If you know me at all you already know that I am in Detroit at the Creating Change Conference. And so far it's amazing.
The plenary session featured an amazing woman named Jenny who sang an opening prayer for everyone attending the first day. She started with a soft tune on a hand drum she was holding. She sang just one or two notes and immediately I was taken aback by the power her voice had. Although I couldn't understand her native language, for some reason I felt the message that she was presenting. Her voice carried across the room and it sent chills down my spine. Others in the room started to cry. I felt my eyes water. It was only a few minutes, but in those few moments I felt so.....I am at a loss for words. It just made me feel collected, calm and well....welcomed!
For the rest of the day, I attended a full-day workshop focused on the oppression of People of Color, and the differently able community, the intersections of world poverty and the creation of the World Bank, immigration and sovereign nations. I learned so much about my place in all of these forms of oppression.
I cannot stress enough how important this knowledge was to everyone in the room. I also cannot stress enough how important it was for me to see so many other people....my people...people of color.....queer people....care about immigration and its relation to our world.
