Dear Family,

Looking back on the last year and a half, we have weathered non-stop crises — mass violence and police shootings and climate catastrophes and daily hardships through this pandemic. Yet we still found ways to show up for one another.

In solidarity lies our power — and our future.

I would like to tell you the story of the Solidarity Vigil – and ask you to support our work. Please make a donation now and join our Beloved Donor Circle! Scroll down for our thank you gifts to you. 

In April this year, in the wake of the massacres on Asian Americans in Atlanta and Sikhs in Indianapolis, and the trial over George Floyd’s murder, many of us were gripped with severe racial trauma. I could feel it in my own body, grieving for my Sikh community, longing for people to stand with us to end Asian hate. At the same time, I watched my Black colleagues working overtime, tending to the pain of all of us reliving George Floyd’s murder. We could have retreated into our separate groups, focusing on healing in isolation.

But grieving together is frontlines social justice work. Throughout history, whenever people who have no obvious reason to love one another come together to grieve, they give rise to new relationships — and renewed action. What would happen if we joined our grief together and lifted up a vision of an America where we all belong?

So — we created a vigil for deep solidarity.

The Solidarity Vigil was a 2 1/2 hour virtual event in honor of the Sikh community that modeled how to center Black Lives, begin with Indigenous wisdom, and stand in solidarity in the face of anti-Asian hate. We turned a virtual space into a sacred space of more than 10,000 participants, 145+ partner organizations and 30+ faith leaders, movement leaders, and artists, plus representation from the White House. It was a tapestry of testimony, witness, music, poetry, prayer, and song — in the Sikh spirit of Chardi Kala, ever-rising spirits even in darkness.

Watch the 7 minute highlights video of the Solidarity Vigil here!

I still get notes from people who tell me that they’ve never experienced anything like it. The Solidarity Vigil modeled what beloved community could look like, and feel like. In deep solidarity, we experience the multiracial multifaith America that could be.

Shallow solidarity is rooted in the logic of exchange: I show up for you, so you show up for me. But deep solidarity is anchored in love: I show up for you because I choose to see you as kin. You are a part of me I do not yet know. 

As we lift our gaze to the future, we are committed to making this kind of connection and safety the default experience in all of our civic institutions. We do not need a crisis to create spaces where we all feel seen and that we belong. Our vision is to give people the tools to build beloved community like this, where they are.

Please join our Beloved Donor Circle to support our work and fuel this vision in 2022 and beyond! 

Yours,
Valarie

Join our Beloved Donor Circle. 

Here are three ways to give to continue the labor of building beloved community. For every donation, we would like to send you thank-you gifts to enrich your journey.

#1 Are you a Beloved Sustainer?

When you make a monthly donation of any amount, you become a Beloved Sustainer. You sustain our work with your faith in us. We send you a postcard of revolutionary love artwork in the mail and keep you posted with special updates. Plus, the first 50 to sign up are invited to join Valarie in a virtual group tea date! (You can also make a one-time donation of $150 or more). 

#2 Are you a Beloved Champion? 

When you donate $1K or more, you become a Beloved Champion. You are the wind at our back! To thank you, we send you all of the above, plus a signed copy of See No Stranger, a poster of the Shephard Fairey portrait “Rebirth” signed by Valarie, a copy of Ani DiFranco’s new album “Revolutionary Love,” and an invite to join Valarie in a virtual group tea date. 

#3 Are you a Beloved Anchor? 

If you or your family can donate $10K or more, you become a Beloved Anchor. Thank you! We send you all of the above, plus the brand-new Revolutionary Love audio training course and an invite to join Valarie in a 1-1 virtual tea date.

And — If you or your family are interested in becoming a Beloved Partner with a contribution of $40K or more over a two year period, we invite you to email us directly at contact@revolutionaryloveproject.com.

Our Gifts to Thank You

As an expression of our gratitude, we’re excited to mail you some of our favorite work from 2021!

Click here to donate and join our Beloved Donor Circle!

Our fundraising campaign ends December 31st. Our thank-you gifts will ship to you by March 2022.