31/01/2024
I wanted to address and contribute to the important discussions that surfaced after decisions were made by the venue at our REACH benefit show on Saturday.
An hour before doors opened, the person in charge of deco was told by the venue owner/co-organizer that the Palestinian flags, as well as art that said "Free Palestine" was not permitted to be displayed at the event. Their reasoning for this was that they wanted the venue to stay neutral and didn't want anything political, while also not wanting to appear to be taking a side.
Neither myself or the person doing deco were previously informed of these deco restrictions.
I personally VERY much disagreed with these sentiments and that call, but ultimately decided not to cancel the event at the last second - for the sake of raising money for urgent humanitarian aid for the people of Gaza.
I want it to be clear that I never agreed to make this benefit show an apolitical/non-poltical event, at any point.
Firstly, I was upfront from the very start in my proposal to Takin, that this was intended to be a benefit show to raise funds for relief in Gaza. He said yes, and that he was interested in co-organizing the event with me.
We agreed to collaborate - and I then immediately asked if he was okay with "promoting it as a benefit show for Gaza" and he said yes. I felt it was important to be clear and in agreement from the get-go, who we are supporting and for what cause.
After the event launch, in depth discussions came up between Takin and I regarding the messaging and promotions of the event. I was firm in my position and made it known that I was unwilling to make any changes regarding the nature of the event. I expressed that any attempts of making it "less political" was a political statement in itself, and that was a statement that I did not stand behind.
I took a firm stance and told him how I was going to conduct my personal promotions. That was understood, and our event planning proceeded. I would not have chosen to continue my involvement, if the event was required to be apolitical.
I appreciate the opportunity to clear this up on my end. I also appreciate everyone who addressed these concerns and created space for dialogue. I feel it's very important.
It's my understanding that grace has been given in this situation, and there are current ongoing conversations between Takin, the person doing deco, and other supporters that seem to be recognizing oversight and wrongdoings by the venue.
* Edit - I feel it's important to add that from start to finish - it was clear to me that Takin had the desire to help raise money for PCRF. And he did, by donating his space at no cost. His efforts contributed to the success of the fundraiser. I am grateful for these efforts that resulted in raising money for the organization 🤍 *
I believe this to be a good example of how solidarity work is done, and ultimately I believe in the opportunity for redemption and lessons learned - as well as creating room for growth in our community and beyond.
I hope that dialogue continues to go in this positive direction to allow us to uplift each other as we learn.
$2,260 was raised for PCRF because of our collective care and contribution to this cause! For this, I feel very grateful. Thank you to everyone involved in the positive outcomes of REACH.
As always, I stand for the liberation of Palestinian people from the on-going g3nocide and 0ccupation and join the call in demanding an immediate and sustained CEASEFIRE.
Free Palestine 🇵🇸
