Community Supports Healing of Sister-Comrade
June 4, 2014
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| Healing altar created by community members for Charity |
Note from EMEAC: On Saturday May 31, Charity was injured in a car accident while in New York city at the Left Forum.
Organized in just under 24
hours, local activists were able to gather together a little over 60 community members
for a Healing Circle & Call for Support for our Sister in struggle, Charity
Hicks. It took place at her home base for EMEAC, the Cass Corridor Commons in Detroit
on Tuesday, June 3rd, 2014 at 7pm.
The mood of the event was
emotional, yet optimistic, as participants entered the room to soft music on
the piano by local artist Rocket. After folks created cards, and other artistic
messages for Charity, a Healing Circle was lead by Traditional Health Practitioner/Healer
Adela Nieves. Each participant, regardless of religious identity, agreed to be
smudged for cleansing and purifying prior to the ceremony beginning. The space
was an all-gendered, all-bodied, non-judgmental, intergenerational space which
promoted love and healing. Adela placed a beautiful alter representing healing,
community, love and life, in the center of the circle and other participants
added objects that they felt represented their love for Charity. During the
healing circle, four participants called to specified directions (East, South,
West, North), harnesting the healing strength of mother earth. A fifth direction Southeast was presented by
Piper Carter, directing the community members to guide their healing energy towards
New York, where our Sister lay in a coma in the hospital. Engery was also sent
to Charity's family and to our Sister Ife Kilimanjaro, who has remained at
Charity's side.
The room was eletric! There
was dancing, stomping, singing, instrument playing and shouting out Charity's
name! People spoke of their experiences with Charity and about the work that
she is so deeply rooted in on every level, including the water shutoffs. Mama
Lila Cabil challenged every participant to take up Charity's battle against the
water by reaching at least 7 people per particpant and she provided a history
of Charity's recent personal struggle against the water department and on behalf
of her neighbors. Shane Bernardo spoke honestly and powerfully about the mirror
that Charity offers to each of us, as she challenges us to be authentic, and
face ourselves.
William Copeland referenced
the need to use this time to think deeply about how we apply cooperative econonmics
to times like this one and moving forward. Donations were collected in the sum
of $1,031.00 to contribute to Charity's expenses and folks were encouraged to
continue to share the site emeac.org, so that donations could continue to be
submitted in Charity's honor, recognizing that support cannot be a one time
deal.
It was a holistic experience
and it was clear that Charity was the driving force of the gathering, from
start to finish.
