1 June, 2020
The law of Saturn decrees that “unlearned lessons” are re-presented within a cycle of 29 years.
The murder of George Floyd on May 25th, 2020, occurred nearly 29 years to the day after the American justice system failed to administer justice when Rodney King was badly beaten by five LA police officers, all of whom were acquitted of criminal charges, despite a graphic, 12-minute video recording.
Black lives taken at the hands of over-zealous police are just as ghoulishly common in the US now as they were then, as officer after officer escapes accountability in the face of video evidence. This has been hideously demonstrated by the murder of George Floyd.
But the subsequent demonstrations of global solidarity tell a different story.
The turn of the wheel of Saturn has shifted us into the Aquarian Age, which is characterized by the collapse of old hierarchies as all our societal pillars are placed under the microscope of review. This includes the notions of justice, equality and common unity that we collectively demand are applied unilaterally irrespective of race, religion, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status.
The violence and outrage we have seen over the past week in the protests throughout the US from the dispossessed, the disenfranchised, the exploited, and the alienated simply reflects our collective lack of care, inclusion, and recognition of our fellow brothers and sisters.
Our Pledges to the Black Community (so far)
We stand for justice, we stand for equality, we stand for an end to the systemic violence against Black Americans that has existed for the last four centuries, and an end to the violence that plagues the Black trans community, even as other, whiter, more gender-normative segments of the LGBTQIA+ community enter the mainstream and start enjoying the rights won by the protest movements that Black trans folks started. Just as we believe we must all do our part as individuals to constantly and actively combat racism and anti-blackness, and to use our privilege to make space for those who have been unjustly relegated to the sidelines of the system, we believe it is especially important to do so as members of the yogic community - which far too often functions as a predominantly white space, despite its roots in India.
We pledge to start (but not stop) addressing this issue within our own microcosm in the following ways:
We pledge to listen. If you are a Black yogi or a prospective student who has felt excluded by white spaces in the yoga world, and has the energy to let us know how we can make our spaces feel safer and more inclusive, we would love to know.
We pledge to help however we can to make the yoga community more inclusive and accessible to BIPOC. We understand there are a number of other potential barriers that might prevent a person from engaging in yogic practice. While we do not own or manage our own studio, we will do what we can to make our classes and trainings more accessible to Black yogis and yogis of color, economically or otherwise, by sharing resources and interfacing with the studios who host us on their behalf.
We pledge to keep learning and supporting. We can't put it any better than so many Black journalists, authors, and activists already have, so we are including a list of links below to meaningful articles, books, and organizations to donate to that will directly support Black lives, causes, and businesses.
We simultaneously urge white yogis to also ask themselves: how have I contributed, however inadvertently, to making the yoga world a predominantly “white” space? and how can I actively contribute to ending this?
We, as white people and non-Black allies, will fumble. We will make mistakes as we learn how to better show our support. But we cannot be afraid of making mistakes, of learning, but rather of the consequences of our inaction.
Breonna Taylor. Ahmaud Arbery. George Floyd. Tony McDade. And so many others. We will continue to say their names. We will continue to be involved in this fight. Black America, we see you, we grieve with you, we love you. We welcome your thoughts.
Black lives matter. Black healing matters.
READ
How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi
How to Be an Antiracist Zoom Study Group RSVP - With the author!
So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo
“Pride Is and Always Was About Rebellion, This Year More Than Ever,” George M. Johnson, THEM
“American Nightmare,” Ibram X. Kendi, The Atlantic
WATCH, LISTEN, SUPPORT
“The 1619 Project” is a 2019 NY Times podcast by Nikole Hannah-Jones about how slavery was woven into the fabric of American society from the arrival of the first slave ship through today.
Watch films by Black filmmakers
The Criterion Channel has taken down the paywall for many films by seminal Black filmmakers, so even those without subscriptions can watch.
Support Black Businesses & Restaurants
This VICE list links to many spreadsheets compiling Black-owned food businesses from around the US, but also includes some links for Canada, Europe, and the UK at the bottom!
DONATE
One of the foremost organizations fighting against racial discrimination since 1909.
Black-, trans-, queer-led Minnesota organization committed to the pursuit of dignity and equality for all, and to dismantling violent and oppressive systems.
Organization helping post bail for those who can't afford it. Also accepts various cryptocurrency and stock donations.
Black Trans Femme in the Arts Collective
Connecting the community of black trans women and non-binary femmes in the arts & building power amongst.
Homeless Black Trans Women Fund
Trans women of color are the most vulnerable among us, and the backbone of virtually all activist movements. #BlackTransLivesMatter. This organization helps provide cell phones and safe housing for Black trans women who are sex workers and/or homeless in Atlanta.
This is actually a list from the MN organizing group of other community organizations to whom you can donate.
Advocacy organization committed to fighting bigotry and injustice.