At home, we have been reading a children’s book with our kiddo about anxiety. It’s a way of talking about all the worries we hold in this current COVID world. The book offers that worries are like tomatoes. We make them grow, simply by paying attention to them. These days, my social media feeds feel like massive vines of tomato worries. Global pandemic, racial terror, environmental catastrophe, humanitarian crisis at the border. It’s A LOT. And while I know turning completely away from them is not the thing (hello, avoidance/denial/toxic positivity), I also know that I need to tend to some beautiful. Pay attention to some hopeful. In that spirit, I’m plucking out and shining a light on just a few lovely things that have also come through my feeds this week.
Adriana Caldera Boroffice is YWCA Golden Gate Silicon Valley’s new CEO!! Woot! We love you, Adriana.
BIPOC ED Coalition of Washington State Co-Founders Ananda Valenzuela, Andrea Caupain Sanderson, Jodi Nishioka, and Victoria Santos just launched a new Respite and Rest program and it’s rad. It creates intentional spaces to slow down and process, and to pause and take care of self and one another. Phase I is 1 week of time away and $2,000 for expenses. Phase II will include 3-month sabbaticals.
Brian Concannon’s OpEd on the U.S. response to Haitian immigration is an important call out to our country and its role in Haiti’s misery/the root causes forcing people to flee their homes. I haven’t seen many White leaders speaking out on these injustices. Glad to see it here. More, please.
HEART Women and Girls has been on a shared leadership journey these past couple of years and just announced Aliza Kazmi will join Nadiah Mohajir as Co-Director. Congratulations, Aliza, Nadiah, Aisha, Navila, Sahar, and Kiran. Can’t wait to see the next chapter unfold. h/t Move to End Violence Initiative for introducing me to this amazing group.
Marissa Tirona and Grantmakers Concerned with Immigrants and Refugees (GCIR) are moving $2.8 million to respond to the needs of migrants and refugees across the state of California. Grateful to you and the GCIR community driving this work forward.
My Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal and her team continue to fight for climate, housing, expanding health-care access, lowering drug prices and immigration, which is all on Biden’s agenda. This is a hard week. Honoring the fight, breathing with you, and sending solidarity.
Rainer Valley Corps (RVC) just announced its shared leadership structure of four co-directors. Chris Rhodes, Anbar Mahar Sheikh, JoJo Gaon, Roshni Sampath —sending you all the love! Special shout out to Kad Smith, who held this process with RVC.
Sarah Jawaid + Damon Azali-Rojas have opened applications for the second cohort of their 9-Month Liberatory Coaching Certification program! This is a certification program for BIPOC social justice movement leaders who are committed to learning coaching skills for individual and collective liberation.
Sending shouts outs and fist bumps to these leaders. I’m grateful to know, co-conspire with, and learn from you. mg
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PS: These posts are and will always be imperfect and incomplete. I’m ok with that.