Strong Voice, Strong Movement
Another waning moon day, another day of US-backed live-streamed genocide. AAAAAAHHHHHHHHH Screaming is literally central to my well-being right now, what else is the appropriate response to this? At least when I’m screaming I’m breathing.
The last month the NYPD has been confiscating sound amplifying equipment at protests and using this as a pretense to arrest organizers. Across the U.S. and world, people using their voices to call for Palestinian freedom & to end the genocide have faced violence, job loss, doxxing, harassment, and more.
Why are our voices so threatening? Because our voices can tear down the illusions necessary to colonialism.
Colonization requires the illusion of the colonizer’s humanity. Colonizers need to be seen as morally superior while committing horrifying acts; this is why they have to grossly, systematically dehumanize the other. Right now so many Americans are realizing the U.S. and Israeli governments have no humanity, are not buying the attempts to dehumanize Palestinians, and instead are adding their voices to the resistance— the ripple effect is electrifying.
Many voices have been part of shattering the illusion that gave Israel impunity for war crimes the last 75 years. Most central have been the on the ground journalists, documenting the genocide while trying to survive and protect their families. At least 94 journalists & media workers have died in Palestine since October 7th, and 24 have been arrested.
Often I can hear NYC protests from a few blocks away— buildings bopping with energy. Chants float in from the distance, and people start lifting their faces out of their phones, trying to find the source of the echoes. This wild body made up of wild bodies, attracting our scattered energy, teaching us how to harmonize and make waves.
Many fool themselves into thinking their voice has no power, so why bother risking it? To that I say: it doesn't matter whether you think your voice has power. Clearly every person, system, institution, company trampling your words finds them threatening. Suspend your doubt long enough to see their fear.
I don’t know what our path forward is, but I know voice is going to be an essential ingredient— both physical voice and voice in general as expression.
Voice is a tremendous force for healing, both internal and external. It’s deeply tied to our protection responses, and by toning the vagus nerve (aka “well-being nerve”) with vocal exercises, we can calm overactive stress responses and restore ease to the body. Voice is part of how we create shared meaning, process, and transform our world. All of our voices are needed, at their full strength and clarity.
This Friday at 7:30pm EST join me for Strong Voice, Strong Movement, a 1-hour workshop for activists to prep for Saturday, the March 2nd global day of action. Breathwork & vocalizing to prep body, energy, and voice.
PLEASE show up March 2nd in whatever ways you can, find a local protest here, and here are protest safety tips. Get as many people as you can! Remember that protests are collective healing and power building rituals, even if you don’t believe it’s making an impact, show up for the change it create in your psyche and body.
~to liberation together