hope seeds
“They tried to bury us, but they didn’t know we were seeds.” - A phrase used in movements across the world, influenced by poet Dinos Christianopoulos, whose language has shaped many movements today.
I asked some people, "What are the things that help you sustain hope and remain hopeful during resistance movements?"
I have a gift for you: it’s a hope seed. I have a bag. If you take one, you must promise to keep it safe and plant it. For it to grow, it needs your work, love, dedication, commitment, and hope. If you read anything, read this, please. The idea that an activist is a specific person rather than a collective movement is a lie, so please dropkick that idea out of your mind. We all have power; in the plainest language, rich people who only want riches for themselves put a lot of money into creating lies and situations that make us believe we have no power so they can keep money and power for themselves while we hide in fear. We are always stronger together. Speaking up, participating, joining, and doing your part today and every day is powerful. The reason I’m so engaged isn’t because this work is a hobby but rather because I’m human, and my soul hurts so deeply and has been shattered looking at the impact of colonialism. This is me calling you in to publicly do everything you humanly can consistently because we are humans, and it’s part of building a world that is free from the horrors of genocide and colonialism.
So again, I know it’s hard to engage with, and you know your own capacity when things are extremely overwhelming, but THIS is important, and YOU are the people that you are waiting for. We have to be part of the change, which looks like big and small sacrifices in our everyday lives and changing fundamentally as people. Join your local community resistance movement, bring supplies to your local encampment, give to some of the mutual aids linked in my bio, learn and ask questions when you lack understanding. I genuinely ask every single one of you to consider doing your part as an act of collective responsibility, love, and hope for building something new!
The Trees Are Talking Series: The Palestinian Humble Olive Tree
I love trees so much that I’m always taking their pictures, hanging out with them, watching them sway in the breeze, drawing them, talking about them, and learning about them. I’ve started the book ‘Braiding Sweetgrass’ by Robin Kimmerer, a Potawatomi botanist. The way she speaks of trees and their caretakers among the Indigenous peoples of Turtle Island deeply connects with me. The reciprocity in the give and take between trees and those they feed and support is beautifully written. Upon reading this book, I started to feel inspired as I visualized the trees Robin so carefully described. Indigenous peoples from around the world are the caretakers of the globe’s flora, fauna, and waters. Only those who view this great task as the highest form of responsibility should be trusted with protecting our earth. In this piece and the following, the root system is prominent to emphasize the communication and interconnectedness between trees from all over the world, mirroring the interdependence between resistance movements far and wide.
“The Palestinian people share an intimate bond with the olive tree, whose roots date back to thousands of years ago. To them, the olive tree symbolizes their deep connection to the land, peace, and security, while also holding a sacred status in various religious traditions. Since 1967, the Israeli occupation has been responsible for the destruction of 800,000+ olive trees through uprooting and burning, employing increasingly extreme methods such as saturating trees with wastewater and spraying toxic substances onto the roots, resulting in complete devastation.” Maha el-Sheikh
The olive trees and their Palestinian keepers carry sacred lessons, stories, and behold utmost value.
“The roots of the olive tree are from my soil and they are always fresh; Its lights are emitted from my heart and it is inspired; Until my creator filled my nerve, root and body; So, he got up while shaking its leaves due to maturity created within him.” - Fadwa Touqan, Palestinian Poet
If it wasn’t clear, free Palestine, end the occupation and return the land and the olive trees to their caretakers.
The Democratic Republic of Congo’s rainforest canopy trees:
“Tropical forests cover up to 10 percent of the land on Earth; the global climate system depends on them for rainfall and carbon sequestration and storage…The Congo Basin, stretches across 6 countries, is home to the 2nd-largest rainforest on Earth.” (Source: Waiswa & McConnell, 2019)
“The True Tropical Rainforest Canopy: The rainforest canopy is an unbroken layer of trees forming a canopy. The branches of these trees do not touch which is thought to protect from infestations insects and tree diseases. Because of this, canopy dwellers have developed the ability to negotiate gaps by climbing, leaping, gliding, or flying.” (Source: morgancongo)
The Congo Basin is full of life and home to Indigenous groups like the Baka, Mbuti, and Batwa, who have lived there for thousands of years and have a deep connection to their land. They use traditional knowledge to take care of the environment sustainably. The local word "Basandja" refers to their traditional rules for looking after the forest, water, and overall environment. Their methods, like mixing crops, rotating farming fields, and growing medicinal plants, not only help their community thrive but also keep the ecosystem strong and healthy. This is in stark contrast to some of the more harmful methods from the West. (Source: @Congofriends)
Despite the grave importance of the basin , it faces multiple forms of exploitation and neo-colonial extraction including: deforestation, mining, logging & industrialization (Source: @Congofriends)
The exploitation the Congo is facing is not limited to the basin. There is an ongoing genocide in the Congo. More than 6 million people have been killed since 1996, seven million+ people have been displaced and this number increases daily, 40, 000+ children are being forced to mine by rebel groups funded by the US, UK, EU and Israel for minerals such as Cobalt and Coltan for big tech companies (Apple, Google, Microsoft, Dell etc) & sexual violence and gender based violence is being used as a weapon of war. (Source: @tobonisacongo1 & @foreverjuicebae, @itumeleng_mpofu)
Overall, the devaluation of the Congo by Western and Northern countries has negatively impacted both the environment and the people. Listening to Congolese voices & their resistance is crucial. Although the Congo is resource-rich, this does not justify endless extraction, nor should it allow the Indigenous ways & local approaches to resource sharing to be steamrolled & overridden by countries & companies focused solely on their bottom lines.
Free Congo, uplift Congolese voices and follow their lead to end this genocide. For more updates on what is happening on the ground in Congo follow:
@congofriends
@focuscongo
@pappyorion
@foreverjuicebae
#alleyesoncongo
Sudanese Umbrella Thorn Acacia Trees:
The Umbrella Thorn Acacia tree is a plant native to Sudan, and its scientific name is Vanchellia Tortilis. The umbrella thorn acacia is a large or medium-sized tree with a flat topped canopy that forms an umbrella. (Source: WorldAtlas) It is one of the most well-known and recognizable trees in Africa. Its fully grown canopy looks like an umbrella, where the tree acquires its name. (Source: Qian, 2019)
In December 2018, a revolution in Sudan ousted the violent president Al-Bashir, aiming for democracy (Source: @mysticsalma). Though successful, a power struggle between Sudan's military (SAF) and a paramilitary group (RSF) led to a devastating war (Hamed Ali, 2024). Foreign governments, like the UAE, Russia, and Saudi Arabia, exploit & enable Sudan's instability to smuggle gold, oil, and minerals out. This conflict has killed thousands, displaced millions, and caused a severe humanitarian crisis. It is not a civil war but a "resource-exploitative, anti-revolutionary, anti-civilian, genocidal global proxy war" (Source: @mysticsalma). The influx of displaced people increases demand for scarce resources (Hamed Ali, 2024).
Moreover, this has caused problems like: rapid deforestation, depleted groundwater, over-farmed land, and overgrazed rangelands. These issues harm local ecosystems and livelihoods. (Source: UNEP, 2015)
“Climate change and deforestation mean people who once lived among trees now go to bed not knowing if their homes will be lost to the desert by morning.” (Source: McNeish, 2016)
However, the revolution never ended and the Sudanese people continue to fight for freedom, justice, peace, their lives and land. It is our collective responsibility to talk about, learn about, & support Sudanese movements.
For more updates on what is happening in Sudan and how best to support them, follow these accounts on instagram: @yousraelbagir @red_maat @mysticsalma @bsonblast @sudan.updates @yassmin_a @sudansolidaritycollective
#alleyesonsudan
#standwithsudan