reports from a (r)evolution of being: Its Time to Wage Peace with Fierce Love.
In late 2023 Root. Rise. Pollinate! held our first two Inspiration Sessions, ‘Governance for Collective Thriving’ and ‘Embodying Love And/With Power Within Our Organizing and Organizations.’ Inspiration Sessions are space for feminist changemakers to come together to learn and share new developments and exchange narratives that shape understanding and strategies for transformative feminist praxis. This work is part of our project, Reports from the Revolution of Being — a place to tell stories of the future, the big transitions we need to make, and how these transitions are unfolding now.
The following series of posts, over the next few weeks, draw on reflections we shared with participants after each Inspiration Session and also highlights new reflections and invitations into transformation drawn from the wisdom and experiences of our ‘Inspirators’ who currently call home India, Kenya, Puerto Rico, South Africa, the United States, and Zimbabwe.
Now is the Time: A Call to Wage Peace with Fierce Love
What if we embraced all children and all people
as our children, our people?
What if we acted as the ancestors of
our collective descendants, protectors of life?
What if we rose up wholeheartedly to
mend arcs broken in past generations?
What if our hearts breaking open was an opportunity
to show up for those whose lives have been upended,
to cease violence, and create another way of being?
We live in a time of multiple crises around the world:
war, natural and human-made disasters,
the displacement of millions of lives,
unspeakable grief.
We join the millions of voices calling for a ceasefire in Gaza.
For the release of lives and futures held hostage.
We join a commitment to connecting and
protecting life across all our peoples,
especially those experiencing upheaval and chaos -
like those in Sudan, the DR Congo, Syria, Yemen, Haiti,
Maui, Ethiopia, Ukraine, Afghanistan, Mexico and more -
in ways that allow all to thrive and be free.
We know war will not end wars. It will not keep us safe.
We know violence will only generate intensifying cycles of violence,
violence that reverberates forward.
We also know that we must tend to Mother Earth
To reverse the destruction wrought by human actions that exacerbate
fire, earthquakes, drought, and floods.
We know that turning to the light in the depths of darkness is in our dna,
a gift from our ancestors.
We know that in times of trouble, we have an opportunity
to lead powerfully with love in our words and actions.
We know we are called to peace —
Peace as a dynamic and active state
that we need to ground in, create, tend, create…
As feminist change makers we are called to wage peace
for our descendants, for our ancestors, and for every living being.
To generate the power of life that allows all to thrive and be free.
We wage peace to
make the impossible our new reality.
We wage peace to
tame the violence being done in our name.
We wage peace for
a future where all children, all people, thrive.
We wage peace to wake up.
How might we wage peace, especially in times like these?
Care for self and others
Be in community — connecting with others
Hold on to the collective vision of so many:
of peace, interdependence, and collective thriving.
A revolution of being.
Will you join us in Waging Peace?
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