Right this moment is Juneteenth – a celebration of the top of chattel slavery within the US.
With the facility of hindsight, we’re capable of neatly summarize the day that slavery ended – June 19, 1865.
In actual time, issues are murkier – it’s troublesome to know what period of historical past we live by means of whereas we live it.
The work of ending slavery started a long time earlier with the abolitionist motion – and the work towards freedom continues in the present day with the combat in opposition to systemic poverty and mass incarceration. It was an extended combat – and it goes on.
This yr, we’re combating in our personal small manner in opposition to the injustice of poverty – planting 10 million bushes to assist 1000 new farmers. Once we hit the objective, we’ll mark the day with ribbon cuttings and celebrations, pictures and speeches.
However the true work of planting these bushes began years in the past – with organizing to create our regenerative neighborhood farm and with farmers making ready the soil. The true work will proceed as we preserve these bushes – giving them water and vitamins, replanting those that die.
When I’m impatient for these bushes to develop and for targets to be met, I discover myself drawn to the knowledge of behind-the-scenes civil rights activist Ella Baker. She stated of church organizing conferences, they’re typically “extra exhausting than the speedy returns appear to warrant, however it’s part of the spadework.”
The spadework.
It’s not all decisive victory dates. It’s boring conferences and technique classes. It’s listening deeply and considering gradual. It’s (in Ella’s phrases once more) reaching out to “your neighbors who don’t communicate to you.”
Right this moment, in honor of Juneteenth and within the spirit of collective freedom, we’re donating 20% of gross sales to organizations doing that spadework – the constant, tireless effort of combating injustice by constructing and rising in neighborhood.
We’ve got chosen three organizations persevering with the lengthy combat for freedom:
Essie Justice Group – harnesses the collective energy of girls with incarcerated family members to finish mass incarceration’s hurt to ladies and communities
The Bridge Fund – began by a former True Moringa worker Emmanuel Afoakwah to create neighborhood and lift funds for Ghanaian college students in search of greater schooling
True Farmer – True Moringa’s sister non-profit, devoted to supporting ladies & household farmers in Ghana with natural seeds and fertilizer, agronomy coaching, and constructing neighborhood energy by means of Village Financial savings & Mortgage Affiliation.
With love,
Kwami & Staff True Moringa
