The Justice Walk Travelog - November Walks 2023

November Walks đź‘ź

November 29, 2023

Leadership support rooted in equity and justice

The text either/or is covered with a red circle and X. There is a green arrow pointing to the left, where the words Yes/And appear

This Month's Walking... 

There are so many people suffering right now, from recent horror and trauma, and from traumas passed down through generations.

I am not directly impacted by this suffering. I am not an expert in the history of Israel and Palestine.

My focus is on belonging. On rejecting any forms of "othering" and dehumanizing. On standing against the infliction of pain, the denial of human rights, and the killing of anyone because of their faith, geography, race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, ability, economic status, documentation status, etc.

I am working to find and follow the path of belonging. My steps are sometimes uncertain and occasionally double-back on themselves when I realized I've lost my way. It's not a clear, straight-line path.I am holding rage over the Israelis murdered on October 7, compassion for their loved ones, and calling for all hostages to be returned while also speaking out against the bombing of Palestinian civilian areas and the imposition of a "complete siege" cutting off access to food, water, and fuel that have together killed well over 15,000 people, the majority of whom are women and children. (Figure as of November 29)

Mushon Zer-Aviv wrote in Medium recently about the “YES, AND…”  Part of his essay reads:

"Although they may sound similar, they [YES, AND...] do not negate or justify each other, nor do they compete on an imaginary unified scale of righteousness. Instead, they coexist as truthful statements, serving as adjacent factors to be addressed both separately and simultaneously.

YES, the Hamas attack against civilians in Israel is an indefensible crime against humanity,AND nothing can justify the indiscriminate bombing of civilians in Gaza.

YES, the occupation cannot be ignored as the context for this violence,AND Israel has the right and the duty to defend its citizens.

YES, IDF bombing causes un-proportional damage leaving Palestinian defenseless against it,AND Hamas continuously shells Israeli cities and holds hundreds of civilians hostage.

YES, Hamas cannot be trusted for cease fire negotiations,AND a cease fire may be the only way to stop the indiscriminate killings and release the hostages.

YES, Palestinians will be forever traumatized by this war,AND Israelis will be forever traumatized by this war.

YES, trust between Israelis and Palestinians is at an all time low,AND diplomacy and trust are required to achieve conflict resolution, security and justice.

Many of us may not find the emotional energy to contain a “YES, AND” approach, especially not now. But we must uplift those who can. We need “YES, AND” leaders, and indeed we should demand “YES, AND” policies."

Desiree Adaway posted this on LinkedIn:

"This is not a binary choice of one people over another.

Liberation is not a zero sum game.Safety is not finite and neither is love.Systems of power and oppression would have us think and feel otherwise.But I refuse to surrender my humanity.I beg you not to surrender yours. I refuse to not look at the violence that lives in me as I look at the violence that these systems impose on us. I will not lose my values at this moment or my deep belief in community and connection. We do not have to treat each other the way these systems treat us. We can show up for each other in ways that dehumanize none of us. We can stay in the struggle together"

The YES/AND approach and the rejection of binaries extends to every open or simmering conflict in our country and our world. (I know Congolese, Sudanese, Armenian, Uyghur, and Ukrainian people are also currently facing military violence, and I'm sure I am ignorant about others.)Zer-Aviv is right. The Yes/And approach requires emotional energy. It requires practice and supportive community. However recent struggles are impacting you, I hope you have community to hold, support, and practice with you. Thank you for being part of mine.

In struggle and practice, one step at a time,

Abby

a bar graph of blue bars. On the x asix are letters showing the days of the week. The bars are of all different heights and, left to right the words, "Doing Your Best Looks Different Every Day" are on the top of the bars. Daniel Abrahams is the artist

Can we find and celebrate joy when things are hard?It it OK to laugh? Or, to hide away and rest when it all just feels like too much?YES.  Artist Daniel Abrahams is so right, "Doing our best looks different every day."Many, much smarter people than I talk at length about the need to "fill our own cup" lest we completely wear ourselves down. (Check out

by Tricia Hersey.) To know that what we can give each day is different. That how we define "doing our best" each day changes.I know that when I'm physically, emotionally, and spiritually exhausted I'm of no use to anyone.I want to be in a place where I can prioritize my holistic wellness simply because I deserve that wellness.For now, the fact that I cannot serve others if I'm not holistically well myself is the motivation that reminds me to find the joy, to take the nap, to embrace the laugh. To be ok with today's "best" might mean prioritizing time outside rather than time in front of my computer.This is also a Yes/And. I'm going to fight like hell for belonging.I'm going to lean into the discomfort that growth requires.I'm going to do the hard things.ANDI'm going to curl up with a mystery novel. I'm going to go for walks with friends.I'm going to laugh out loud at puns and "dad jokes*."What can you do to intentionally cultivate your joy, your rest, your holistic wellness? *Q: How do you make antifreeze?A: Take away her blanket!

A still image from a video with black vertical spaces on either side of the rectangle. Jeremy Andrew Davis is a male-presenting white person wearing a white tshirt and pink button down shirt. He has blue eyes and light, short hair. His hands are up in front of him and he appears to be talking

Jeremy Andrew Davis: Are you disabled? No? Are you sure?

Jeremy Andrew Davis is a writer, director, disability consultant, and influencer who I greatly admire. Their work breaks down concepts and arguments that can be confusing or overwhelming in ways that are accessible and easy to understand - if not always comfortable to wrap my mind around.I've learned a lot about equity, inclusion, and belonging in respect to disability from their work. Please check out this five minute video.You can find more of Jeremy's content on all of the socials and through this website.

Quick reminder to follow me on Linked In - button below.Have a question? Drop me a line at [email protected]

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