JUSTICE+
LIBERATION NETWORK

THROUGH THE FORMATION OF A JUSTICE + LIBERATION COMMITTEE, WHICH IS COMPOSED OF A MAJORITY POC MEMBERSHIP, WE PLEDGE TO PROVIDE A SAFE SPACE FOR MARGINALIZED PEOPLE – AND A PLATFORM UPON WHICH THEIR ANCESTRAL TRADITIONS (AND LIVED EXPERIENCES) CAN BE AMPLIFIED, PRIORITIZED AND CELEBRATED. OUR INCLUSION COMMITTEE WILL MEET QUARTERLY TO CONTINUE TO ASSESS OUR PROGRAMMING, PROCESSES, AND STRUCTURES TO ENSURE WE ARE MAINTAINING AN ANTI-RACISM ORGANIZATION. WE WILL PUBLISH OUR QUARTERLY REVIEWS ON OUR WEBSITE FOR THE COMMUNITY. THIS WILL ENSURE OUR CONTINUED ACCOUNTABILITY TO THIS WORK.

Betania (they/them) is a gender non conforming, formerly incarcerated, mixed race chicanx. Their lineages stem from mexico, the iberian peninsula, sardenia, and wales. They are both a teacher and student of land based skills. As a young person running from the various institutions they found themselves in (juvenile hall- psychiatric hospitals- foster care- group homes and jail) one of the best places they found to hide was in "Wild spaces". In these so called "Wild" areas they found a sense of family with the the non-human world around them, here is where they felt held and safe. Betania believes strongly in the healing power of reconnecting and rebuilding relationship to our more-than-human relatives. They have found on their own path that working with their hands, in relationship with elements of nature brings some of the deepest healing. As formerly incarcerated person and a trauma survivor they feel called to continue learning about healing trauma, and sharing their journey with others. Following the whispers of their ancestors from mexico they found curanderismo and have been a student for four years now. After only completing half a year of jr high as a teenager - bethany has recently been working on finishing their ged, feeling strongly called to environmental, racial and social justice. Their instagrams are @ladyursus + @formerly_incarcerated_outdoors

Sanyu estelle is a claircognizant ("Clear knowing") soothsayer ("Truth teller") that is also known as "The word witch" because of her depth knack for understanding word origins (etymology) and word culture (philology). These natural inclinations are bolstered by an 11+ year practice of taoism that began with three years of training in qi gong and tai chi with master zi of dharma health institute; as well as a 10+ year relationship with ifa, the indigenous tradition of the yoruba people of now-nigeria, culminating in membership at ile orunmila afedefeyo in los angeles led by baba fesegun and his daughter iya fayomi. Sanyu identifies as a pigmented (82%), womoonist (as constant as the tides), cissy (femme but hetero-ish), flexible asexual (it's a spectrum, seems unwise to call it), travel-apt (earth is a country) and fashion forward (funk flag flyage) ssjw (sarcastic social justice warrior). She is known for her straightforward tarot and oracle card reading style ("The reading you need, not necessarily the reading you want") and her way with words via both writing and speaking. Sanyu is a "1st generationish" (long colonial story) us-american of ugandan (father) and belizean (mother) ancestry. She was born, bred and buttered in los angeles on land traditionally stewarded by the tongva. Instagrams: @sanyuestelle | @sanyusays photo credit: @saralazio | @saralaziophotography

Sarah is a mixed-race, female-identifying, creative intuitive. Her maternal lineage is Afro-Brazilian with roots in west & East Africa and of Scandinavian descent on her paternal side. She is the first generation of her mother’s family in the US, born and currently living in Los Angeles, on land once stewarded by the Chumash and Tongva peoples. Sarah sees herself as a bridge person through her multicultural experience as a mixed race person. Her work in this is to facilitate healing and progress toward racial equity by way of creative multimedia and intuitively aligned guidance. In addition to the diversity + inclusion committee, sarah also serves as the digital design witch + creative consultant to the modern witches confluence organizing committee. Instagrams: @intuitively.Aligned + @earth.aether.co

This statement is a living document, always evolving and responding to the needs of our community. We are actively addressing our own biases as we work to liberate ourselves and our spiritual spaces from colonialism, capitalism and white violence. We invite you to join us on this journey. This statement will evolve with the needs of our community. It is not a comprehensive list, and nor could it be a comprehensive list without falling prey to spiritual bypassing. 

This statement is co-created by the Modern Witches Inclusion Committee which is based in the so-called United States.  

The Modern Witches is in solidarity with the following communities and movements:

• WE SUPPORT INDIGENOUS SOVEREIGNTY AND LEADERSHIP

• WE SUPPORT PALESTINIAN LIBERATION 

• WE ARE IN SOLIDARITY WITH BLACK LIVES MATTER AND DO NOT TOLERATE WHITE VIOLENCE

• WE ARE AGAINST ASIAN-AMERICAN AND PACIFIC ISLANDER HATE AND VIOLENCE

• WE DO NOT TOLERATE ANTISEMITISM

• WE ARE IN SOLIDARITY WITH THE TRANS COMMUNITY, AND OUR TWO SPIRIT AND LGBTQIA+ COMMUNITY. 

• WE SUPPORT DISABILITY JUSTICE AND ARE AGAINST ABLEISM

• WE ARE ABOLITIONISTS AND SUPPORT THE END OF THE SCHOOL TO PRISON PIPELINE

• WE ARE IN SOLIDARITY WITH OUR ELDERS AND ARE AGAINST AGEISM

• WE ARE IN SOLIDARITY WITH THE LABOR MOVEMENT & THE POOR & WORKING CLASS

• WE ARE IN SOLIDARITY WITH THE ROMANI & SINTI COMMUNITY, AND ARE AGAINST ANTI-ROMANISM. WE ACKNOWLEDGE THAT G***Y IS A RACIAL SLUR. 

• WE ARE IN SOLIDARITY WITH PEOPLE DISPLACED BY STATE VIOLENCE, INTERPERSONAL VIOLENCE, SECTARIANISM, & CLIMATE CHANGE

• FATPHOBIA IS NOT WELCOME IN OUR SPACES

• WE ARE IN SOLIDARITY WITH THE MORE-THAN-HUMAN COMMUNITY, AND ARE AGAINST HUMAN SUPREMACY.

• WE ARE AGAINST XENOPHOBIA AND CULTURAL APPROPRIATION AND/OR EXTRACTION

• WE DO NOT TOLERATE ISLAMOPHOBIA, ANTI-ARABISM, OR ANTI-MUSLIM RHETORIC

• WE GRIEVE IN SOLIDARITY WITH ALL SPIRITUAL LINEAGES WHICH HAVE BEEN FORCIBLY ERASED. WE STRIVE TO ALIGN OUR BEHAVIOR WITH RESPECT, RECLAIMING, AND RECOVERY.

This statement of solidarity is to clarify who we are and the world we would like to be a part of building. We do not tolerate racism, colorism, ableism, trans-hostility, anti-lgbtq actions or policies. We do not support discrimination based on size, gender, age, education or socioeconomic status.

We invite you to ride with us as we support our community struggles and create pathways to support those who are fighting for justice and liberation. 

Our process together will be transparent, compassionate, and not without its mistakes but full of accountability. We will continue to do our best to make sure our community knows who and what we represent.

We are currently developing an accountability framework to address any issues that may arise should these values be disregarded.

We are grateful for this community who inspires us to be accountable, transparent and clear with our intention and impact. We continue to desire to be in dialogue with our diverse magical community. Please reach out with any thoughts, concerns or ideas!

Please share your thoughts via email: info@witchesconfluence.org with the subject line: Inclusion Committee

JUNE 25TH, 2020

The modern witches confluence is proud to stand with the black witches among our ranks. Racism has no place in our community and as such, we are committed to the work of dismantling white supremacy and its oppressive power structures.

Our mission is to not only hold ourselves accountable, but to initiate decolonizing and unsettling practices (and training) – which will protect and liberate bipoc, as well as create opportunities for self-inquiry and learning with our white members (and broader society).

We are sharing this statement after taking time to consult with our members in the black and brown communities, and we apologize for the delay in its release.

We will remain open to, and welcoming of, feedback. Constructive dialogue is essential for our evolution. We will be a productive community resource for the work of decolonizing and unsettling magical practices.

CULTIVATING DIVERSITY AND RESHAPING RACIST NARRATIVES ARE OUR PRIORITIES.

OUR ACTION PLAN IS AS FOLLOWS:

1. Through the formation of an inclusion committee, which is composed of a majority POC membership, we pledge to provide a safe space for marginalized people – and a platform upon which their ancestral traditions (and lived experiences) can be amplified, prioritized and celebrated. Our inclusion committee will meet quarterly to continue to assess our programming, processes, and structures to ensure we are maintaining an anti-racism organization. We will publish our quarterly reviews on our website for the community. This will ensure our continued accountability to this work.

2. Through our ongoing scholarship program, we will be offering 15 free tickets to bipoc community members, as well as 35 sliding scale low-cost ticket options for for bipoc, queer, trans and non-binary people.

3. With direction from our inclusion committee, we will be making programming changes to reflect the diversity, culture and histories of our community. This means hiring more poc teachers, and amplifying the voices of black witches.

4. Our 2021 confluence will feature poc-only workshops to provide a safe environment for decolonizing work.

5. We will provide educational opportunities for our white community members, prompting them to unsettle their magic, and to do the necessary internal work to dismantle their own white supremacist programming. We will not tolerate spiritual bypassing.