Oct 29, 2009

New video by/about the Nonviolent Peaceforce



One of the interesting things about the nonviolent peaceforce is that they recruit from around the world and have half, or it seems often more, people of color on their teams. Frustratingly this video does not mention this, or how this changes the dynamics of accompaniment. Rather less surprisingly they also don't mention the recent kidnapping of one of their (person of color) team members in Mindanao. Umar Jaleel was kindapped from February to June of 2009.

Oct 25, 2009

storytelling for solidarity



Right after I was bemoaning the lack of accompaniment blogs one such blog really took off! The slideshow above is only one small bit of many days of fabulous storytelling about this truly inspiring minga (mobilization/work action). The links to the other days of minga entries are on the right on that blog - well worth checking out! This kind of storytelling not only weaves our connections, but can help us hold each other - it moves us to take actions with and for each other, for our safety and well being. Fantastic work!

Oct 11, 2009

where have all the accompanier bloggers gone?


I have a blogroll on the sidebar of blogs by folks serving as international protective accompaniers in Colombia, but blog posting has been verrry slow lately! Some of the folks who set up these blogs have left the country, but I've left their blogs here because their old posts are still fantastic. But some I know are still in the country, and seem to have just lost steam. Come on guys! Your story telling work is so important!

I truly believe much of the safety in solidarity is built through stories. Working (far too slowly) on a chapter of the dissertation about this. But meanwhile, hoping people will post more and wondering if there are new blogs out there of new accompaniers that I don't know about? If so, please let me know. Would also be happy to start a section of blogs of accompaniers in other countries, so if you know of any of those, would love those links. Meanwhile, the three most active blogs from accompaniers in Colombia these days are here, here and here.

The cute kid pic with this post is of kids in the peace community of San Jose, from Moira's latest post. which she also got published in alternative media! fantastic! Many many of the other posts I've been reading by accompaniers could do double duty like this, but accompaniers also shouldn't feel like a blog post has to be this gelled or coherent. Even scattered images and impressions do great work to help us not there with you keep feeling connected. Keep writing! It really does great work for building solidarity, and increasing safety.

Oct 4, 2009

shopping while black re-enactment



A re-enactment not meant to foster solidarity, but point out how little of it there is. Thanks to Jason Woods for this one!