Rooted
In the land of olives, its people need every single one of us.
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LISTENING: "under oppression, walking feels like attempting to run in water"
FEELING: tired and inspired and heartbroken and angry and homesick
SEEING: my own reflection in my hotel mirror
There's lots I want to say, but I can't. Not yet. I return home soon. There's lots of news: tariffs and airstrikes and death. I'm still processing.
In the meantime, I have a poem for you all. Find it at the end of the newsletter (usually reserved only for paid subscribers but not today).
I'll have so much more to share in the weeks to come. What I can say is that the connection between climate justice and Palestine has never been clearer. Those of us in the U.S. must carry our responsibility to confront risk and fear and do more. We can't keep failing Gaza and the West Bank and all the occupied territories. 🌀
The Planet Poster Awards are back! Submit a poster design for a chance to win €1000 and for your poster to be published in the next issue of Icarus Complex Magazine.
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Rest in Power
While we can't say for certain that climate change led to these specific weather events (we need attribution studies for that), we do know that the Earth's rising temperatures are already creating more frequent and/or stronger disasters like these.
The U.S. has been having some wild weather: tornadoes and floods. Across states like Kentucky and Tennessee, at least 23 people have died.
The death toll from the California wildfires went up to 30 after human remains were discovered last week. Wow. : (
Currently Reading
For The Guardian, Katharine Gammon writes about the wildlife crossing being built in L.A. I really needed this story.
From Aaron Rabinowitz on antisemitism for Longreads: "My mother’s tattoo is a reminder of what she has survived. My mother’s tattoo is a tiny blue dot. My mother’s tattoo is our planet seen from a great distance. My mother’s tattoo is all that we have."
Poetry
I'm rooted in the land of olives
where hearts grow on trees
the empire rips them off the branches
and burns down the leaves
will the ashes fertilize the morning seeds?
and be carried by the wind—
the wind whose whistles howl
through the valleys and villages?
the women wear these tatreez patterns
around their heads and over their knees
the stitches mimic the land
the fabrics rustle with the breeze
I'm rooted in the land of olives
where the trees beat with hope
they drip with blood
yet I can't outrun
the feeling rising in my throat—
I'm sorry, I'm sorry
I repeat
but no apology
can save the trees or the seeds
I'm rooted in the land of olives
where hearts grow on trees
I ripped out mine
and left it behind
I buried my bleeding heart
with the rocks and the clay
I surrendered it to the sacred soil that feeds
-ylf-
Stay tuned next week once I'm home and safe. xx
- Yessenia