2018 In Reflection...2019 In Action!
WE MADE IT!
[Image Description: A photo of a thin, olive-skinned and dark, curly haired female appearing person with her right fist raised. She is surrounded by a small group of people. One individual is holding yellow sign with green writing that reads, “Green Jobs for All”. Above the female appearing woman is a chandelier. To the right is a door with a television mounted on the wall. To the left is another door. Behind her is a window with blue curtains. The wall are yellow. ]
Welcome to the gregorian year 2019 everyone – we made it! Well, most of us did. As we stand at this threshold of the new year the Health Justice Commons invites us all to reflect on our learinings, our losses and our tremendous resilience, particularly at the intersections of health, disability, and climate justice.
From the ‘medical restraint’ of children and young adults in ICE internment, to Jakeline Caal's murder in the custody of Border Patrol due to medical torture and neglect, to the California #ClimateFires, the potentially catastrophic election of bolsonaro in Brazil and the progressive dem’s blue wave here – that with peoples’ power we may be able to leverage into the viable implementation of a Green New Deal, 2018 may be one of the most harrowing years humanity has ever faced.
As the rise of neo-fascism threatens to devour the planet (and is already causing massive species endangerment and extinction), Indigenous leaders such as Winona LaDuke remind us, with the certain clarity that accompanies surviving generations of attempted genocide, that we’ve seen the likes of #45 before, he is Andrew Jackson re-booted and armed with twitter.
And yet, global resistance is also rising. The solutions are already here. We are here. Watch this space for 2018 in reflection, 2019 in action! Links & resources below.
Image caption: Sunrise Movement student leaders occupy Nancy Pelosi's office demanding a Green New Deal, Nov. 13th, 2018. A young woman with brown skin and curly shoulder length black hair stands chanting with her fist in the air. A hanging light, desk, US flag and window are in the background. In the foreground several other young people sit on the floor. One holds a large yellow sign which says: Green Jobs For All in black block letters.