We've Been Invited to go To Palestine

WAIT, WHAT, YOU'RE GOING TO PALESTINE AGAIN?

First, let's keep all eyes on the ongoing genocide in Gaza and increased violence in the West Bank. Second, thank you students and others who are putting their bodies on the line to protest our institution's complicity in the ongoing violence. And third, I'm headed back to Palestine.

After returning from my trip last month as part of a delegation with the Israel Palestine Mission Network, the Sabeel Ecumenical Liberation Theology Center invited me to help organize an experimental delegation, bringing together influencers, creatives, and digital storytellers to amplify the stories of Palestinians whose stories are not always told.

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WHAT WILL YOU BE DOING?

There is no big project in the works, no assumptions about the content created, and no expectations that we will make a grand impact while we are there. We will be there to listen to and receive stories, collaborate and create with one another and those we meet, and show our solidarity by showing up, breaking bread, and using our gifts to participate in movements for peace and healing.

As with my last trip, I could not refuse the invitation to help bring others to see some of what is happening firsthand, but in order to make this happen, we need your help.

WHY GOFUNDME?

Being creative and focusing on humanitarian and social causes does not often result in much disposable income. Basic travel costs and fair compensation to our hosts are not cheap. We may have the flexibility to engage in this work when others do not, so we go on behalf of and because of our communities, colleagues, friends, and family who support us in this work. Because we wanted to include diverse lived experiences, so rather than individually fundraise, we are collectively crowdfunding this project, sharing our resources, influence, and experience so a variety of folx can participate.

For those who do support us, you will be invited (totally opt-in) to a private group chat on Signal. For organizations and communities that give $500 or more, one of us will show up for a one-hour Zoom presentation about our trip.

So, take a moment to check out the compassionate, courageous, and creative humans who will be part of this delegation (see below). If you have the resources, we would love to have you join us through your generous support. Peace!

THE DELEGATION

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Matthew Black (He/Him) — Singer-songwriter. Musician.

Matthew is an indie-folk singer-songwriter known for incisive lyrics and singable melodies. The literal son of a preacher man, Matthew left his job as a mild-mannered IT manager in 2022 to make music full-time. His sophomore album, A Little Closer, is set for release in 2024. 

To get to know Matthew start here. You should also follow him on Instagram and get to know him on YouTube, TikTok, and Facebook.

Addie Domske, Co-Leader (She/Her) — Pastor. Mother. Public Theologian.

Originally from a small borough north of Pittsburgh, Addie is an ordained minister in the Presbyterian Church (USA) who nurtures Christian spaces that are queer, anti-colonial, and anti-capitalist. Addie spent the summer of 2013 in the Holy Land with no understanding of Palestinian resistance, but after meeting people on the ground she returned to the U.S. committed to indigenous land sovereignty, both in Palestine and on Turtle Island. This will be her sixth trip to Palestine. 

To get to know Addie, follow her on Instagram or dive a little deeper on her LinkTree.

David Ensign (He/Him) — Pastor. Storysinger. Grandpa. 

David is a writer, musician, and mostly retired Presbyterian pastor in Arlington, Va., where he has lived for more than 20 years with Cheryl Lederle, his beloved of more years than he can remember. He most recently served as interim executive director of the Presbyterian Peace Fellowship. David and Cheryl have three adult children and two grandchildren (whose pictures he will happily show you).

To get to know David follow him on Instagram then visit him on Wordpress, Facebook, Youtube, or Soundcloud. 

Ghazellé (She/Her) —Artist. Songwriter. Abolitionist.

Ghazellé is an LA-born artist, songwriter, & performance coach. She is a Queer, half-Arab, half-Armenian woman. Ghazellé's global engagement includes significant time in Athens, Greece during 2018 & 2021, and NYC in 2023 as part of the SWANA-LA-Connect delegation supporting refugee communities on the ground. Ghazellé's journey, marked by resilience and advocacy, resonates in her dynamic artistry. She is driven to uplift BIPOC, LGBTQAI+ and all vulnerable, oppressed communities as part of her life’s purpose and strives to create ways for her music to be a vehicle for liberation and social justice transformation.

To get to know Ghazellé follow her on Instagram and then head on over to beacons.ai and letscleartheroom.com for more!

Heatherlyn (She/They) — Singer/Songwriter. LIVEstreamer. Healer.

Heatherlyn, Mystical Minister of Song, infuses soul, roots, and rock into their eclectic music, uplifting and embracing the human experience with fierce tenderness. Their name, meaning "flowering, flowing river," reflects the refreshing essence of their music, serving as a channel to help listeners feel, heal, and wash away life's stresses. With deep curiosity and effervescent love, Heatherlyn's voice resonates with diverse vibrations, enriching souls along the journey.

To get to know Heatherlyn, start here. You should then follow her on Instagram and check out all of her links on LinkTree.

Andre Henry (He/Him) — Musician. Author.

From the shadows of Confederate Mount Rushmore in Stone Mountain, Georgia, just miles outside the Civil Rights capital city of Atlanta, comes a creative truthteller, equipped with revolutionary insight, fierce vulnerability, and conscious, soulful, cinematic, pop anthems.

To get to know Andre, you should start here. You should then follow him on Instagram and then find out more about him on his website.

Merissa Magdael-Lauron (She/They) — Composer/Musician. Educator. Organizer.

Merissa is a 3rd & 4th generation Filipina born and raised in Stockton, California. A Berklee College of Music graduate, Merissa is a composer for Film & TV working with award-winning filmmakers and recording artists; an advocate of human rights especially for Queer, Black, Indigenous, and People of Color; and was a band & drumline middle school music teacher in her hometown giving back to the community that made her who she is today. With a love and passion for both music and liberation, Merissa's soul is fueled with the drive to be the change she wishes to see in the world through her music. 

To get to know Merissa, check out their website and then follow them on Instagram,  TikTok, and SoundCloud.

Thanh Nguyen, Sabeel Project Coordinator (She/They)— Poet. Musician. 

Thanh is a poet and musician from Atlanta, Georgia currently living in Amman, Jordan. Her work focuses on colonial displacement, exile, and belonging and has been featured in Re:Visions Magazine, Silk Road Review, Decolonial Passages, as well as her own artistic productions. Outside of poetry, Thanh also pursues decolonial imaginaries as a project coordinator at Sabeel Ecumenical Liberation Theology Center based in Palestine. 

To get to know Thanh, check out their website and then follow her on Instagram or visit her on LinkedIn. 

Bruce Reyes-Chow, Delegation Coordinator (He/Him) — Pastor. Writer. Podcaster. Bruce Reyes-Chow is a sought-after speaker and writer on faith, culture, politics, race, technology, and pop-culture. He is an ordained minister in the Presbyterian Church (USA) and hosts the podcast BRC & Friends. His most recent book, is Everything Good about God is True: Choosing Faith (Broadlead, 2024). He and his spouse have three adult children, two dogs, and live in San Jose, California.

To get to know Bruce more, after you follow him on Instagram, check out his Substack, Facebook, or Podcast

The Amalgamation is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.