*summary written by claude.ai
Aliveness and Activism: A Substack Live with Teri Leigh & Alex Lovell
May 1, 2026 (May Day)
On May Day, Teri Leigh and Alex Lovell sat down for a Substack Live to dig into a question that’s been living in both of them: What does it mean to feel alive in the middle of all this? The conversation wove together political science research, personal experience, and the kind of unscripted honesty that happens when two people trust each other completely.
The Spark: How Activism Gets Into Your Body
Alex, a social and political scientist, shared that his entire PhD research was born from one visceral experience at an Occupy Wall Street gathering in 2011. He went in without much understanding of the movement and walked out days later completely consumed by it, chanting songs he’d never heard before. That possession, that full-body aliveness, became the question he’s been researching ever since: Why do movements take us over like that?
His answer has layers. On an individual level, people crave being part of something larger than themselves. That craving connects to belongingness, to generational identity, and to the values that run underneath our daily lives but rarely get activated. Alex described each generation as having its own version of that deep, dark pit they have to climb out of, and how that shared struggle becomes the fuel for collective action.
The Free Rider Problem (And Why It’s Broken Right Now)
Alex brought up a fascinating concept from political science: the free rider problem. If someone else is willing to do the activism for you, why would you spend the energy? Historically, that’s been a strong predictor of why people don’t participate.
But something has shifted. Teri reflected on her own experience as an accidental activist. When ICE showed up in her Minnesota backyard, she couldn’t not act. The women she’s been interviewing for the Women Project book are telling her the same thing. They weren’t looking for community. They got activated because something enraged them so deeply that sitting still became impossible. The belongingness came after, as a side effect, and it bonded fast and strong.
What they’re both seeing is that these new bonds are replacing older relationships that were already decaying. Activism is creating what Teri called “synapses of relationship,” connections that feel more real and more intimate than what existed before.
Choosing When to Activate
Alex’s latest Substack post became a touchstone throughout the conversation. In it, he described sitting in a crowded Amsterdam pub where every table carried a different emotional charge trying to pull him in. He chose not to engage. And in that restraint, he felt more alive and more powerful than he had in a long time.
This led to a core theme: our energy is finite. We have to be selective about where we spend it. Teri shared a phrase that’s become common in Minnesota’s activist circles: “Pick your lane.” You can’t protest AND do mutual aid AND write AND call every elected official AND stay whole. The lane that sustains you is the one that feeds you as much as it directs your energy.
The Disappearing Front Porch (And Its Return)
Alex traced the erosion of community life through decades of research, from the literal disappearance of front porches to the decline of PTAs, workplace associations, and local religious communities. Social media promised to fill the gap but mostly made us more isolated.
Teri offered a stunning counter-example from her own street. After ICE activity changed the neighborhood dynamic, five houses on her block started texting each other, watching out for each other’s packages, reporting an abandoned car together. All five neighbors had independently called the non-emergency police line. In a politically diverse neighborhood with a Trump voter two doors from a rainbow flag house, they’re taking care of each other. That wouldn’t have happened a year ago.
What’s Coming Next
Alex is returning to Substack collaborations and relaunching a component of his paid tier at Department of Aliveness.
Teri announced a brand new offering: a Fierce Love cohort. It will be a five-month, every-other-week small group program designed to help people hold each other in sacred community as the midterm elections approach. The focus is learning how to be activated without reacting, how to channel passion into power and productivity. Applications will open in the coming weeks.
