my sister Jade

So, here's a little story - a glimpse into a one life, one of my girls:

Last night as i was making my way back into the city from speaking up on the north shore i was biking down tremont st (around 10:30pm). As I pass Park St, and the Blackseed cafe and St Pauls and down to the Lowes Theater, i always scan the sidewalks, steps, and roadside curbs for friends of mine who are struggling with homelessness and often hang out around there. I especially look out for my friend Jade. She is one of my "sisters" here in Boston. She has almost the same hair as i do, and except for the dark eye make up we really look very similar. Ive known her for about a year now i think. She struggles with addiction to alcohol and some drugs, and she doesn't like the rules and "stuff" at the shelters so she basically sticks to the streets. She is about 23 years old. Her mom passed away a few months back. Her boyfriend is in prison. She wants to be an advocate for the homeless, for the abused. To stand up for her rights and others who can't speak up for themselves. She doesn't trust people. she is angry. She wants to move to california... someday. 

So, as i was biking down the street i saw something out of the corner of my eye that made me think perhaps Jade was there around the corner, so i crossed the street and got off my bike and went to check. Yep, it was Jade, swearing loudly to a friend of hers that she doesn't F'n believe in a god that can let child molesters and rapists go free... roaming around hurting people. its just not right. how can God allow this??! "They let these rapists get out of prison and go into the shelters and abuse us! No body cares!" 

I walked up and gave her a hug. 

I said quietly, "you know that breaks His heart... that breaks God's heart" 

"I don't F'n care! I don't believe in an F'n god that allows that. Its so good to see you!"

"oh, no i mean the fact that there is molestation and abuse and rape happening, breaks God's heart. He is wanting to use us - you and me to do something about it!"

"oh i am! Im helping with a documentary, and helping organize a sit in up at the capitol to let people know...I am an advocate, I stand up for my rights. My sign there. Its a statement. a political statement" 

I look down at her cardboard sign taped together laying on the sidewalk and written in black sharpie it says "Please don't ask me to move. I don't want to Prostitute. This is my first amendment right to panhandle" (see the attached picture. I asked if i could take it to share and help spread the word) 

She told me about how the police tell her to move on- that "Stemming" or "panhandling" isn't allowed. but, as she says "what would you rather me do? Isn't this better then sell drugs or selling my A**??" I don't want to prostitute, i've done that and... no... i don't want to. 

ahh... my heart screams out - NO, please don't! and everyone in the city, can't you see how this is driving her to desperation? police officers, can't you help her rather than just shove her aside?! but i don't really say much - just nod in affirmation of her statement, of her sign. yet the right to panhandling wherever you want is not the answer either of course. a few bucks an hour, going to more booze and candy is not helpful here.

I watch her stuff while she goes over to the commons to pee in a cup. (there are no public restrooms around the commons that the homeless can access freely) she feels to ashamed to ask for the key at the Blackseed when she isn't buying anything. she didn't want me to get something. So, she leaves with her cup, and i stand with her stuff... and the sign there on the ground by my feet, and talk with her friend - i think his name is Daren. people walk by, glancing at the sign, at me, at us. confused. maybe? or maybe they don't really notice. I turn invisible amazing how easy it is. To be invisible. Ive never really understood why people want that as a super power. 

anyway - Jade returns and we chat for a bit more about ending child abuse and discrimination and then i give her some fire drops (thanks mom) and a Lara Bar (had to sneak that in her bag, she hates taking stuff from friends) and i give her a few hugs, and let her know she is in my prayers. Sisters. 

thanks for joining me in prayer for Jade. For safety, for a good network of supportive people around her where she can begin to build trust, and that Jesus will lovingly woo her to Himself. 

goodnight! 

sarah

"slavery"...?

Words only have meaning when attached to stories.
Everyone has different stories behind each word.
To one, a word could signify life and hope, to another the same word means control, guilt, 'savior complex'...
What then do we do when we are telling our story of revolution? Of changing the reality of vulnerability, exploitation and oppression? What words do we use? How do we define, unpack, make clear the message?

Here are some thoughts from friends and community members i've been talking with the last few months:
(I am keeping names out of it, but trying to give a glimpse of the "Story" each is coming from by sharing their ethnicity, race, gender, age, and geographical location. These can seem like unhelpful boxes, and i in some ways cringe when writing them out. Why can't we just all be "human". Yet, we do have unique and beautiful stories. Painful injustice committed and felt. As Richard Twiss shared last week, "We each see a piece of the night sky through our telescope, and we must learn to use one another's telescopes to braden our vision and understanding. And you can't use another telescope just by reading a book.")

Abolition/ Abolitionist: 

• "Seems to connect with the White savior complex" - LT, African American Woman in early 30s from Boston 
• "I use the term Abolitionist because thats what we are - we are abolishing human trafficking" - JW, African American Male in late 20s from Virginia 
• "Could have a negative power dynamic, someone better than the other" - RC, asian american Male in Early 30s from Boston
• "There is an urgency to write the wrongs of history- a deep sense of guilt for what happened and a desire to be on the side fighting for justice this time. If i had been alive then, i would have wanted to be an abolitionist - so today, we are continuing the fight against the purchasing and selling of human beings. But its important to examine motives." SD, Euro-American woman in her late 20s. Boston
• "Sort of could seem to mean 'whites saving blacks'. Although there were black abolitionists in the history of slavery." - JK, African American woman in her 60s from Boston 
• "Its different today, so I say, if you use 'Modern Abolitionist' it works" RT, Native American Male in his 50s from SD
• "The main problem with "abolition" is the disconnect is the lack of abolitionist interest in prostitution. The problems of human trafficking and prostitution are connected, but one is not the other. Fighting against human trafficking is popular--but fighting against prostitution or labor exploitation? For these battles, we will meet strong opponents who will criticize us at every turn and we won't be able to feel as good about ourselves." - GH, Euro-American Male 40+ 
• "Some communities might really love the term Abolitionist; white folks and even immigrant communities. But I don't think the Black community resonates with that language for today" - WR African American / Caribbean islander Male. 60+ from Boston 
• "It has religious connotations" - Ero-American Male. early 30s from Boston

Slavery:

•  "I think it can be helpful to use the term Slavery. But its important to be careful of using "modern-slavery". It cancels out the pain of the historic struggle with slavery. It says that pain is over, this is the modern version, the new story. In reality we are still struggling with the impact of 'historic slavery' and it is connected with what is happening today." - LL, African American Woman. 30+ from Boston
• "I don't like to use Slavery to talk about what is happening today. Today, globally, it is not legal. In the past slavery was a legal institution. So today it is a very different thing" - VB Biracial (african american / white) male 30+ in DC
• "No, it is not slavery, it is not a racially based, institutionalized realty in society today" - WR 
• "We don't like to talk about slavery. It hurts. What we need to do is present the information of what is happening to each community, and let them decide what language to use in describing and communicating about it" - JK
• "I think it's powerful to talk about a continuum of conditions and a mixture of circumstances that lead to these conditions, from kidnapping to coercion to economic enslavement. The terms slavery and abolition cover some conditions, fair trade and economic justice cover others, I think the anti-trafficking movement needs a term that covers a wide range of injustices with the common theme of freedom and justice...." - JL, Euro-american woman 50+ in Boston
• "ahh slavery... Have you been to the Caribbean? to the auction blocks, the slave trading posts?" - African American/ Caribbean male 30+ from Boston

Human Trafficking:

• "It is very much legal language. disconnected from what is happening on the street corner in Dorchester at 5:30am when i am dropping my daughter off at school" - African American woman. 40+ from Boston
• "I prefer to use Human Trafficking for whats happening today" - VB
• "When a person of color tries to stand up for their rights, or make known an injustice we get shut down. 'what are you still complaining for?! you have a black president! and he was even reelected!' We are ignored, seen as wining, no one wants to listen. So then 'human trafficking' is all over the news. Disconnected. thats frustrating." - (paraphrased) LN Latina Woman 30+ in Boston

Emancipation Proclamation:

• "Well, how do i say this? It wasn't empowering. It didn't really do anything. It didn't have teeth to make change. So its not really something we celebrate" - MG African American Male 30+ from Boston
• "President Lincoln and other Republicans were concerned that the Emancipation Proclamation, which in 1863 declared the freedom of slaves in ten Confederate states then in rebellion, would be seen as a temporary war measure, since it was based solely on Lincoln's war powers. The Proclamation did not free any slaves in the border states nor did it abolish slavery.^[1]Because of this, Lincoln and other supporters believed that an amendment to the Constitution was needed." - Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/13th_ammendment

More to come!