Hey Friends,
When I started this Substack, I didn’t know what I wanted it to be. Since 2022 I have been a political content creator — creating videos and shitposting about news and progressive policy. Continuing that in a written format was my natural first instinct.
Yet since starting on Substack, I’ve struggled to come up with a flow. Even with weekly posts, deciding what to write about has been a challenge. In just a couple months I’ve lost count of the time I’ve spent blankly starting at my laptop screen with no clue where to start.
Then I got to chatting with Qasim Rashid at Trending Up — a Substack powerhouse you should definitely be following. I mentioned that I was excited about Substack as a writer — I did my undergraduate degree in History because I love research and writing. I applied to (and was rejected funding for) creative writing graduate programs around the country. So Qasim suggested I pivot — why not write about history?
American history is in itself political. It may shock some of you to know that I was not always the raging leftist I am today. For a time in my late teens I even teetered on the alt-right pipeline, following several “anti social justice warrior” YouTubers. Then I started classes at a Mott Community College in Flint, Michigan. I took a 100 level American history course — 1865 to present, and I was hooked. Not only on history, but politics. At the same time I was studying I began volunteering with Bernie’s 2016 campaign. I began to recognize the echoes of history in the injustices harming my community — namely, the Flint water crisis. I took every single history course Mott offered then transferred to the University of Michigan to complete a B.A.
So in an America that is grappling with its founding principles of democracy, that is as divided as the Civil War, and putting our constitution through its most pivotal test yet — why not write about history?
So, this Substack is pivoting to U.S. history. Some of it will be weird history, like when witches hexed Wall Street or Mary Lincoln’s White House seances. Some of it will be history of revolutionaries, like John Brown’s raid on Harper’s Ferry in attempt to free the slaves, or the misconceptions of Nat Turner. And of course all of it, as all of American history, will tie into the state of political affairs today.
“But wait, Alex,” you say, “that’s not what I subscribed for.”
It’s okay, I get it. When I started this, I didn’t know what I was writing for. Thanks to Qasim, I’ve realized that I’m writing this Substack for me. It’s a break from my straight forward political commentary and an opportunity to get back to a subject I am deeply passionate about. That may not be for you, and that’s okay! You can still catch my political hot takes on instagram and tiktok.
And for those of you sticking around, welcome aboard.
So excited to read and follow along on this new chapter of your Substack!!
After growing up and being indoctrinated with bland US history, I find myself wanting to know the real history of the US, the nitty gritty. The GOP is indenial and is fantasizing about turning us into Stepford Wives type of BS and my response is, oh hell no. Let's do some learning so we can be more informed and know what to avoid in the future, if we even have a chance at one.