As I write this to you, I know our hearts are heavy.
Many of our neighborhoods have literally been burning and revealing pain that is deep and long and ever-present for communities of color and especially for black communities.
In the face of it all, I wanted to make my commitment clear to you here as I also shared in the Mother’s Quest Facebook Group.
I am committed to my own anti-racism.
I am committed to moving forward in solidarity with those who have been marginalized and oppressed.
I am committed to finding ways to use my unique gifts and resources for social justice.
And I am committed to creating a brave space where we can challenge ourselves, in community, to grow. And one where we can hold each other accountable with generosity.
As part of that commitment, I wanted to share a few things I’m doing this week and invite you to hit reply and let me know what you are doing and/or if there is any way I can support you.
1) I’m amplifying black women’s voices and sharing conversations that might light our way right now, So I’m re-releasing over the next few days on the podcast feed my episode with Nicole Lee about having courageous conversations about race with our children, my episode with Mother’s Against Police Brutality’s Sara Mokuria, and my episode with Trayvon Martin’s mother Sybrina Fulton. I’ll be listening to them again too and invite you to listen alongside me.
2) My family and I are making financial contributions to Mother’s Against Police Brutality and the Trayvon Martin Foundation and reviewing together this comprehensive list I saw shared by former podcast guest Paola Mendoza to identify some other efforts we can support.
3) I’ve committed to investing in my own growth and activism and made a decision to attend Nicole Lee’s “Inclusive Life™ Virtual Accelerator: Awakening Political & Spiritual Power for Aligned Action” a three-day virtual working retreat happening June 18-20th. Would love for you to consider taking a look and joining me.
4) And I’m having conversations with my children. Ryan and I watched this incredible live video with Trevor Noah where he shares his thoughts on the dominos of racial injustice and police brutality, and how the contract between society and black Americans has been broken time and time again. And, we have been making our way each night through the illuminating documentary “13th,” about the historical underpinnings behind the rise in law enforcement and the arrest and imprisonment of millions of black men in our country. Ryan and I also participated this week in a protest in our own city organized by several young people from his high school. Thousands came out as walked and chanted from city hall to the police station where we ended on our knees in silence.
Also, Nicole Lee and I are collaborating on a four-week offering to hold space for learning, growth and solidarity through weekly zoom conversations. If you’re interested in joining, email me at julie@mothersquest.com or comment on the post in the Mother’s Quest group. Limited space.
I also made a decision not to bring an “ambassador” this month into the Mother’s Quest Facebook Group and instead will be showing up more fully myself, and hoping to bring in some speakers and guides to be in conversation with me. If you’re not yet a member of the group, I hope you’ll join us so we can support one another.
In solidarity and with hope we can make change together,
