Clarification
My letter in the August edition responding to our editor’s July editorial seems to have been open to misinterpretation. I’ve been asked if my partial disagreement with his commentary means there is dissension on the editorial board. My answer: No, there isn’t. On every possible occasion, I tell people how much I admire Ernesto’s work. But as a member of the board of the Fresno Center for Nonviolence, I felt called on to qualify his remarks about the use of violence. My letter ended (and I now repeat it) by sincerely thanking Ernesto for opening a valuable discussion, which others are encouraged to join.
Richard Stone
Board member of the Fresno Center for Nonviolence
Queer People of Color Healing Circle
In the past month, I have been invited to no less than three different healing circles. As someone who works in the community with young people and families, I am always conscious of the need for safe spaces. Spaces where we can share experiences, heal and feel connected to others.
When I received the invitation to a Queer People of Color Healing Circle, I knew this was a space I wanted to be a part of. I am someone who thrives on community, connection and critical discussion. Here is a space that encompasses the different intersections of identity that I needed to talk about.
The monthly circle is for queer and transgender people of color to come together and hold space for each other. In the times we have met, we have explored issues of identity, family and self-care. The invitation itself sparked an inner dialogue in me about gender, sexuality and identity within the norms of my family and culture.
I need the community this space provides because it acknowledges the different levels of oppression (and privilege) we can experience in our different identities. I am a Latina woman who is working to decolonize her mind and this encompasses my queerness as well. My experiences may not be exactly the same as someone else’s but there are common threads that unite us, and there is power in that.
The circle meets the second Thursday of the month from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at 946 N. Fulton St.
Jasmine Leiva
