The Power of Our Love and Money can Sustain Transnational Communities —by Favianna Rodriguez.
Happy International Women’s Day! I’m inspired by the Astraea Foundation’s words - “This Women’s History Month, we are celebrating the Black, Indigenous, People of Color, migrant, lesbian, bisexual, trans, intersex, and queer women who have and continue to work to free us all. These are the women leading powerful, intersectional grassroots movements; imagining a world free from policing, surveillance, and criminalization; building a culture of collective care, solidarity, healing, and joy. These are the women leading us to our collective liberation.”
The “Words as Medicine” workshop has been postponed to March 30th. My apologies to those who signed up already, I hope you can make the new date and time. There is still a lot going on in the world, and one of the soul medicines I always return to is words. Whether spoken or written, our ability to communicate has the power to move hearts and minds. Our ability to express has the power to heal.
Did you know that when Maya Angelou was a young child, she stopped speaking for 5 years? She came out about being a survivor of sexual violence, and named the man who had harmed her. He was sentenced to imprisonment but ultimately killed. Ms. Maya came to believe that her voice had caused a man’s death, so she stopped speaking. For 5 years. Maya Angelou had a very impactful teacher, Bertha Flowers, who helped her reclaim her voice. Ms. Flowers said - “Words mean more than what is set down on paper. It takes the human voice to infuse them with the shades of deeper meaning.” Sometimes when one hears something, it penetrates all layers of the psyche and lands deeply in the soft place of the heart. This is one of those things for me. This workshop is inspired by this quote.
I’m thrilled to share that this space will be co-facilitated by Lina Kaisey, a kindred spirit and coach. Please bring an inspiring quote, poem or song lyrics to share if you want. The theme is inspiration, hope, joy, and renewal. You are invited to draw your words from anywhere, the only request is that they be meaningful and moving for you. You can draw from poetry, songs, prayers, quotes, books, magazines, stories, speeches, blogs, a friend’s words, really anywhere. Do make note of who you’ll be crediting, so we can thank our Sources properly. Whoever is moved to speak/share/sing, is welcome to. Or you can simply attend and listen. All listening is sacred. Your presence is enough. Everyone is welcome.
Details
Date – March 30th, Wednesday
Time – 9-10am PT / 12-1pm ET / 5-6pm UK time
Cost — Free. Invite anyone you’d like to.
Feel free to contact me if you have any questions.
About Your Facilitators
Nitika Raj is a queer South Asian femme & healing warrior. She is a coach by day and writer by night. She does social justice work for the same reason she writes and prays – to seek truth and build peace. Coaching has been absolutely transformative for her life and well-being, and she is honored to offer space as a coach for others to heal into their essential wholeness and power. Nitika has edited and produced two zines for social justice organizations – 33 Cups of Chai (for Chaya in 2010), and To the Left and Write (for Western States Center in 2010).
Lina Kaisey coaches, speaks, and facilitates retreats supporting clients to unleash inspired, intuitive, and creative self-leadership as a transformational force for good. She co-created and currently facilitates Wise Women Rising. Lina earned her B.S. in Psychobiology at UCLA, her J.D. at Harvard Law, and completed coach training with the founders of Coaching for Healing, Justice, and Liberation. An Iraqi woman, she sings and plays cello with the Los Angeles Arab Orchestra and other Arabic music ensembles.