I write to you holding so much in my heart. Along with many of us, I write with heaviness of heart from ongoing police brutality and racial injustice. I hold the anger about our economic, health care, (in)justice, and education systems. I hold the bewilderment of diving deeper into the history of the US and how systematically black, brown, and indigenous people have been exploited, killed, and pushed out of their homes. I hold the anguish that I have not done more and am often not sure what to do.
I am distraught that our environment, our animals, our fellow humans are being killed senselessly by a system designed to maximize efficiency and profit, a system based off of slavery. We have been blinded to how all the various forms of exploitation and extinction are interconnected. Our disconnection from the Earth and our disconnection from one another, driven by Western, white corporations, makes it almost impossible to see the path forward.
But I am also filled with inspiration. I am deeply moved by the black and brown people leading the revolution for change. My heart is filled with gratitude for the indigenous and people of color around the world fighting for a more just and alive world for all of us. The people fighting to protect the rainforests, the people fighting to end police brutality, the people fighting to eliminate plastics, the people fighting to stop construction of new oil pipelines, the people fighting to change history books... we are all fighting for freedom. We are all fighting for life.
Tomorrow is June Nineteenth, a holiday commemorating the day in 1865 people experiencing slavery in Galveston, Texas were informed of the Emancipation Proclamation... two and a half years AFTER it was signed. It is a day to celebrate freedom. And also a reminder of our country’s deep resistance to the true liberation and inclusion of Black people.
In honor of June Nineteenth, the Movement for Black Lives has put forth 3 main demands (including Defunding the police, supporting black communities, and impeaching Donald Trump). I have attached their movement messaging below and hope you take the time to read it. Though the demands may seem radical, they show us what the true liberation of all people might look like. They help us question what safety, belonging, and government can be in the US and around the world.
I encourage you, and myself, to show up for protests, to donate, to make art, to continue educating ourselves, and to show up for the black and brown people in our communities. In protecting and advocating for black lives, we are taking necessary steps towards our collective freedom.
I will be teaching two yoga classes this weekend: Saturday at 12 PM EST and Sunday at 4 PM EST. We all need some collective care more than ever. All donations will go to the Movement for Black Lives.
This is an AMAZING video from the Occidental Arts and Ecology Center about our Permaculture for the People program. Get excited about radical gardening!!
Juneteenth Call To Action
OAEC aligns with the following demands and principles that come directly from the Movement for Black Lives (M4BL) around the upcoming Juneteenth weekend. We urge you to read and get behind them too. In addition to showing up in the streets if you can, one of M4BL’s calls is to support the movement financially. OAEC is making a contribution and we encourage you to do so as well.
The deaths of Black people by law enforcement and vigilantes is the result of centuries-old anti-Black attitudes flanked by prejudicial legislation and a “Wild Wild West” approach to law and order meant to intimidate Black people and control our behavior. Many elements—such as racist stereotypes, stand-your-ground laws, law enforcement and vigilantism that have treated Black people with a guilty-until-proven innocent approach, and antiquated policing systems with roots in slave catching—coalesce to create a network of deadly terror for Black communities nationwide.
This network, compounded by a criminal legal system with a history of antipathy toward us, wreaks havoc on Black bodies like George, Ahmaud, and Breonna.
Right now, uprisings are taking place in all 50 states, and more than two-thirds of Americans agree that police violence is systemic. We haven’t experienced mass mobilizations like this since the uprisings led by courageous Black folks in Ferguson and St. Louis. These actions include small towns, as well as major cities in both red and blue regions.The energy is sustained and escalating. The Movement for Black Lives is alive and vibrant.
What is Juneteenth About?
Juneteenth is a nationally celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the US. To many black Americans, it is seen as more important than the Fourth of July. On June 19, 1865 a group of over 250,000 enslaved black people were notified that the Civil War had ended, of which they were unaware. Many confederate states were not adhering to the Emancipation Proclamation to maintain their control. It has now become a day, week, or month of celebrations, actions, gatherings and events organized by Black folks for Black liberation.
The Plan
Juneteenth is a day that honors Black freedom and Black resistance, and centers Black people’s unique contribution to the struggle for justice in the U.S. This Juneteenth is a rare moment for our communities to proclaim in one voice that Black Lives Matter, and that we won’t tolerate anything less than justice for all our people.
M4BL Demands
Defund the police.
Over time, police budgets have steadily grown as local towns and cities experience budgetary shortfalls for critical resources like public education, houselessness, and mental health. With outsized budgets, this positions police to fill gaps left by a lack of other services. This also brings police, who have a history of using deadly force against Black people, in closer proximity to our children, neighbors, and communities. Today, police budgets account for 25 percent and higher of all local budgets. Given that we’re in the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression now is the time to scrutinize police budgets; rethink the role of the police; and center our health, safety, and well-being. We need bold, visionary action right now.
Much has been made of reintroducing existing use-of-force regulations as a potential way forward to end police violence. Regulations are important, as they can function as a guide for police departments of any size or scale. But we cannot be more clear: They are insufficient as a solution to the problem of police violence, either incrementally or as a tool of transformation.
Invest in Black communities.
The record unemployment our nation is currently experiencing comes at the tail end of decades of disinvestment in Black communities and Black people. It is time to make real investments in our communities. That means diverting wasteful spending on militarized police and investing in community-based programs like healthcare, education, and housing that we know keep us safer, allow us to thrive, and preserve our dignity.
Call for the resignation of Donald Trump.
Donald Trump has a long history of racism, division, fear mongering, and the weaponization of hate. From calling for the execution of innocent Black boys dubbed the Central Park Five in the 80s to defending murderous white supremacists in Charlottesville to using racist political messaging to support his reelection, Trump has continually put our families in danger and rolled back the rights of marginalized groups. His recent declaration, “When the looting starts, the shooting starts,” has put every protestor at risk. Trump and his administration have brought harm, suffering, and divisiveness, and it is time for him to resign.
