Reality Had Other Plans

At the Interfaith Action for Palestine
in DC in early July.

"It is just as important--more important actually--to fight for those who have no fame, clout, privilege, following, or access. This thankless, invisible work is essential to any struggle for liberation." - Dr. Cherise Burden-Stelly, Professor of African-American Studies, Wayne State University 

In our last update, we made the bold commitment to start sending shorter, more frequent updates. That was four months ago. We are realizing that reality had other plans for the summer. 

Our accompaniment work and writing ramped up, even as we cris-crossed the continent. On the night of his Aunt Vic’s memorial service, Tommy literally took a red-eye from Seattle to Washington DC to join Lindsay in their work at the Interfaith Action for Palestine. 

We’ve made several cultural pivots this season, which always comes with a blurry blend of exhilaration and disorientation. We love that we get to do this work. And yet, we have struggled to communicate with our network of support on a more consistent basis! 

Please forgive our delay and this summer photo dump – and pray that we will get our update groove back!

Tom's Mom turned 80!!!!

Lindsay's Mom came out to Detroit for the
People's Conference for Palestine!

We had a Detroit picnic on July 4th with 
Sarah, Jonathan, Belén, and our new friend Troy :)

                                     

With the Nilsen-Goodins in Portland.

All of these Aireys gathered to
celebrate the life of Aunt Vic in Seattle.

With Capo big man Josh Garrett in Washington.

Protesting the annual CUFI (Christians United for Israel), conference in D.C.
CUFI, founded and led by White Christian Nationalist Rev. John Hagee (infamous for not only his unapologetic White Christian Nationalism and antisemitism, but also for framing Hurricane Katrina as God’s judgment on the “the gays”). CUFI boasts over 11 million members in the States, making it the largest Israel lobby in the U.S.
To learn more about how the Christian Zionism of CUFI is not only the leading, U.S.-based religious Zionist force responsible for funding and waging the genocide of Palestinians, but also a threat to the freedom of us all (esp those of us who fall outside of it’s White Christian Nationalist vision for what it is actively influencing & lobbying our electeds to shape our nation, and globe, into)—read a more detailed account of Christian Zionism from this archived entry on Tommy’s weekly substack!

We shut down the cafeteria at the congressional office buildings in DC.
Because if Gaza can't eat, Congress shouldn't eat!
To read a more detailed reflection on this powerful weekend,
read Tommy’s account here!

Hanky Detweiler sharing secrets with Lindsay in Bend, OR.

The fourteen-hour drive from Oregon to OC.

Heading to the beach with the feral nephews.

    Pre-marital counseling with
Mike and Cait De Mott Grilliams (top).
Pre-wedding time in the flower garden
with the mother-of-the-bride (bottom).

At the altar in Ithaca, NY.

Fresh tatts with friends in Ferndale (top).
Beach strolls + burgers w/ buds by the beach (middle).
Celebrating w/ kindreds
at Cait's weddings (bottom).

Welcoming home two members of the Handala Freedom Flotilla!

Local hometown hero and international human rights’ attorney, Huwaida Arraf (top), 

being received by a small contingent of Detroiters,

after her month away, post-being illegally abducted + detained by the Israeli military

in international waters, while sailing on a humanitarian mission

to break the illegal siege on Gaza by delivering life-saving aid.

Christian Smalls (selfie with Lindsay’s Mom, bottom), 

successful organizer + founder of the first Amazon Labor Union in the U.S.,

and TIME Magazine Person-of-the-Year (2022),

was also abducted, detained, assaulted, and held in an Israeli prison,

as a member of the Handala Freedom Flotilla.

Smalls was the only Black member of the Handala,

and the only member who was assaulted 

by Israeli forces upon their abduction.

……………………….

To conclude...

Here is one big photo dump,

in no particular order,

of (just some! we mostly forgot to take pics :/) 

of the many many Beloved people + places we were blessed to 

weave, 

commune, 

organize, 

play, 

sit, 

walk, 

stand, 

witness, 

strategize,

dance,

discern,

weap, 

laugh,

learn,

listen,

deepen,

delight,

and BE with 

over the last several months…

Last photo:

Lindsay letting her hair down at the shore,

just south of Myrtle Beach,

during one of our nightly evening strolls...

while celebrating our 20-year-wedding anniversary!!!

(8 months later)

                                                        We head into Fall TIRED of body.

                                                                          But FULL of…

                                                                                                      Heart.

                                                                          Mind.

                                                                                           Spirit.

                                                             And with prayers of gratitude,

                                           for this grounding + focusing “back to school” season.

                                                                    And of grief + lament,

                                                alongside a world groaning for healing and liberation.

                                                      May we all be the participants in making it so! 

Parties, Podcasts, Planting Seeds, Protests and Play

"The opposite of rich is not poor; it's free." - Rev. Lynice Pinkard

In our last update, we said that we wanted to send out shorter posts more frequently. We've faltered in that mission. But in this Spring update, we will offer fewer words and more faces - and commit to sending out another update before the Summer Solstice! 

Not Normal

Peter NG leading us in song at our 10-Year Party.

It’s high time we who believe in a world beyond endless cycles of violence stop trying to play by the rules that are stacked against us anyway. It’s time we stop trying to be right, perfect, or even “good,” and instead do what is needed. It’s time we stop waiting for someone to come and save us, and instead send out our own signal. One that is unwavering. One that blatantly declares that we will not let each other face these incoming long, dark, and difficult times alone. One that makes the bold statement that we will do whatever it takes to keep the soul of ourselves and this world intact. – Chani Nicholas, excerpt from 01.22.25 Newsletter 

--------------------------------

A few months ago, we celebrated with friends and former colleagues in Orange County to mark the ten-year anniversary of moving from Southern California to Southeast Michigan in August 2014. Our sister Kristen organized the event in my mom’s backyard. It was immaculate. 

We raised a glass and ate tacos and shared a few stories. Members of our board testified from the mic. Our friend Peter flew down from Portland to celebrate and play popular tunes on his ukulele. We were bathing in beloved community. 

Since our party, we’ve experienced a lot of heaviness. The election. The wildfires. The Nazi salute Inauguration. The flurry of fascist executive orders. The ongoing terrorizing of the occupied Palestinian territories. Honestly, it feels like things are spiraling out of control. It makes a lot of sense that despair, depression, denial and controlling behavior are seeping out all over the place. 

At the end of 2024, my friend Deni and I were texting. Deni was one of my favorite principals at Capistrano Valley High School. In our thread, Deni lamented that, these days, many well-meaning Americans are feeling absolutely overwhelmed with everything that is going on. She asked this: 

If you could advise one thing that everyone should do in the coming year to help the overall state of the U.S., what would it be? 

I immediately thought back to the day before George Floyd was murdered in 2020. Detroit pastor Rev. Roslyn Bouier got on a zoom church service that Lindsay and I were facilitating from Bend, Oregon. We were in the middle of the lock-down portion of the covid-19 pandemic. Rev. Roz told a dozen of us that our goal should not be about getting back to normal. Because “normal is overrated.”