All,
April 15th marks a year of the current war in Sudan and 192 days (plus 76 years) of the genocide in Gaza. Recently, we marked 30 years since Rwanda, the aftermath of which is ongoing in Congo today.
Repeatedly, many of us note that from cop city to Haiti to Kashmir, Gaza, Congo, Sudan, the struggles and liberations are interconnected.
We work collectively to see an end to Empire.
The apartheid wall in the so-called West Bank in occupied Palestine is being dismantled. The uprisings for freedom are ongoing globally. The strikes and boycotts are also regular effective actions. Many organizations and institutions are being held accountable for their Zionist missions.
Some of us need reminding that decolonization is not just a metaphor &
intifada revolution is not just a chant!
The Palestinian Feminist Collective said: “The collective will of our people to tear down walls, overcome barriers, and achieve liberation continues to inspire our commitment to a future free colonialism and imperialism, on our Palestinian land and beyond. …
Palestinians across Palestine and in exile remain steadfast in our commitment to our collective liberation and return. Today and everyday, we continue to resist.
Brick by brick, wall by wall, the occupation’s bound to fall!“
#strike4gaza #keepeyesonsudan
I am rereading February 2022 | Rasha Abdulhadi‘s piece on solidarity statements for Palestine excerpted here for action & reflection prompts:
Depending on the person, #FreePalestine could mean advocating for a ‘two state solution’ or one state solution or full right of return and Land Back for all Indigenous peoples. So, it can be productive to ask: what would it mean to free Palestine, to free Palestinians? And as Sophia Azeb asks: Who Will we be When we are Free?
What is worth saying in solidarity with Palestine? What good could words possibly do?
Whose actions and speech challenge power and whose take the side of power, wrap themselves in power, or protect themselves from consequences by hiding behind power even as they taunt the powerful?
What words are strategic, and for whom? What kinds of language count as action, and how much action do they count for?
What words indicate liberation? What language indicates suppression or counter-organizing?
What can’t be accomplished with statements?
Read more: alternateroots.org
Recently, on Tiktok and IG, I’ve been sharing reflections on “words mattering” to point to the power structures explicit in words like diversity, empathy, bias and so on. I hope you’ll tune in and find something meaningful in my offerings.
I share all this today to beseech any careful readers of this newsletter to know that we are persisting and despite the feeling of hopeless despair that pops up, shifts are happening. And, those who’ve as yet been holding silence, to join the masses of us who refuse to perform normalcy. There is no life as usual for now. Until mutual and collective liberation, may we move, speak, connect with radical care. We need collectives, though many collectives have lapsed recently.
What are we willing to risk & enact & rebuild together?
In deep solidarity - words & actions,
Desi book aunty