Tag: politics

by jad

Riders’ Rights: Registered!

In July of 2015, @farajchadi and I started something in Lebanon that we called @BusMapProject. We wanted to ask a simple question: “Do you know that there are buses in this country?” For four years, we came up with new ways of asking that same question; making friends, building alliances, pushing forward, falling behind—but always, always supported by so many companions along the way. We’ve finally managed to register our NGO in the National Gazette, after several attempts. This means that we can finally build a sustainable platform for our rider-led transit advocacy. We almost stopped believing that this would … Continue reading “Riders’ Rights: Registered!” →

by jad

‘We Won’t Build It’

“We won’t build it.” A statement from Amazon workers in solidarity with #NoTechForICE, read out in front of Amazon HQ in Seattle. Yes, “in the belly of the beast,” as Katie Wilson of the Seattle Transit Riders Union put it, and yes, on #PrimeDay. This was before the delegation attempted to deliver a petition signed by over 200K to @AmazonWebServices’ CEO. They said no… Support migrant justice. Support local businesses. Join the #PrimeDayStrike.

by jad

Stand With Pride

My first Seattle Pride has been a good one. A few of us joined St. Paul’s Episcopal Parish for morning worship, then bussed to 4th and Marion where we gathered with the Diocese of Olympia to represent The Episcopal Church as witnesses to #TheWayOfLove. I knew this Pride was going to be special, because I would be very carefully carrying St. Peter’s beautiful processional banner for the first time. I also knew that something glitteringly spooky was up when I realized that this Sunday would be the Feast of Saints Peter and Paul—the two banners we raised across Seattle today. … Continue reading “Stand With Pride” →

by jad

St. Mark’s, Sanctuary Church

I’m proud of the @dioceseofolympia for taking this bold stand of providing “urgent & morally necessary action” to keep a loving and hardworking family from being separated by a cruel and unjust border regime. The Dean of St Mark’s Episcopal Cathedral announced this morning that our “beacon of hope on the hill” will be providing sanctuary to Jaime, as he continues to face the threat of deportation despite having a legal pathway for remaining with his family. Jamie, Keiko and Yoshi have been supported in this long battle by @oneamerica, @church.council, and numerous members of the community, who will continue … Continue reading “St. Mark’s, Sanctuary Church” →

by jad

Tender Touches: Cornish’s BFA Expo 19

Here’s are some thoughts from my favorite pieces at the Cornish College of the Art’s BFA Art and Design Expo 2019: # “You Never Left” A sense of tender vulnerability cuts across many of the works in this show; a good number express this vulnerability through the elevation of domestic space, familial memory and quotidian craft. Here is one example: @stupidstinky’s sculptures and embroidered works are an invitation into a gentle and generous intimacy that feels far from self-indulgent. The works approach the universality of good storytelling, and the sheer amount of artful “clutter” on display is a delight. # … Continue reading “Tender Touches: Cornish’s BFA Expo 19” →

by jad

Union: Yes!

If parliamentary procedure can be fun, then tonight was that. Wrote up, put forward and got approved on my very first Robert’s Rules-style resolution for anything ever at the Seattle Transit Riders Union members meeting this eve. Stoked to be finally connecting these dots stretched out across a decade’s worth of stuff and nonsense.

by jad

Threads of Remembrance

This is a map of some of the impact of Executive Order 9066, signed by President Roosevelt on February 19, 1942 to authorize military authorities to exclude civilians from any area without trial or hearing. The order didn’t single out Japanese Americans, but they were the only group to be imprisoned as a result of it. St Peter’s held its last service for the remainder of the war on April 26, 1942, with Rev. Kitagawa ending his stoic entry in the church register that day with these lines: “At least a part of the congregation is leaving for the Puyallup … Continue reading “Threads of Remembrance” →

by jad

Seattle Womxn’s March, 2019

This morning, I was at the Seattle Womxn’s March with comrades from Seattle DSA, PSL, Socialist Alternative & others, as part of the Revolutionary Feminist Contingent. Just some good, clean intersectional fun, and my first proper demo in this country. We walked from Cal Anderson Park to the Space Needle, where I secretly hoped we’d all stomp our feet like we used to do back in the day, streaming into downtown Beirut. Instead, we bumped into a couple of fire-and-brimstone “preachers” denouncing the godless. This would have been a bummer, if it weren’t for the amazing responses from the crowd; … Continue reading “Seattle Womxn’s March, 2019” →

by jad

#AdventWord 2018, Week 4

#Persist Today’s #AdventWord is ‘persist,’ & the finish line is in sight—two more sleeps & one more word ‘til Christmas. Thanks for sticking it out with me throughout this month; it felt nice to know that I was indirectly sharing that intimate part of my life with whoever took the time to skim through my daily reflections. Today’s sermon at St. Peter’s Episcopal Parish was about accompaniment—those acts of showing up & sticking by others, sometimes with words, but more often, in silent solidarity. The term will be familiar to anyone interested in Migrant Rights or Immigrant Justice—accompaniment in that … Continue reading “#AdventWord 2018, Week 4” →

by jad

#AdventWord 2018, Week 2

#Wild Today’s #AdventWord is ‘wild,’ and—with apologies to the theologians who made the selection—I’ve watched too much MTV over the years to associate that word with anything but a good time. Pictured here: Andrew WK at The Showbox, Kultur Shock at The Crocodile, and IDLES at The Sunset Tavern—these are some of the wildest nights I’ve had in this city thus far. They are also some of the most life-affirming artists I’ve ever seen in concert, who left me with a strong sense of their genuine love for their fans. Not pictured here, however, is probably my most memorable night … Continue reading “#AdventWord 2018, Week 2” →