Kardia Kaiomenē: Pivoting, Grieving, Facilitating

Eastside Detroit

If we loved ourselves enough, we could change the world over night.
Valerie Burris, Detroit, MI

(for more on Val's life and wisdom, see Lindsay's short piece from a couple years back)

We are back in Oregon after two weeks of travel to Detroit. We were leading a team of young leaders interviewing mentors and elders for a documentary exploring the intersection of faith and activism. August was a month of pivoting from hosting friends, to being hosted by family & friends across the country, to grieving with family, to facilitating dialogue. We spent most of the month away from "home." We struggle to find the words to describe all we experienced. So we offer these snapshots to represent the intensity of grief and gratitude as we soak in, and find some recovery, during these final days of the summer season.

Back in our old Detroit neighborhood with Kateri Boucher who is
co-leading the transition of the Day House Catholic Worker.
Kateri and Lindsay were just seeing each other for the first time here:
amazed at their propensity for #twinning ;)

Marian Kramer and her daughter Carolyn Baker.
Marian shared stories for the documentary.
She learned to drive a car fleeing the KKK while she
courageously participated in the Civil Rights Movement.

We connected with Rev. Roslyn Bouier who runs a food pantry for residents surviving chronic unemployment, illegal tax foreclosures, inhumane water shutoffs and much more. As neighbors walked in for weekly portions of pasta, canned goods and bottled water, she organically sermonized about the dire need to “disrupt the text” that pastors manipulate to justify injustice. In word and deed, she confronts old-school organized religion that “preaches foolishness” about heaven while billions are catching hell right here. Rev. Roz is what it looks like when Steadfast Love is embodied in a real life struggle.

(pc: Jeannette Ban, Team Member/Poet/Wise Seer/Deep Listener/Get 'er Doner Extraordinaire)

The team posing with Debra Taylor and Monica Lewis-Patrick
of We The People of Detroit.
(pc: Daniel Castillo, Team Videographer and Documentary-making genius...
...and too many other things to name!, pictured far right)

We got the opportunity to shift water with veteran co-founder of We The People of Detroit, dear friend and mentor, and Director of the water hotline and delivery team: Cecily McClellan.

(pc: Jeannette Ban)

Lindsay got to talk shop and get up to speed on where the hotline and delivery finds itself these days: still delivering water to some of the same families who were shut off/delivered to years ago. Many have gotten their water back on...only to have it shut off again, and again, and again. It's a vicious cycle. Which is why WTPD, and wider coalition around water affordability in Detroit, continue to work hard to organize and fight for water affordability at the local and state levels. Upwards of 10k to 15k Detroit households were slotted for shutoff this summer alone.

Monica Lewis-Patrick, CEO of WTPD, was confident they are finding new leveraging points all the time, getting them always steps closer to seeing water affordability materialize as a reality at the State level.

May it be so.

May those with the deciding power do their jobs.

And may the rest of not rest raising our voices, connecting dots and telling truth.

Tom interviewing Monica and Debra.

(pc: Jeanette Ban)

These legends had our team prodded and synapses firing with stories of long-suffering organizing, inspiring reserves of political strategizing, Beloved Community-weaving, and deep spiritual wells that keep them stepping in this current protracted struggle for water affordability - for the Beloved people of Detroit, of Michigan, and of all the concentric circles outward, whose right to affordable and clean water is increasingly at risk in our country and around the globe.

Jim Perkinson, sharing some spoken word after giving
the team his legendary, DEEP framing tour of Detroit.

Post-tour-pre-interview pupusas in Southwest Detroit!

...and lest you worry...

we also had A LOT of after-hours fun :)

(was there any doubt?)

Enjoy these outtakes!

Post-Debrief, saying goodbye to this Beloved Team!

Josh Lopez-Reyes (Center), lead organizer of this project, who along with Tommy, did all the behind-the-scenes organizing, trouble-shooting, and heavy lifting (both months before the trip as well as on-the-ground) in order to make this dream immersion experience and project a reality.

(pc for all above photos: Lola West, Team Mascot/Lindsay's IG Story Guru/Interviewer Extraordinaire/Jack-of-Too-Many-Trades-to-Name)

A special thanks to ALL, some of whom are featured below (many of you who are not), who helped us to keep pace, keep heads above water, and metabolize the firehose of grief, loss, gratitude, and beauty this month brought our way...

Tawarnahiooks.
Grateful for the holding of this River. She is so sacred, nurturing, constant, fierce, wise, protecting, mysterious in her depths and breadth, and merciful to provide holding for so much, even us.