motivation, but not the stormtrooper's.
Day 5 of Black History Month book recs from a white lady: “The Warmth of Other Suns” by Isabella Wilkerson An extraordinary and meticulously researched non-fiction tale of the great migration. This book explores the decades long migration of Black Americans to northern cities. A must read!
February 6, 2025 at 3:02 PM
Day 5 of Black History Month book recs from a white lady: “The Warmth of Other Suns” by Isabella Wilkerson An extraordinary and meticulously researched non-fiction tale of the great migration. This book explores the decades long migration of Black Americans to northern cities. A must read!
Day 4 of Black History Month book rec from a white lady.
“Communion” by bell hooks. An exploration on love and loving from the female perspective; unpacking expectations around caring, learning to love as a skill, and the impact of patriarchy, imperialism, misogyny, race, etc on same.
“Communion” by bell hooks. An exploration on love and loving from the female perspective; unpacking expectations around caring, learning to love as a skill, and the impact of patriarchy, imperialism, misogyny, race, etc on same.
February 4, 2025 at 4:44 PM
Day 4 of Black History Month book rec from a white lady.
“Communion” by bell hooks. An exploration on love and loving from the female perspective; unpacking expectations around caring, learning to love as a skill, and the impact of patriarchy, imperialism, misogyny, race, etc on same.
“Communion” by bell hooks. An exploration on love and loving from the female perspective; unpacking expectations around caring, learning to love as a skill, and the impact of patriarchy, imperialism, misogyny, race, etc on same.
Today in Black History book recs from me, a white lady.
“Giovanni’s Room” by James Baldwin. An exploration of masculinity, homophobia, comphet identity, social alienation, all in a tidy novel with the most gorgeous writing you could ever hope to read.
“Giovanni’s Room” by James Baldwin. An exploration of masculinity, homophobia, comphet identity, social alienation, all in a tidy novel with the most gorgeous writing you could ever hope to read.
February 3, 2025 at 2:25 PM
Today in Black History book recs from me, a white lady.
“Giovanni’s Room” by James Baldwin. An exploration of masculinity, homophobia, comphet identity, social alienation, all in a tidy novel with the most gorgeous writing you could ever hope to read.
“Giovanni’s Room” by James Baldwin. An exploration of masculinity, homophobia, comphet identity, social alienation, all in a tidy novel with the most gorgeous writing you could ever hope to read.
It is the third day of Black History Month! Part of removing the veil of white supremacy from our eyes is celebrating human achievement in our diversity. The contributions of Black people to our world is staggering. Acknowledging that fact is vital to collective liberation! ✊🏿✊🏾✊🏽✊🏼✊🏻
February 3, 2025 at 2:21 PM
It is the third day of Black History Month! Part of removing the veil of white supremacy from our eyes is celebrating human achievement in our diversity. The contributions of Black people to our world is staggering. Acknowledging that fact is vital to collective liberation! ✊🏿✊🏾✊🏽✊🏼✊🏻
It seems odd, even to me, to explore the importance of love during times of such horrifying political machinations. But how are we to persist and resist these horrors of dehumanization without fierce love as our compass? Care is more important than ever. I hope you get some comfort today.
January 29, 2025 at 12:54 AM
It seems odd, even to me, to explore the importance of love during times of such horrifying political machinations. But how are we to persist and resist these horrors of dehumanization without fierce love as our compass? Care is more important than ever. I hope you get some comfort today.
Today’s thought: how can you give yourself the care and love you give to others?
Can you be more patient with yourself?
Can you release shame for resting?
We are the best at supporting justice and community when we are cared for. Learning to care for yourself is vital.
Can you be more patient with yourself?
Can you release shame for resting?
We are the best at supporting justice and community when we are cared for. Learning to care for yourself is vital.
January 25, 2025 at 7:40 PM
Today’s thought: how can you give yourself the care and love you give to others?
Can you be more patient with yourself?
Can you release shame for resting?
We are the best at supporting justice and community when we are cared for. Learning to care for yourself is vital.
Can you be more patient with yourself?
Can you release shame for resting?
We are the best at supporting justice and community when we are cared for. Learning to care for yourself is vital.
Love is an action verb. I’m tired of hearing about how much we love something while we make the evidence of our love invisible. Love without action is egotistical. Love that excludes is oxymoronic. Love is a fighter for justice, a blanket, a cup of coffee on the nightstand, and a kick in the ass.
January 23, 2025 at 5:04 PM
Love is an action verb. I’m tired of hearing about how much we love something while we make the evidence of our love invisible. Love without action is egotistical. Love that excludes is oxymoronic. Love is a fighter for justice, a blanket, a cup of coffee on the nightstand, and a kick in the ass.
Reposted by Julia Ward
If you’re waiting for a charismatic leader to step up and fix everything, get used to waiting.
There’s no mythical rescuer coming. There’s just all of us and the daily work of supporting our communities.
Find a local org, get involved, help the people around you. That’s the only answer.
There’s no mythical rescuer coming. There’s just all of us and the daily work of supporting our communities.
Find a local org, get involved, help the people around you. That’s the only answer.
January 21, 2025 at 1:08 PM
If you’re waiting for a charismatic leader to step up and fix everything, get used to waiting.
There’s no mythical rescuer coming. There’s just all of us and the daily work of supporting our communities.
Find a local org, get involved, help the people around you. That’s the only answer.
There’s no mythical rescuer coming. There’s just all of us and the daily work of supporting our communities.
Find a local org, get involved, help the people around you. That’s the only answer.
My heart is hurt and angry today, so I am being tender with myself. I am caring for myself and my family. I am reaching out to my community. I am rededicating myself, as I do every single fucking blessed day, to love in its ferocity and tenderness.
January 21, 2025 at 2:21 AM
My heart is hurt and angry today, so I am being tender with myself. I am caring for myself and my family. I am reaching out to my community. I am rededicating myself, as I do every single fucking blessed day, to love in its ferocity and tenderness.
And I’m not talking about emotional bosh when I talk about love; I’m talking about a strong, demanding love. For I have seen too much hate. and I say to myself that hate is too great a burden to bear. I have decided to love. If you are seeking the highest good, I think you can find it through love.
January 21, 2025 at 2:19 AM
And I’m not talking about emotional bosh when I talk about love; I’m talking about a strong, demanding love. For I have seen too much hate. and I say to myself that hate is too great a burden to bear. I have decided to love. If you are seeking the highest good, I think you can find it through love.
From Dr. King: And I say to you, I have also decided to stick with love, for I know that love is ultimately the only answer to humankind’s problems. And I’m going to talk about it everywhere I go. I know it isn’t popular to talk about it in some circles today. 1/?
January 21, 2025 at 2:18 AM
From Dr. King: And I say to you, I have also decided to stick with love, for I know that love is ultimately the only answer to humankind’s problems. And I’m going to talk about it everywhere I go. I know it isn’t popular to talk about it in some circles today. 1/?
I am often overwhelmed with a feeling best described as dolor. A dark mood overtakes me and I feel like I have failed somehow in controlling my moods. But constant positivity is impossible and untenable. The darkness can be loving, too, if I welcome it without shame.
January 18, 2025 at 2:25 PM
I am often overwhelmed with a feeling best described as dolor. A dark mood overtakes me and I feel like I have failed somehow in controlling my moods. But constant positivity is impossible and untenable. The darkness can be loving, too, if I welcome it without shame.