Post Project: Reflections by Organizers, Karen Young & Michelle Fujii

Group: The Marathon Sprint: Leadership for the Long Haul for the API (Asian/Pacific Islander) Community, facilitated by Karen Young
By: Karen Young, Re-Imagining a New World Project Organizer - Boston, MA

Group: Liberation from Internalized Racial Oppression, facilitated by Michelle Fujii
By: Michelle Fujii, Re-Imagining a New World Project Organizer - Portland, OR

A Warm Message from Karen Young, Re-Imagining Organizer: Coming into Re-Imagining a New World, I was feeling quite depleted and anxious. Addressing issues of anti-Blackness, racism, and systemic oppression were not new issues to me however what did feel new was that it seemed like the whole world was engaged and raw. I had not seen this in my lifetime and while part of me felt, ‘it’s about friggin time’ another part of me worried, ‘oh crap, we’re really going to have to talk’. No more hiding, no more being polite, no more defaulting to code switching as I was trained to do around white folks, it’s time to crack things open. I grabbed Michelle's outstretched hand and we jumped.

These past 4 weeks have been exhilarating and while the all-nighters felt physically exhausting, I felt our community stretch and grow in exciting and bold ways. Both facilitators and participants expressed they had an opportunity to share their long held thoughts openly and honestly. People new to these conversations had the space to explore and question. Michelle and I may have created the container but it was the community that held the space, we did this together. Let's not stop. Although we need to pay attention to our lives as working artists, Michelle and I look forward to seeing efforts large and small continue. Let's keep the work visible and alive. Goodbye until tomorrow!

A Closing Message from Michelle Fujii, Re-Imagining Organizer: This project was dreamt up while I was in the woods as an artist in residence in Central Oregon. Even amidst my immersion within a natural landscape, news of George Floyd’s death floated in, and I tried to keep up nonstop with many news feeds. I found myself in need of deep breaths, and then decided to completely unplug for a radical and intentional pause. Through the quiet, I meditated, reflected, replenished, mobilized, and activated. Upon my return to Portland, I hit the ground running, called Karen, and Re-Imagining a New World happened. It has been a remarkable journey…project...collaboration. I am filled with extreme gratitude to all of you.

As Toru and I have transitioned this past week to protest in the streets of Portland, I've been witnessing the complexities to keep this movement going, and I'd like to share a letter that I wrote while in the woods... 

Wednesday, June 3, 2020

I’m writing this letter tonight without the intention of sending it immediately. 

Currently communities, the news, social media feeds are filled with mobilization - protests, outrage, action plans, affinity building, resource guides. The violent actions of racism have catalyzed people into action. 

Many names to remember, condolences to families - George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbury, Breonna Taylor, Treyvon Martin, Rodney King... 

The cycle continues. 

Racism did not just happen because of one unjust experience. It’s existence has been woven so intricately and insidiously into every part of our society, nation, community, neighborhood, household. As I dig deeper into this, I have uncovered the complexity in how my own identity has been intertwined in being oppressed, but also complicit in continuing it.

I have decided to send this letter if I ever feel the moment when all this re(action) subsides - when the news finds another headline, social media posts become mundane, people start to forget. I want everyone to remember - keep doing the hard work. 

In many ways, I hope that I don’t ever have to send this letter. I want to believe that everyone will maintain the fervor of now. I truly believe continual collective awareness and sustained actions are powerful ways that we can break this cycle. 

I do not want another George Floyd to happen again. 

What are you doing now? 

We hope that you all continue this (un)learning journey, and look forward to the time when our paths will intersect. Take care and be safe.