Getting crystal clear

For the past month two origami boats have been in the center of our dining room table. My daughter and I folded them in solidarity with the Global Sumud Flotilla.

I’ve been watching videos of the activists arrive home to their families after being abducted by the Israeli military and held in an Israeli prison. They are 462 regular people (parents, and leaders, and young people and elderly folks) from all over the world- who got on boats with food and supplies to bring to the people of Gaza- because they stopped believing in their governments will to do right by humanity.

I lie in bed at night an think about the courage required to get on one of those boats. I lie in bed at night and think about the courage it takes to just get through the day as anyone in Gaza.

I see news of an entire apartment building being terrorized by ICE agents in the middle of the night in Chicago- hands of kids and elderly folks zip tied behind them.

I keep thinking about this article by Ta Nehesi Coates and this podcast and this article by my friend Garrett Bucks. I keep thinking about how desperately important it is for each of us to get clear about what we believe right now. Where is our line of morality? What are we doing about it?

Let me be the first to say that I don’t feel like I am doing enough. I have not left everything to sail with a flotilla, I haven’t put my body on the line and been arrested to protect anyone. My days are filled with work deadlines, and grocery store runs, and taking kids to school and sports.

I’m trying to stop seeing it all in black and white- either I’m risking everything, or I’m not enough. I’m trying to keep reminding myself that showing up is a practice. And every day is a new opportunity to recommit- to go deeper and ask harder questions- to find new ways to use my (unearned) privilege and skills and network.

I appreciated this clip (text here) of Jane Goodall’s last words about finding your lane and showing up and not giving into despair.

When I drew this month’s new piece, We Organize, I had no idea of where we’d be at right now. It was inspired by the beautiful banners and street murals created by my neighbor David Solnit and so many others. I was inspired reflecting on all the times I’ve felt helpless to do anything and then gathered with others to do something. “Peace” to me is not passive hope. Peace takes grit, and hard decisions, and standing up for one another. Real peace doesn’t dehumanize anyone. Real peace is fiercely protective.

The limited edition print is available here and cards are here and 20% of all sales will go to World Central Kitchen. May pease be the first step of a longer story of liberation for the people in Palestine. May we find peace in our hearts as we fiercely stand up for those most vulnerable at home.

When I made the drawing I thought of so many different words I could put on the banners. I thought it would be fun to make a coloring page version without the words that YOU can decide what the banners say. It can be downloaded for FREE and used to make your own messages to hang in your window or in your community.

So here’s to the ongoing practice of showing up. Here’s to organizing and activism and neighborhood potlucks. Here’s to peace.

Jen