November 2024 Blog

Rising to the occasion AND resources for the Thanksgiving/Day of Mourning: Holding Grief and Hope

A beautiful message from The People’s Institute of Survival and Beyond

Dear Racial Justice Organizers,  As we rise to the outcome of the U.S. Presidential Election, we continue to have hope. Some rise in disbelief, some rise knowing it was inevitable, and some rise wondering… why? 

What we know for sure is that we have been prepared for this moment. This is a moment that we can clearly see that an individual solution will not fix a systemic problem. One party or individual’s victory cannot fix a system that, as Ron Chisom says, “Ain't a do right system”. 

If the victory of Donald Trump and the Republican Party wakes up more of us to the realities and historical patterns of systemic racism and motivates and inspires us to be more effective, then it is a victory in the long run for all of humanity. 

We will remain vigilant, we will remain hopeful and we will remember that when we fight, when we organize, when we understand race and racism in America, when we are guided by our principles, We Win. As stated by our own late great Maya Angelou:

….You may shoot me with your words,
You may cut me with your eyes,
You may kill me with your hatefulness,
But still, like air, I'll/ we will rise.

Does my sexiness upset you?
Does it come as a surprise
That I dance like I've got diamonds
At the meeting of my thighs?

Out of the huts of history's shame
I/we rise
Up from a past that's rooted in pain
I/we rise
I'm /we are a black ocean, leaping and wide,
Welling and swelling we bear in the tide.
Leaving behind nights of terror and fear
I/we rise
Into a daybreak that's wondrously clear
I/we rise
Bringing the gifts that our ancestors gave,
I am/ are the dream and the hope of the slave.
I/we rise
I/we rise
I/we rise

In solidarity, love, and hope,
Kimberley, Mia, Nicole, Okaikor, Shani, Tamiquia, TaShara, Tiphanie, & Trish

PISAB's National Organizers & Staff 

Hello! Below is some information about a FREE Restorative Justice training and coaching cohort my consultancy, BCWT Consulting, in partnership with The Restorative Justice Initiative, is offering to local NYC-based community organizers, movement builders and cultural workers. Please share with your networks! 

We are also able to offer the same type of model "in-house" for a community partner looking to support their team's uptick of Restorative Justice practice internally and are actively recruiting for this cohort. Please let me know if you have any leads about orgs/communities that might be interested in partnering. 

More to come! 

In community, 

Suzanne 

Restorative Justice Initiative is launching two in-house cohorts: An open cohort for those looking to start their restorative journeys, and another for cultural workers, movement builders, and community organizers looking to thread restorative practice into their movement work. 

For our second cohort, we are encouraging people to apply with a partner in their same community or space of work, and are currently reaching out to some organizations and movement spaces who may be a great fit to have folks apply, yours being one of them. We will be collaborating with our friends at BCWT Consulting (www.bcwtconsulting.com) who will be facilitating this work. 

The cohort is free of cost, and will last from December to May. During the six months, participants will have time to build with other organizers across the city, develop a critical lens towards restorative justice practice, and learn about response to harm and conflict within spaces working towards liberation. Our application can be found here with more information, and is due November 25th. We look forward to reading applications from your space! 

Resources for Thanksgiving/Day of Mourning: 

Robin Schlenger