Hey Fam,
How you holding up? I genuinely want to know. Here’s a hug and a breathing break if you need it.
Why can’t every day just be like a Gilmore Girls episode?
If there’s anything I’m grateful for in this moment, it’s the fact that people are being rudely awakened to the fact that their governments are not all they’re cut out to be. The fact that the US government, and many churches, can stand with the Israeli military at a time like this is just so overwhelmingly nauseating. Thankfully, this reality is disturbing even for the least politicized of us. Iono, maybe more of us will be radicalized in this moment. Radicalized for major, mass love and kindness.
I find myself asking God to be more present in my heart and mind so that I understand wtf is going on.
I’m uber grateful for people like Amanda Seales and Marc Lamont Hill in this moment. They seem to have no restraint about saying what needs to be said. I hope, one day, I can be on that kind of energy again.
A Little Bit of Truth
It’s true that the history is complex, but there are two things that stand out to me that give me some sense of rationality in all of this
- is that people of all faiths used to peacefully coexist on this “Holy land”–Muslim, Jewish, Christian and others; and
- is that the Zionist state of Israel (the government and its supporters) is not be to conflated with the people of Israel or the Jewish people, just as you might not want others to align your beliefs with Biden’s or the US military’s actions.
I breathed a little easier when I saw the droves of Jewish Americans protesting and shutting down the White House in support of a ceasefire.
I finally broke down in tears when I saw this video of Palestinian children expressing their dreams.
It reminded me of why I do this work. Protecting the freedom to dream.
Capitalism, zionism, imperialism, colonialism. They steal the dreams of children. Which produces miserable and frustrated adults. Miserable and frustrated adults who hurt themselves and others. Our capacity to Liberate ourselves is directly aligned with our freedom to dream of such Liberation. When our dreams are stifled, so are our hearts, minds, bodies.
Depression is the root of all evil, I say.
The New World is Coming
The newsletter that was lined up to go out when the genocide on Palestine escalated on Oct 7 was about why community is so hard to maintain. It was about why conflict is so endemic. Especially in Black communities. We look forward to getting this out to you and continuing the series, along with News from the Black Globe and so many other treasures we want to share with you.
Our limited capacity expands with every contribution you make to our growth as an ecosystem. Every time you forward one of our newsletters, make a donation, purchase a product or book our services, you empower us to keep spreading truth and love. You empower us to hire Nigerian youth, whose endemic suffering is our personal everyday Palestine.
As much as my heart bleeds for every oppressed soul on this planet, my priority will always be to change the outcomes for children who look like my daughter, like my godchildren, like my nephew, like me.
And Palestine represents us. Black freedom fighters have always known that the blatant, in-plain-view oppression of Palestine was a metaphor for the violence settler colonialism is capable of. Against all of us. While it’s true that Black people are the most oppressed around the world, no one is safe in a world ruled by settler colonialists.
As bad as things may look, the New World is still manifesting. The tides are turning. The powers that be are hearing us, and we the people are not slowing down on getting justice for all oppressed peoples. By being a part of this noirpress movement, you too are a key to manifesting the New World.
I just hope you’re finding ways to take care of yourself, while contributing your genius to the work of Liberation.
To our Liberated future. Much love,
Olori Lolade
Opportunities to Feast Your Soul
To stay connected, focused and active as the cold flows in, get tight with this community for 21 Days.
