10/02/2026 Daily Video: You matter. Your art matters. Period.

Langston Hughes understood the power of artistic resistance. 

Creative, you matter, and your art matters. It all comes down to the power of humanization.

ROUGH TRANSCRIPT

Welcome back, creatives.
Ruthanne Reid, author and stroke survivor, here to help you get out of block and
into a daily habit of creation.
I'm going to read you a poem.
"Wave of sorrow, do not drown me now.
I see the island still ahead, somehow.
I see the island, and its sands are fair.
Wave of sorrow, take me there."
Now, this poem was written by Langston Hughes, who
was an incredible activist and
innovator, and part of the Harlem Resistance from 1930s,
which, if you don't know anything about, you need to go research.
All that to say, I think this guy would
understand where we are.
Specifically, he would understand the power of art to
process, understand, and get through the
really awful times.
The Harlem Resistance made a difference.
Jazz came out of it, poetry, music, actors, actresses,
just incredible stuff, because they understood that art is
resistance.
Now, obviously, I don't have the same challenges.
I am, in all appearances, just an ordinary
white woman, so I have privilege.
I know that.
But what we are going through right now, and
the importance of art, as I process grief and
anger, and dealing with betrayal from those who should have taken care of
us, and everything else...
I feel this poem, sir.
And I want you to feel it, too, because your art,
the honesty in your art, the battle in your art,
putting it down, making it vulnerable, making sure that
it's real, can get you through, can
carry you as these waves of sorrow push you to whatever the next thing is.
Art matters.
There is a reason that every time fascism steps in,
the first thing they go after is books, movies, any kind
of artistic expression, because art communicates,
and it does so in a way that actually humanizes people instead of dehumanizing people.
There is a reason fascists go after it.
What you make is important.
I've said this before, but it is true, even if all you're
making is a cute little comic about lesbian cats exploring Mars.
It matters.
Creative, don't let them stop you.
Don't let anybody stop you.
Even if your little thing is tiny and terrible,
it's fine.
It can be tiny and terrible.
It is still an expression of you as a human, and you matter.
You do not need to be a billionaire in order to matter.
Whatever you need to do to keep going, keep going.
Keep creating.
Keep making real art.
Sit down with me, and together, let's make
something new.