31 MAG 2024 · Join Layla K. Feghali of River Rose Remembrance & Iman Labanieh of Baylasan Botanicals for a timely conversation about Layla's newly released book, https://www.riverroseremembrance.com/book-page. Highlighting lineages of herbal resilience, diasporic stewardship, and unraveling the rippling impacts of colonial violence on our earth and communities, this book about people and traditions of the Levant offers relevant fodder to grapple with the dire times we are in. As organizers and herbalists with roots in Lebanon & Syria, the ongoing genocide in Gaza has been particularly heavy on our hearts and minds. Many of us have shifted our practices to respond to the needs of this moment including organizing, fundraising, and providing political education. It is our hope that this conversation will provide generative insight into more practical wisdom for action in our local and care-taking communities — for Palestine and beyond. Connect with Layla https://www.riverroseremembrance.com/ & https://www.instagram.com/riverroseremembrance/ Connect with Iman https://www.baylasanbotanicals.com/ & https://www.instagram.com/baylasanbotanicals/ Direct aid to families surviving genocide and displacement https://givebutter.com/c/river2sea

30 MAG 2024 · https://www.weriseproduction.com/crosspollination is a block party series created by We Rise Production with the purpose of strengthening and deepening existing connections and initiating new ones, after the changing culture and community landscape Oakland experienced in years of social distancing and pandemic. Our themes will deepen into an exploration of how WE TAKE CARE OF US. We Take Care of Us is a phrase that comes out of BIPOC-led community spaces dedicated to the practice of mutual aid & abolition as a strategy for long-term collective wellbeing. We use this phrase intentionally to lift up & carry forward this invitation in our own communities as we crosspollinate. We use the word “emergent” – in part drawing on adrienne maree brown’s https://www.akpress.org/emergentstrategy.html – to signify that these organizations’ work reflects a vision they are each stewarding of collective liberation. We Rise is committed to offering free education and raising awareness on important community work and causes through live events and cultural production. This series of seasonal intercommunity block parties will cultivate cross-pollination of intergenerational and intersectional identities coming together to learn about & support social justice, community safety, local businesses, & celebrate our artistic abundance. Opening prayer with https://www.wellnesspromoters.net/communal-healing Poetry by https://www.dariussimpson.com/ of People’s Programs Panel Moderator Yemi from https://www.peoplesprograms.com/ Panelists: James Birch, Deputy Director, https://www.antipoliceterrorproject.org/ Dr. Cesar Cruz, Co-Founder https://www.homiesempowerment.com/, Founding Principal https://homieshighschool.org/our-school-design/ Delency Parham, Co-Founder, https://www.peoplesprograms.com/ Sound Tech: Frank Sterling aka http://www.kpfaapprentice.org/, with assistance from http://www.kpfaapprentice.org/ Music: Quantic - Cumbia Sobre el Mar, El Buho Remix Gingee - Gong Spirits Mos Def - UMI SaysLowkey - Free Palestine (Instrumental) Get involved! Learn more & connect at https://www.weriseproduction.com/crosspollination Become an event https://www.weriseproduction.com/sponsor-crosspollination! Support this vital work on https://www.patreon.com/werise & https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/weriseproduction

16 NOV 2023 · Join Gloria Lucas of Nalgona Positivity Pride & Luca Yacón of Radically Fit Oakland in this enlightening & heart-to-heart discussion diving deep into the realms of Harm Reduction, Eating Disorders, & Body Movement. This thought-provoking conversation is an exploration of:⁠
 - Harm Reduction Strategies
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 - Personal Eating Disorder Journey
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 - Body Movement and Acceptance
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 - Decolonial approaches & navigating whiteness in the Medical Industrial Complex LINKS Follow @NalgonaPositivityPride on IG for more non-conventional eating disorder support. https://www.nalgonapositivitypride.com/ Follow @RadicallyFitOakland for QTBIPOC communtiy rooted in fat liberation + joyful movement. https://www.radicallyfitoakland.com/ MUSIC samples from Combo Chimbita https://combochimbita.com/ TRANSCRIPT coming soon!

29 AGO 2023 · Born and raised in the Bay, Iranian-American singer-songwriter Adrienne Shamszad hops on the mic and shares her voice with We Rise listeners, debuting her first full-length album in 15 years: Wash It All Away! Adrienne's music is dedicated to our collective liberation - and is an intimate incantation of her heart. Equal parts silly and heartfelt, Cat and Adrienne get into it on this episode of the We Rise podcast, and share some new jams from Wash It All Away, both live (and spontaneous!) and from the album. From Adrienne: "The creation of this album has been a process of making peace with myself, and embracing the life I have now. It is allowing me to let go of a lot that has been holding me back, and grieve the loss of what the passage of time takes from all of us. A beautiful outcome of this transformation is that I have found a way to make use of the old dreams that never bloomed; they have become compost for the new dreams that are thriving. It is also my life story. The story of longing for true connection, falling in love, catching glimpses of God, and it’s a story of surrender. I hope hope hope these songs will resonate with YOU." For more! Album release show Aug 31: https://secure.thefreight.org/12814/adrienne-shamszad Adrienne's website: https://adrienneshamszad.com/ BandCamp: https://adrienneshamszad.bandcamp.com/album/a-new-life Adrienne's Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/adrienneshamszad

28 AGO 2023 · Somos Semillas, We Are Seeds: A Podcast about Indigenous Sovereignty & Collective Storytelling This creative collaboration with indigenous poet & scholar Erika Murcia invites us to explore inquiries about living with greater purpose, presence & rootedness. EP 5: Sacred Rainbows, Weaving Our Crossroads In this bonus episode Cat, Erika, & nicky gather round on Nahuatl, Ohlone & Chinook lands to reflect on the making of Somos Semillas, how their ancestors guide their creative processes, and they share a little preview of their next offering... coming this autumn! As always, there are laughter and tears along the way. Stay tuned for Autumn launch by the equinox! LINKS Episode transcript: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1EJgvzyqOU1EjHrnbyL54Wsw7ACIpemeSXUVVWhy8884/edit?usp=sharing Our theme song of this podcast series is Sumergirse by @La.Clave.de.Sol Connect with us atweriseproduction[at]protonmail[dot]me, and follow us on Facebook & Instagram at weriseproduction, & on twitter at WeRise Producers. Connect with Erika Murcia at https://linktr.ee/Mujeryselva Podcast Art by @NicoleGervacio

4 LUG 2023 · Somos Semillas, We Are Seeds: A Podcast about Indigenous Sovereignty & Collective Storytelling This creative collaboration with indigenous poet & scholar Erika Murcia invites us to explore inquiries about living with greater purpose, presence & rootedness. EP 4: Sacred Winds, Returning to our Power of Shedding In this episode Erika, nicky & Cat are joined by dancer and creator of healing spaces for healthcare providers, Dr. Uzo Nwankpa, to discuss the power of winds, and how this element shows up in our bodies, our human relationships, and our ancestral relationships with land. LINKS Episode transcript: https://docs.google.com/document/d/164XnegLb2ZmaGKWdam-SQlEsY6p2iYyGtHQraHYc-Ak/edit?usp=sharing Our theme song of this podcast series is Sumergirse by @La.Clave.de.Sol Connect with us atweriseproduction[at]protonmail[dot]me, and follow us on Facebook & Instagram at weriseproduction, & on twitter at WeRise Producers. Connect with Erika Murcia at https://linktr.ee/Mujeryselva Connect with Dr. Uzo Nwankpa: http://www.wellnesspromoters.net/ & http://www.theuzo.com/ & on IG @UzoNwankpa & @wellness_promoters Podcast Art by @NicoleGervacio Mia Mingus blog post: https://leavingevidence.wordpress.com/2022/01/16/you-are-not-entitled-to-our-deaths-covid-abled-supremacy-interdependence/

7 GIU 2023 · Somos Semillas, We Are Seeds: A Podcast about Indigenous Sovereignty & Collective Storytelling This creative collaboration with indigenous poet & scholar Erika Murcia invites us to explore inquiries about living with greater purpose, presence & rootedness. EP 3: Sacred Fires, Returning to our Sexual Creativity In this episode Erika, nicky & Cat are joined by healer, steward, and guardian Ember Phoenix to discuss the element of fire, and how its sacred force shows up in our communities, relationships, bodies, and more. LINKS Episode transcript: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1oV_r9DCxiCeXwVYvcnicifovp4HiQlNf6mZz-8Wkpsg/edit?usp=sharing Our theme song of this podcast series is Sumergirse by @La.Clave.de.Sol Connect with us atweriseproduction[at]protonmail[dot]me, and follow us on Facebook & Instagram at weriseproduction, & on twitter at WeRise Producers. Connect with Erika Murcia at https://linktr.ee/Mujeryselva Connect with Ember Phoenix @SoulThriveApothecary & @MelaninRising.Co. Podcast Art by @NicoleGervacio

23 MAG 2023 · From Queer & Well's Earth Day event: A panel with Christina Chase of National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance (NAAFA) & Cat Brooks of Anti Police Terror Project (APTP), moderated by Layel Camargo When we think about communal care it is vital that we talk about the ways in which we take care of each other as queer and trans Black and brown folks. How do we show up for one another in a time when we are fighting to keep ourselves alive against capitalism & white supremacy? Join us for a panel discussion on what it looks like to build community infrastructures & relationships that will help sustain us and keep us moving forward. https://radicallyfitoakland.us12.list-manage.com/track/click?u=012e0c36293c0bfa211f38252&id=3d6c8ef678&e=e2dee741d1(she/her) is a superfat black and disabled creative problem solver who is passionate about equity, inclusion, and intersectional fat liberation. Christina is the Governance Chair of https://radicallyfitoakland.us12.list-manage.com/track/click?u=012e0c36293c0bfa211f38252&id=9a1e4b717e&e=e2dee741d1and brings a delightful enthusiasm to fat activist work. She holds a Master of Arts in Education, and is highly skilled in organizational learning, community building, and professional development training. In her free time Christina loves reading science fiction, playing board games, and slaying at karaoke. https://radicallyfitoakland.us12.list-manage.com/track/click?u=012e0c36293c0bfa211f38252&id=dee23e7ee8&e=e2dee741d1https://radicallyfitoakland.us12.list-manage.com/track/click?u=012e0c36293c0bfa211f38252&id=e9f020bd47&e=e2dee741d1https://radicallyfitoakland.us12.list-manage.com/track/click?u=012e0c36293c0bfa211f38252&id=51cd88ae20&e=e2dee741d1is host of Law & Disorder on KPFA and a long-time performer, organizer, and activist. She played a central role in the struggle for justice for Oscar Grant, and spent the last decade working with impacted communities and families to rapidly respond to police violence and radically transform the ways our communities are policed and incarcerated. She is the co-founder of the https://radicallyfitoakland.us12.list-manage.com/track/click?u=012e0c36293c0bfa211f38252&id=5aca79cb30&e=e2dee741d1 and the Executive Director of The Justice Teams Network. Cat was also the runner-up in Oakland’s 2018 mayoral election, facing incumbent Libby Schaaf. LINKS https://docs.google.com/document/d/1iU7EqdwCPR-fJTk01wadIq2eKl63rQlJfDA2vUJcgGA/edit?usp=sharing https://www.radicallyfitoakland.com/ https://www.geminimoonbotanicals.com/ Audio recording support from https://www.instagram.com/popperzsf/!

10 MAG 2023 · From Queer & Well's Earth Day event: A Conversation with Layel Camargo of Shelterwood Collective & Inés Ixierda of Sogorea Te Land Trust As queer Black and brown folks, what does it look like to be reconnected to land our ancestors stewarded before colonialism & white supremacy? What are the ways we can come back to this land and rebuild not only the land itself, but our relationships to it. How are organizations like Sogorea Te Land Trust & Shelterwood Collective creating spaces and avenues for us to take part in these practices? Join us for a discussion on the importance of our relationship to land and how to strengthen those bonds during a time of climate crisis and change. Layel Camargo (them/them) is Co-Creator & Cultural Strategy Lead of https://radicallyfitoakland.us12.list-manage.com/track/click?u=012e0c36293c0bfa211f38252&id=19076359a6&e=e2dee741d1. Layel is Yaqui and Mayo of the Sonoran Desert. As a transgender and gender non-conforming person, they’ve dedicated the last decade advancing climate justice through storytelling by creating campaigns like ‘Climate Woke’ with The Center For Cultural Power and supporting media projects like ‘The North Pole Show’ with Executive Producers Rosario Dawson and Movement Generation, Justice and Ecology Project. They are the producer and host of https://www.spreaker.com/show/did-we-go-too-far, a climate justice podcast. Most recently, Layel was named on the Grist 2020 Fixers List. They graduated from UC Santa Cruz with degrees in Feminist Studies and Legal Studies. Inés Ixierda is an interdisciplinary Mestizx artist and media maker with a background in youth work, decolonial nonprofit administration, and community organizing. She leads Sogorea Te Land Trust's art and media, coordinates projects, organizes events, and works on the land with plant medicines. https://radicallyfitoakland.us12.list-manage.com/track/click?u=012e0c36293c0bfa211f38252&id=22b17a0493&e=e2dee741d1 is an urban Indigenous women-led land trust based in the San Francisco Bay Area that facilitates the return of Indigenous land to Indigenous people. Sogorea Te’ Land Trust cultivates rematriation and calls on us all to heal and transform the legacies of colonization, genocide, and patriarchy and to do the work our ancestors and future generations are calling us to do. LINKS https://docs.google.com/document/d/1qm4HwyLBaKstZtsHPxhhJ2tQgFqdBwJSOMpOPj4sYaA/edit?usp=sharing https://www.radicallyfitoakland.com/ https://www.geminimoonbotanicals.com/ Audio recording support from https://www.instagram.com/popperzsf/!

27 APR 2023 · Somos Semillas, We Are Seeds: A Podcast about Indigenous Sovereignty & Collective Storytelling This creative collaboration with indigenous poet & scholar Erika Murcia invites us to explore inquiries about living with greater purpose, presence & rootedness. In this episode we are reclaiming Earth Mother and the soils as part of who we are, what we're made of. Erika, nicky & Cat open into this longing to celebrate our bodies, illuminating body as decolonial prayer. LINKS Episode transcript: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1BDPSOgP_ruhR0AXCwS5ZNQzBqa_YnHbZ3nbRowbmQqw/edit?usp=sharing Sumergirse by La Clave de Sol: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2NvLWNh9sNxdDhnFCkAOQ1?si=ajZr2gDlTga52lQA09NzuA & on IG @la.clave.de.sol Connect with us at weriseproduction[at]protonmail[dot]me, and follow us on Facebook & Instagram at weriseproduction, & on twitter at WeRiseProducers. Connect with Erika Murcia at https://linktr.ee/Mujeryselva