One year ago, RYSE released a statement in response to the ongoing genocide happening in Gaza.
“As an organization that addresses the root causes of violence, RYSE recognizes that these same children and young adults who are facing genocide in Gaza right now were born under a longstanding colonial occupation resourced and ratified by the US. And fortified by the lies and slander of the mainstream media against oppressed peoples everywhere, from Richmond to Gaza.”
In remembrance, grief, love and rage, RYSE continues to stand in solidarity with Palestine through our words, actions, and spaces.
Grief Space & Teach-In
Our Clinical team hosted a Grief Space for RYSE staff. There were three art and writing based activities for staff to tap in and alchemize grief and rage, and tend to their needs prior to member programming.
““RYSE is deeply involved and invested in community. Not just in Richmond but within our global community as well. It is imperative we hold healing spaces in order to facilitate, process, support and acknowledge the systemic trauma which is occurring globally and make space for true healing. Healing happens in community where we are able to witness and be seen.
Healing spaces provide the ability for us to take off the facade, and be transparent with the pain we experience without judgment or shame. It is a space of love and acceptance.” ”
Palestinian Cooking w/ Food Justice Cohort
RYSE members collaborated with RYSE alumni and program facilitator Jenabi Pareja to cook Palestinian dish, sfeeha or an open-faced meat pie.
Guest facilitator physician and herbalist, Emiliano (resident doctor at Lifelong Medical), led the Food Justice Cohort to teach them about medicinal foods. Together they made zataar, which is a spice blend that is popular in Middle Eastern countries including Palestine, and has multiple healing properties.
Screenprinting with APEN for Palestinian Youth Movement
RYSE joined Asian Pacific Environmental Network’s (APEN) screenprinting event to raise funds for Palestinian Youth Movement’s (PYM) important work in the Bay area. The Bay area chapter of PYM has held down the work of organizing and creating spaces and actions for community to plug in, to show up in solidarity with Palestine. This fundraiser was a small effort to support and sustain the work of the Bay area chapter of PYM.
Here are more resources on how to stand in solidarity with Palestine:
Solidarity Actions & Events: araborganizing.org/events/
Weekly PSA’s (Palestinian Solidarity Announcements):
RISE Up for Palestine Resources: bit.ly/RiseUp4PalestineResources
Let’s Talk Palestine: One Year of Genocide Fact Sheet: bit.ly/ltp-gaza