Well hey there,
I feel obliged to say I hope you had a good Thanksgiving. I mean that in the spirit of the tradition not the holiday. Thanksgiving was a common practice throughout Protestant colonies. It was observed by communities after moments judged to be God’s mercy had passed. The holiday commemorates an inauthentic portrayal of the tenuous relationship between colonists and the native people they eventually eradicated. So in that spirit, of God’s mercy, of thanks, is what I mean.
I expressly avoided a “real” Thanksgiving this year. I needed a break. Unfortunately, it resulted in a lot of reflection that I haven’t had time to process yet outside of poetic format. It’s been a lot for a kid in puberty to be sure. 30 years of existing without any personality to anchor myself to has been a helluva growth arc, and that’s without accounting for genocide and human rights abuses in Palestine, Congo, and Sudan.
In that vein, please do what you can. I know that M.A.P. is a recommended org for aid in Palestine that is worth supporting.
As for our cousins in the African continent, it’s much harder to find resources to contribute to due to the lack of popularity (imagine, human suffering, a popularity contest). The Queen Esther Project is one such doing work in the DRC. Otherwise I have some basic info around the situations above. Any further recommendations for resources or places to donate are always appreciated.
I keep writing things I like enough to post, you’ve liked it enough to subscribe, or at least open the link. I appreciate that. Thank you. If you would like to hear some of my poetry read by myself and recorded and edited by GoDeers!, I post reels on Instagram every other Sunday, just like here! Additionally, Instagram’s 90 second limits are ruining my ability to post content that will not get through the algorithm. Coming soon will be a YouTube and TikTok to host full format videos. I’ll be able to embed them here!
So, with six posts in, and the new year coming, I’m feeling pretty confident about being able to maintain this practice. I’m very excited for what comes next!
Thank you again for reading, please subscribe or share, every little bit helps!
With love,
Sequoia