Dear generative somatics (gs) community,
The scale, spread and resolve of uprisings in response to the murder of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, Tony McDade and countless others is
powerful and necessary
.
We are living in unprecedented times, with uprisings spreading across the country and globe amidst a pandemic.
We are in an opening that is calling for us to enter with all our dignity and move towards what we care about
.
We stand in solidarity with, and follow the lead of, organizers across the country against anti-Black racism and in support of the Movement for Black Lives’ demands to #DefundThePolice and #DefendBlackLife.
We affirm Black life
.
We are all feeling the increased pressure of this moment. We are galvanized by the growing and steadfast mobilization of folks on the ground. We see you and we feel you. We feel grief and rage. We feel disappointment and despair. We feel power and hope.
gs is committed to the fight for Freedom from Political Repression and State Violence (see our
Strategic Priority areas
), including ending militarized and racist policing, criminalization of dissent, targeted detention, and surveillance. All of these forms of repression (and more) have been incredibly visible this week. As the veil over white supremacy and state repression continues to lift, we witness how our communities are targeted - particularly Black bodies - on the frontlines.
In the midst of this we are building, connecting, and winning. Achieving gains that felt distant a few days ago, like the Minneapolis public school system breaking its contract with the Minneapolis Police Department and other organized groups of young people, parents and advocates building on decades of work to push toward a police-free future.
Moments like this call for embodied leadership that allow us to feel ourselves, each other and the life around us. To clearly assess “what is” in order to effectively strategize, coordinate and move powerfully toward our vision and commitments. In these moments of heightened pressure, intentional practice and cultivating a community of practice allows us to feel, be present in the moment, and take action aligned with what we care about.
Practice allows us to connect, ground and resource ourselves for the long haul
. Right now, practitioners from the generative somatics Practitioner Network (gsPN) are coordinating to offer immediate support to folks on the frontlines around the country.
In the streets - we are with you. In healing trauma - we are with you.
In imagining and building a radically different world - we are with you
. In this ongoing struggle for our collective liberation - we are with you.
Thank you for being on path with us,
The generative somatics staff and board
