We Have to Talk About Palestine + Israel

Hello Friend,
 

This note has been on my heart for over a week. It has literally woken me in the middle of night several times, with such incredible clarity about what I needed to share. But yet during the day I find myself consumed with anxiety about writing it.

We have to talk about Palestine and Israel.

I know this in every part of my body and spirit, and yet it feels vulnerable and scary. 

I feel anxiety about saying the wrong thing or of hurting people that I care about, and members of this cherished community. I worry about losing work and clients, especially in a time when I am already working so hard to keep this beautiful business of mine afloat and provide for my family. And I worry that my words will be misunderstood, triggering, or otherwise cause you harm. 
 

But then I remember that my silence can also cause these exact same things.

So let me start with a few things that I know to be true.

When I first learned of the attack on Israel– the hostages and the horrific violence, my heart ached. I cannot imagine enduring such an attack, or knowing that my family and loved ones were in harms way. I also immediately understood how, given the historical context of violence against Jews and antisemitism, Jews everywhere were likely reeling, holding both grief and fear. My heart continues to ache and I pray for the return of all of the hostages. I also continue to hold firm in my belief that Jewish people have a right to exist and live free of violence, period.

My next thought was with the Palestinian people who were almost immediately dehumanized by the Israeli government. Threats of collective punishment and genocide made me physically sick, and the wholesale support of the US government filled me with rage. Watching the violence and devastation in Gaza is almost more than I can stand and I similarly cannot imagine living as a Palestinian, particularly a mother. I believe that Palestinians, and indeed all people, have the right to live free and without the fear of violence.

The other thing that I know to be true is that in this community, we have a roadmap for how to navigate this moment. And that’s what has been nudging at me all week– a reminder that we know what to do, because this entire community was founded on the work of antiracism, of building our capacity as change agents and allies.

It’s all also built on my DISRUPT Model for Effective Allyship.

That’s why so many of us have found our way to each other over the years. And it’s why in this moment, even with the presence of so much anxiety and worry, I want to reach out. Because I want us to remember, together, that we know what to do.

As aspiring anti-racist change agents and allies, we have muddled through dialogue after dialogue about racial justice and white supremacy in this country. About how we heal, how we unlearn and relearn, and how we speak up. And most importantly, how we leverage our privilege to take aligned action for liberation.

And it’s time for us to do just that, again.

In my personal practice, I find deep value in grounding into my integrity and guiding beliefs as a starting point. It facilitates me finding more clarity and getting less caught in the social media noise. It’s a bit like coming home to myself before I try and make big decisions about what I believe. I try to remember the things that I know for sure and the beliefs that guide me…

I believe that telling the truth is an act of love.

I believe in centering humanity, always.

I believe in listening to and centering the voices of those who are most marginalized in any given context.

I believe that none of us can be free until we are all free, that our liberation is tied deeply to one another.

I believe in justice and liberation, but I do not believe that either of these things can be found in a prison, on a battlefield, or inside of violence.

And I believe deeply in both/and and not either/or; we can hold two truths at one time, even if they may appear to be contradictory.

What are your grounding beliefs and values related to social justice?

I encourage you to spend some time reflecting on that, and creating your own anchors for moments like this.

From there, I remember DISRUPT.

D - Do You Own Work

I - Interrogate Assumptions

S - Seek to Understand

R - Recognize Your Role

U - Use what You’ve Learned

P - Partner with Peers

T - Take Feedback with Humility

I have been doing just that– seeking information and resources from a wide variety of sources and points of view, seeking to understand, reflecting on my own bias, assumptions, and participation, and now reaching out to others to partner in taking action.

When rooted in these values and following this model for effective allyships, it doesn’t take me long to arrive at the belief that there is an urgent need for a ceasefire and a free Palestine.

It doesn’t take me long to recommit to standing firm against antisemitism, especially as violence against Jews globally appears to be on the rise. We must separate Jewish people from the Israeli Government, protecting Jewish people from violence.

It doesn’t take me long to recommit to advocating for all minoritized and oppressed people globally, so that all people can live free of violence and dehumanization.

It doesn’t take me long to connect the dots, as so many have before, between Black Lives Matter and Palestine. And to continue to listen to and follow folks like Angela Davis who have been calling for a Free Palestine for a long time. (This book shifted my understanding when I read it years ago!)

And while I’m not asking you to believe what I believe, I am asking you to pay attention. To stay true to your commitment to antiracism. To lean into the discomfort of DISRUPTing your own thinking to notice if there is more to learn. And then I’m asking you to take action.

And if you’re genuinely interested in learning more, or you have a question that comes from a place of wanting to understand and you are able to trust my deepest intention and desire to never cause harm, then I invite you to reply. Let’s dialogue and muddle together. That’s where we find our own humanity, too. 

With love + solidarity, always,

Victoria