don't hate, advocate!

Our youth leaders discuss ideas with a community organizer, a law student, a doctor and a hip hop artist.

On October 24 our Healers of Tomorrow met to discuss Advocacy.  Advocacy is something we talk about alot, but what exactly is it?  We had some awesome guest speakers help us discuss the finer points of this topic.  My favorite way to think about advocacy is the term "indirect service."  To better understand the steps it takes to achieve indirect service, Brother Samir Junejo from Seattle University School of Law helped us walk through the example of how NYC public schools approved Eid as a school holiday.  The folks who made this happen had a strategy, built a coalition of partners, did the work and planning needed to design their proposed change, and didn't give up!

Hillal identified the problem that not all schools receive adequate funding. She thought about how she might make a strategy, get partners, and what kind of work she may have to do to change this problem.

Of course, advocacy does not only exist through creating laws.  Art is a form of advocacy too!  Poetry, music, films, and photography are powerful ways to convey messages and influence change.  Brother Jamil Suleman shared how he does this everyday in his life as an artist.  One of the best examples of this is his piece "Jay's Last Words" which tells a powerful story about children affected by HIV/AIDs that he worked with in South Africa.  This piece was a great reminder to me of why, even in the face of seemingly impossible situations and despair, we have to keep working for what's right and what's beautiful.  Here's an excerpt:

"imagine how it is to be somebody like me,
that’s why I fight for the Movement, so other people can be free,

Now I know what you’re thinking, why should I waste my time,
when there’s very little left in my physical life,
but the way that I see it, I have a reason to fight,
cuz I know what it is to be in the dark without the light"

Brother Jamil droppin knowledge

Thank you to all our volunteers and our Healers!  I'm so excited for our next meeting-- we have an awesome field trip coming up next!

In Peace and Health,
​Dr. Malik