& If You Asked Me What Heaven Looked Like
or
& Probably Not This Lifetime But Also Maybe This Lifetime
or
& A Table In The Face Of My Enemies
or
& An Ode To All My Dead
poem by Chavah Gabrielle hand lettering by Rose Percy
Psalms 23:2-4
(2) they make me lie down in green pastures. they lead me beside still waters; (3) they restore my soul. they lead me to paths of righteousness for their names’ sake;
(4) though I walk through the shadow of the valley of death, I shall fear no evil.
& as a child, i did not know
the name of the verse
but the words always stick to
the roof of my mouth like peanut butter
in fear
& as a child, i did not know phrases such as
“anti-capitalist”
“autonomy” &
“accessibility politics”
i did know battery, bloody limbs & the deep desire to escape
& that there is a truth–even before i knew the words to know
which is, i cannot be free
if i only free myself
& as a child, i would stare at the stars– all my heroes are dead & must live there
& someone said “heaven” to me once in a dream
& the desert became foliage
& Tubman came to me, she said
“eat, child. the first step to knowledge is fear & the valley is approaching”
& i feel i am preparing for a great loss, as though something in me may be dying
& after i lose everything, i feel we will win
& Tubman’s last words were “i go prepare a place for you”
& i believe this
in the dream, Tubman takes my hand
in real life, it’s a seizure
in both,
i see green pastures
children laughing
i would say heaven has clean drinking water and no one gets lost & you can chase the
rivers & waterfalls & the fires only hold you. i would say, heaven tastes like warm honey.
i would say heaven smells like sage & juniper & citrus & black african soap.
here, in heaven, all that is dead & all that is not dead meet
Overview:
The People’s Path Forward: People’s Assemblies Coordinator will lead and bottom-line coordination of this year’s Assemblies process, which is anchored by Reclaim the Block and Black Visions along with partner organizations and a Black Advisory Table. The Path Forward Campaign is seeking a contractor who will be responsible for managing the People’s Assemblies coordinating committee and ensuring that working groups and partners are aligned and driving the overall goals of the process. This role will be a lead project manager and coordinator, responsible for managing the different working bodies and developing necessary tools to keep the project & participants supported and on task.
This is a contract position with Black Visions, running from June-December 2021.
See last pages of this posting for more information on our People’s Assembly process this year.
Core Responsibilities:
Working with Reclaim the Block & Black Visions along with other partners and stakeholders to plan and lead the work of the People’s Assemblies, including ensuring the launching & completion of overall project.
Experience and Qualifications
Ideal candidates will have a strong praxis in community-centered decision making, political education, and coalition building. They will have a background of knowledge in abolitionist and Black liberation theory and know how to translate that in an accessible way to others. Additionally, they are an excellent project manager, having led at least two multi-month community projects.
Additional Desired Qualifications/Experience:
Must be willing and able to:
This is a short term, contract position that will run from June 2021 to late December 2021.
This position will pay $30,000 – 35,000 ($60-70k annual calculation) for 6 months plus compensation for benefits.
To Apply:
Please submit a resume, cover letter, and a proposal outlining how you would coordinate and execute this work to assembliescoordinator@blackvisionsmn.org. Applications will be considered as they are received. We aim to make a hire by June 7.
Reclaim the Block is an equal opportunity employer. We strongly encourage those from, and who have experience working within, Black, indigenous and LGBTQ communities to apply.
The mission of Minnesota Center for Book Arts (MCBA) is to ignite artistic practice, inspire learning, and foster diverse creative communities through the book arts. The book arts encompass letterpress printing, bookbinding, papermaking, marbling, and related arts.
Located in the Open Book building in downtown Minneapolis, MCBA is the largest nonprofit center of its kind, providing over 12,000 square feet of studios, classrooms, and professional gallery space to the public.
Position Description
Join our collaborative book arts team and play an important role in shaping our work! We’ve spent the past year developing a robust series of new virtual book arts programs, and we are looking to grow our programs and share book arts with adults, families, and students in Minnesota and beyond.
Primary areas of learning include (but are not limited to):
Helpful prior experience
**Due to the remote nature of this work, the intern must be able to provide their own computer and have regular access to a secure internet connection.**
Internship Dates & Schedule
The internship runs from September through December 2021 for approximately 6-8 hours weekly. We are planning to work with two interns, one for Intern Schedule A and one for Intern Schedule B. Interns must be available for one of the two schedules for the duration of the internship.
Intern Schedule A:
Intern Schedule B:
Additional internship hours can be scheduled based on candidate’s interest and availability.
Benefits
Interns will receive a $500 stipend. In addition to on-the-job educational experience, interns receive a free one-year membership to MCBA, which includes a 10% discount on workshops and retail purchases. This internship includes free participation in each workshop the intern is assigned to facilitate (the intern may choose if they would like to purchase supplies and/or materials kits for workshops). After completion of 100 hours, interns may register for one free MCBA virtual workshop (which they do not need to facilitate) of up to 12 hours.
How to Apply
Please email a 1-pg cover letter and a résumé to internships@mnbookarts.org. In your cover letter, please confirm that you are available for one (or either) of the schedules listed above. Please enter the title of the internship (Remote Education Intern) in the subject line of the email. Applications are due on Sunday, July 18, 2021, 11:59pm CT.
We prioritize a culture of equity, inclusion, and care for self and community. We encourage participants with diverse cultural backgrounds and lived experiences to apply.
Overview:
Reclaim the Block seeks an Outreach Organizer for a full-time position. This individual will support our Path Forward campaign to defund the Minneapolis Police Department and chart a new path for building a safe community.
This person should be excited about reaching out to new people and building new relationships – representing RTB at community events, talking with folks on the street, making phone calls, speaking publicly, and finding ways to connect with people and let them know about the campaign. Creativity welcome: a successful candidate will find creative ways to reach people and experiment with new ways to connect, like art, innovative events, etc. This position also offers opportunities for the organizer to get more training and build new skills.
Reclaim the Block uses a coalition organizing model: we work with organizations — ranging from established non-profits and businesses to small grassroots community groups and crews – to build power, build community, and push for policy change. The Outreach Organizer will focus on building relationships with groups of people directly impacted by policing and people who often get left out of policy conversations.
Candidates should be excited about joining a team amidst significant growth and in the process of developing core structures.
Note: This position will require attending regular in-person events and closely following COVID-19 safety protocols.
About Reclaim the Block:
Reclaim the Block works to build a Black-led, multiracial movement empowered to dismantle and defund the Minneapolis Police Department and to move those resources into community driven practices. Reclaim the Block works in close partnership with Black Visions and is made up of a multiracial core team of community members, both staff and volunteer.
About the position:
Compensation: $60,000, full time salaried
Benefits: This position qualifies for a full and generous benefits package
This position will be supervised and funded by Reclaim the Block and hired through our anchor organization, Black Visions, through their fiscal sponsor, TakeAction Minnesota.
Core Responsibilities:
Preferred Experience:
Preferred Skills:
Values:
To Apply:
Email reclaimtheblock@gmail.com with a resume and either a cover letter or a 3-5 minute video describing your qualifications. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis, with priority consideration going to applications received by June 4. We intend to make a hire by June 25, with a start date of July 7.
Reclaim The Block is an equal opportunity employer. We strongly encourage individuals from, and who have experience working with, Black, indigenous and LGBTQ communities to apply.
The Neighborhood Justice Center (NJC) is seeking a talented and passionate Community Advocate/Investigator to join our legal team on a Full-Time basis.
NJC is a non-profit, community-oriented criminal defense law firm which fights systemic racism by ensuring that everyone has access to high quality criminal defense services, regardless of their ability to pay. We were created by and for the BIPOC community in 1973, and today we are needed more than ever. Our office actively defends the rights of the community to help ensure that all our clients, including those who do not speak English, may not have permanent status in the U.S. and/or are traditionally disenfranchised have equal access to justice.
The Community Advocate/Investigator conducts intakes with clients, investigates the facts, and assists attorneys with court communication and case preparation. Community Advocates/Investigators present intakes to the attorneys at NJC for case acceptance, and also represent NJC in community meetings and outreach events.
Qualified candidates must have the ability to work well with diverse clientele, and have experience with criminal and social justice issues. A degree in a related field is preferred (paralegal, social justice, social services, criminal justice, chemistry…). Bilingual individuals are encouraged to apply, but a second language is not required for this position. BIPOC and LGBTQ community members are also encouraged to apply.
Hourly rate range starts at $19.00 per hour, but will depend on experience. NJC offers a competitive compensation package including paid family health and dental insurance, life and disability insurance, substantial paid time off and holidays, as well as a 401K retirement match contribution.
If interested, please apply via email no later than June 17, 2021, at 4:00pm.
To Apply:
Send a Letter of Interest, Resume and at least three professional references/ letters of recommendations addressed to Executive Director Cullin J. Smith at csmith@njcinc.org. In the subject line of the email please put “Community Advocate/ Investigator Application.” You will receive a reply email acknowledging receipt of your submission.
Thank you for your interest in defending the community with NJC!
contributors
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