Important Notice: Declaration of Principles Conference/ Blog - Postponed

As many know, there is a really important event in that has been called for tonight - Monday Aug. 1 @ 9 PM EST. Originally this was the start date & time for the Declaration of Principles Conference of Principle 1. Hopefully however, the forum below will generate a lot of energy and focus on racism, misogyny and violence. I will be attending this forum and encourage others of conscience to do the same.

A few days ago, I posted a request for feedback as to how to proceed with the Principles Conference that was scheduled to start today and continue daily throughout this month. The vast majority of support was for option #4:

4. Postpone the whole Declaration of Principles series until Sept 1 so that more energy and focus is available to address the pressing issues of racism, misogyny and violence that are front and center right now...

I appreciate so many people weighing in as to how to proceed with the seemingly conflicting needs present on our movement at this time. I also feel grateful for the thought and concern went into the feedback offered.

As a people we are having some necessary but also incredibly difficult conversations. To navigate them well will require the full energy and attention of everyone willing to offer this. My personal aspiration is to take the time and space needed to thoughtfully reflect and address my own culpability for social 'othering' in whatever ways that manifests for me. This includes internally (thoughts, assumptions, biases, preferences) and externally (actions, choices, words, deeds, tendencies to favor one group's way of thinking over another). It also include ways I may privilege some causes or concerns over others that has the effect of advancing the interests of some groups over others and thereby serves to reinforce white supremacy, misogyny, trans oppression, sanism - or some other kind of social exclusion mentality that I continue to hold (verbal/ academic privilege, ableism, classism, etc).

My hope is that, together, we can deepen our appreciation and understanding of the massive pain that exists among us - as well as generate ideas for moving forward together as intersectional allies dedicated to creating a truly human rights informed world for all people everywhere.

As always, the most important healing I need to do is in my own life and the relationships closest to me. For the time being, that has meant postponing this series to free up the energy and resources I need for meaningful self-reflection and personal change efforts.

If all goes well, I hope to pick up on Blog 21 on August 21 and then resume the Principles Conference starting with Principle 1 on or about September 1, 2016. The plan is to make the conference accessible by phone and internet, and as internationally as possible. Details will be updated in this blog, on facebook and in Google+, as they become available.

Thanks so much to all who have followed this series for your incredible enthusiasm, inspiration, dedication, participation and support.