I recently learned about another Google Application name "Learn About". As the name implies, it is designed to help anyone learn about a subject they are interested in.
Category: Bear Creek
Bridging Mutual Aid and Decolonial Justice
For years, the annual Prairie Awakening event at Kuehn Conservation Area has been a vibrant celebration of Native American culture, a place where the land's memory is honored through traditional music, dance, and storytelling.1 But for my meeting, Bear Creek Friends Meeting of Iowa Yearly Meeting Conservative, this event has evolved into something far more profound: a living demonstration of their journey from traditional aid to a deeper, more transformative commitment to mutual aid and decolonial justice with Native American communities.
The Enduring Call
I continue to do research and discuss ways to convince Quakers to more fully embrace mutual aid. Those discussions usually lead to more questions and ideas. I did speak at Bear Creek meeting again, yesterday, and suggested we have a Mutual Aid Workgroup, which I plan to develop.
Consolidated history of IYMC Mutual Aid
This report provides a comprehensive historical analysis of the Iowa Yearly Meeting (Conservative) (IYM(C)), examining its past social welfare activities through the specific conceptual framework of mutual aid versus traditional charity. The primary objective is to discern the prevailing patterns of support historically practiced by IYM(C) and to identify instances that exemplify either charity or mutual aid. This historical understanding then serves as the foundation for devising a strategic plan to reorient Iowa Quakers towards a more explicit mutual aid community.
Earlham-Bear Creek Mutual Aid
This is an initial look into the ideas of Bear Creek Meeting developing mutual aid resources in the wider Earlham community.
From Benevolence to Solidarity
This is a visualization of the historical journey of Iowa Yearly Meeting (Conservative) and its path toward a future rooted in Mutual Aid. Understanding the fundamental difference between Charity and Mutual Aid is the first step. While both stem from compassion, their approach to power, community, and change are worlds apart.
A Revolutionary Act
Embracing mutual aid is not merely an act of service but a spiritual imperative for contemporary Quakers to live out their testimonies in transformative action.
Peace
Reading Charles Eisenstein's recent post 'Peace' this morning has caused me to re-examine my life's work for peace.
Stories of faith in action
I've been thinking a lot about a passage from Scot Miller's book, Gospel of the Absurd. He writes that intentional non-violent responses to specific situations are not usual "NOT because they are too difficult an ethic to maintain, but because we do not live in communities that seek out opportunities to embody such faith on a larger scale."
Tent Solidarity in Practice
This was the first opportunity I had to put the Quaker Tent Solidarity concept into practice, which is related to the work I’ve been doing regarding ways for Quakers to do something, anything, to bring attention to the horrors of the ongoing Israeli military operations and genocide against the Palestinians in Gaza.