Ismatu, you say to thank your teachers, and since you are one of my strongest teachers I have to thank you. Thank you for being a source of wisdom and thought and love in the past couple months when I needed it... I have been so inspired by your work and immutable dedication. I can donate to you and Juju because I know the money will go towards good good things.
I also feel a new world coming. because it has to, because this one must die. So that my father to sleep deeper at night I am making my heart and my hands and my head work harder. For the sake of the toddlers I babysit and my friends far and wide I am trying to share more with the world. I am also going insane. I'm going insane and allowing it. Thank you for providing me with knowledge, an example for how I can continue to move.
incredible and thought-provoking as always, Ismatu. i'm not the best at expressing my thoughts but i've been reading my Bible lately, and all the talk of destruction and revolution in the Old Testament before the light has been hitting harder than ever. through it all, God promises both libertation and vindication for his people--and i suppose for me, the greatest vindication is what you said: a new world that is soft and kind for not only my children but all the children of the earth. <3
literally the exact minute that you dropped this essay, i was journaling about how God = Revolution. before listening/ reading, the part of me that doubts myself (that angsty cynical teen you spoke to in this essay!) was like “oh, well ismatu is so much more eloquent than you and has a wider reach, so your words do not matter.” after listening, i feel actually so much closer to God, to liberation, and to the words i want to share in my own tiny little sphere. thank you, ismatu. thank you juju. thank you to ismatu’s future daughter. ✨ it is an honor to learn with & from you.
This is the type of faith that compels action. Thank you for this essay. It reopened a teaching I was given when I was still in the church, but that has stuck with me: “Prayer is not about asking God for something, but aligning your will to God’s will.” I believe this prayer to your future daughter, this faith based practice of revolution, is part of the continual commitment of our will to align with the liberation of the living universe. And your teachings and work are helping me see this lived out, so I cannot thank you enough for the faith that this gives me in our collective liberation. To see you live and breath and speak and pray your own freedom and your descendants’ freedom into existence provides hope to me for my own and for the rest of us to ours because revolution is indeed a faith-based practice, and it is best practiced communally. I pray love and peace and power for you. Thank you.
Grateful to see Haiti mentioned here. For those in our community looking to educate themselves on the context of the last couple decades (marked by some of the most blatant imperialism of recent history): the Black Alliance for Peace is *the* organization speaking out about US neocolonialism in Haiti right now. They have many foundational resources on their website. Other strong teachers include Jacquie Luqman (her program Luqman Nation) and the news coming out of the Black Agenda Report.
Thank you for this. I think in light of what's been pushed to the front of our eyes in the last couple of months it's hard to feel like we're going anywhere. When there is so much pain and hurt to hold for ourselves and others, and we feel helpless to make a change, but to reminded that we have been here before. That even how we live now, was a vision, a dream, a potential, that was worked at and practiced and BELIEVED in, to make true. Thank you so much for being such a vivid reminder for that.
This is amazing, such beauty in words, attention to loving detail. I found this inspiring, I too have been blotting out with the steady flow of all I can pack in my blood stream. And feel closer and closer to needing that to end, as growth has stopped and I've ceased to exist in ways. I love the history and especially the spiritual history you tell here! Thank you for what you do. I dream of a better world, sometimes in color sometimes in dusty black and white.
You put dreams of color on paper and I see that they will become realities!
This current genocide I have some kind of hope will wake the world up into a new tomorrow. It must, the oligarchies are losing their grip they just don't know it yet.
Ismatu, you compel me to deepen my care by digging my hand’s further into the dirt and grittiness of love. Trust that we are deeply encapsulated in the love that you planted within us and your labor is not in vain. I am so grateful for you
Thank you. Revolution as a faith based practice, as something to fight for and uphold for the promise of freedom we might not ever see, but our children and their children might get to experience. I loved your definition of freedom: "Freedom is the only kind of universal goodness I can think of— not just freedom to exist without exploitation, but freedom to commune and to build with unfettered commitment to sustainability. The freedom to belong to yourself in your own people’s tapestries and be soft; sovereign; laid to rest while still alive. The freedom to have power that does not cost anyone else anything. " I want to create that world...I have faith that we can create it.
I do sincerely apologize for not listening to this when you first came out with it. I have such a fear of confronting what's real and true and visceral and triggering, and this was all of that. It shook me awake this morning. This is revolutionary love and care in its purest form.
wow <3
Ismatu, you say to thank your teachers, and since you are one of my strongest teachers I have to thank you. Thank you for being a source of wisdom and thought and love in the past couple months when I needed it... I have been so inspired by your work and immutable dedication. I can donate to you and Juju because I know the money will go towards good good things.
I also feel a new world coming. because it has to, because this one must die. So that my father to sleep deeper at night I am making my heart and my hands and my head work harder. For the sake of the toddlers I babysit and my friends far and wide I am trying to share more with the world. I am also going insane. I'm going insane and allowing it. Thank you for providing me with knowledge, an example for how I can continue to move.
Like columbines, continue shining.
peace, sophia
incredible and thought-provoking as always, Ismatu. i'm not the best at expressing my thoughts but i've been reading my Bible lately, and all the talk of destruction and revolution in the Old Testament before the light has been hitting harder than ever. through it all, God promises both libertation and vindication for his people--and i suppose for me, the greatest vindication is what you said: a new world that is soft and kind for not only my children but all the children of the earth. <3
literally the exact minute that you dropped this essay, i was journaling about how God = Revolution. before listening/ reading, the part of me that doubts myself (that angsty cynical teen you spoke to in this essay!) was like “oh, well ismatu is so much more eloquent than you and has a wider reach, so your words do not matter.” after listening, i feel actually so much closer to God, to liberation, and to the words i want to share in my own tiny little sphere. thank you, ismatu. thank you juju. thank you to ismatu’s future daughter. ✨ it is an honor to learn with & from you.
This is the type of faith that compels action. Thank you for this essay. It reopened a teaching I was given when I was still in the church, but that has stuck with me: “Prayer is not about asking God for something, but aligning your will to God’s will.” I believe this prayer to your future daughter, this faith based practice of revolution, is part of the continual commitment of our will to align with the liberation of the living universe. And your teachings and work are helping me see this lived out, so I cannot thank you enough for the faith that this gives me in our collective liberation. To see you live and breath and speak and pray your own freedom and your descendants’ freedom into existence provides hope to me for my own and for the rest of us to ours because revolution is indeed a faith-based practice, and it is best practiced communally. I pray love and peace and power for you. Thank you.
AMAZING, as always. 🫂💗
🌻
Grateful to see Haiti mentioned here. For those in our community looking to educate themselves on the context of the last couple decades (marked by some of the most blatant imperialism of recent history): the Black Alliance for Peace is *the* organization speaking out about US neocolonialism in Haiti right now. They have many foundational resources on their website. Other strong teachers include Jacquie Luqman (her program Luqman Nation) and the news coming out of the Black Agenda Report.
i debate about membership in BAP like… weekly lmfao
I had a feeling :)
Amazing! Love you Ismatu thank you and thank you to your teachers!
Thank you for blessing us with your knowledge and love!! Thank you for making it easier to imagine and create this new world ❤️🔥
thank you ismatu. well said and inspiring, again🧍🏻✨
Thank you for this. I think in light of what's been pushed to the front of our eyes in the last couple of months it's hard to feel like we're going anywhere. When there is so much pain and hurt to hold for ourselves and others, and we feel helpless to make a change, but to reminded that we have been here before. That even how we live now, was a vision, a dream, a potential, that was worked at and practiced and BELIEVED in, to make true. Thank you so much for being such a vivid reminder for that.
This is amazing, such beauty in words, attention to loving detail. I found this inspiring, I too have been blotting out with the steady flow of all I can pack in my blood stream. And feel closer and closer to needing that to end, as growth has stopped and I've ceased to exist in ways. I love the history and especially the spiritual history you tell here! Thank you for what you do. I dream of a better world, sometimes in color sometimes in dusty black and white.
You put dreams of color on paper and I see that they will become realities!
This current genocide I have some kind of hope will wake the world up into a new tomorrow. It must, the oligarchies are losing their grip they just don't know it yet.
✨💜
Ismatu, you compel me to deepen my care by digging my hand’s further into the dirt and grittiness of love. Trust that we are deeply encapsulated in the love that you planted within us and your labor is not in vain. I am so grateful for you
Thank you. Revolution as a faith based practice, as something to fight for and uphold for the promise of freedom we might not ever see, but our children and their children might get to experience. I loved your definition of freedom: "Freedom is the only kind of universal goodness I can think of— not just freedom to exist without exploitation, but freedom to commune and to build with unfettered commitment to sustainability. The freedom to belong to yourself in your own people’s tapestries and be soft; sovereign; laid to rest while still alive. The freedom to have power that does not cost anyone else anything. " I want to create that world...I have faith that we can create it.
I do sincerely apologize for not listening to this when you first came out with it. I have such a fear of confronting what's real and true and visceral and triggering, and this was all of that. It shook me awake this morning. This is revolutionary love and care in its purest form.