SUSU book of days
árokó, spring equinox & the African new year
as we continue to bask in the gentle embrace of spring, we find ourselves reflecting on the potent ritual we shared during the opening of our greenhouse on the vernal equinox. in the dance of the equinox, we tapped into rhythms of the cosmos, weaving together the wisdom of our ancestors with the boundless possibilities of afrofuturisms
at the heart of our gathering was árokó, a sacred Yoruban non-verbal communication system that bridges worlds, connecting us with our communities, ancestors, spirit guides, and the very essence of the earth itself. with each gesture, each symbol, we wove intentions, blessings, and messages, crafting a tapestry of reverence for the earth, for one another, and for the auspicious moment of our greenhouse's unveiling.
in honoring the changing seasons, we honored the eternal cycles of life and renewal. we stood at the threshold of possibility, inviting the newness of spring to infuse our growing season with vitality.
for those who are inspired to embark on their own journey, we offer some resources to get you started. even though the spring equinox has already passed, the lessons of the vernal season continue to offer us deep insight:
equinox videos
videos taught by Zanemvula
together, we are weaving a tapestry of connection, honoring the past, embracing the present, and dreaming boldly into the future. our greenhouse stands as a site of growth, nourishing both body and soul, where we will continue to co-create the worlds we long to see.
herbal allies for grief support
herbal medicines hold the unique capacity to support us as we navigate grief. allying ourselves with the power of herbal remedies can offer a holistic approach to grief support by bolstering system regulation, healing, and physical comfort.
oat straw
nourishing, calming, supportive to acute grief and shock
nettles
nourishing, building, supportive to navigating stress and managing grief
rose
a soothing and heart-centered ally for moving through sadness, depression and heartache
tulsi
calming and restorative, this ally soothes the nerves and helps settle the mind
lemon balm
mildly sedating and gentle digestive support for anxious bellies
linden
gentle, nourishing and heart-healing nervous system support
free the land: resources for global solidarity with palestine
SUSU is a commitment to global solidarity. in the spirit of global kinship, we encourage you to explore the resources below to support your political education, organizing, and action. join us in weaving a tapestry of collective resilience and liberation.
southern vermont 4 palestine resources
actions
us campaign for palestinian rights action toolkit: read, act, and share!
political education and organizing
the black and palestinian solidarity organizing toolkit from dream defenders in partnership with black for palestine, movement for black lives, blackOUT collective, and dissenters
all out for palestine digital action toolkit from palestinian feminist collective
no tax dollars for war crimes toolkit for organizing actions at congressional district offices, from american friends service committee
legal resources for activists from palestine legal
decolonize palestine website
al jazeera for news
activist resources & joint struggles from USCPR
workplace organizing for palestine: a call with speakers representing many parts of the labor movement including teachers, electrical workers, nurses, midwives, dockworkers, writers, academic workers, and artists. Organized by labor notes. event video linked here.
building a solidarity economy against war & occupation: a discussion with organizers in Palestine - the union of agricultural work committees and the battir food production cooperative جمعية بتير التعاونية للتصنيع والانتاج الغذائي and organizers in nyc. organized by the cooperative economics alliance of nyc and the new york city network of worker cooperatives. event recap linked here.
reflections from the earth circle: an interview with jarmal arnold
can you tell us about yourself and your roles at SUSU?
i am a soul that is on a mission to fulfill my purpose. this has been the fundamental mission of my entire life. what is my purpose? what I’m I here to do? that’s what led me here to what we now call vermont, which eventually led me to SUSU. my intention is to be purpose-driven and ancestrally driven every day. the work i do at SUSU is very layered: where there is a need, i look to support. my commUNITY work at SUSU is integral to my growth and development at this point in my life. i listen to the elements as I am working. i am in constant conversation with the ancestors and this land, and this connects to my land work and any maintenance that needs to get done. i am also holding the role of youth and belonging director. i’ve been called to that work since I was young.
what brought you to earth stewardship and land protector work?
i realize now that, for me, there has always been a knowing in connection with the earth. even when I was in the city, i would always look up at the sky, the clouds. in the city, there aren’t a lot of trees or a lot of spaces where Mama Earth is really in her fullness. so the opportunity to move to vermont was really rare for a kid raised on the west side of baltimore. that opportunity opened up a greater sense of remembering what I’ve always known. i have always connected to the earth: i was never afraid to journey into the woods or jump in the river or explore. so what brought me to this work was a knowing that I’ve always had. and it took being brought to a place like SUSU to turn up the volume of that connection - that knowing.
what’s been one of the most prominent messages from the land that you’ve received at SUSU?
one of the biggest messages my ancestors are telling me to speak to is that the land, the elements, nature, and the earth will always send you guidance, or we could say warning, or messages. and one of the biggest lessons is that we are the land. every part of our bodies is made up of the earth: our bones are mineral, our blood is water, our breath is air. the land will always speak to you and give you a heads-up or guidance if you listen - if you are willing to listen. when I’m on the land and away from distractions, the land will often give me permission to be open up enough to meditate. and when I’m in the space, the answers to questions that have been in my spirit for years will pop up. so the earth is also a place to receive clarity. fire does that for me too. the ancestors will also speak to us through fire.
is there anything else you want to share?
i want to be a conduit for my ancestors. we live in a society that has been fabricated based on how our bodies and minds work. there have been a lot of studies and tests about how the human body operates. what I want to say about that is this: allow ourselves to sincerely be open to change and transformation. sincerely and authentically. trust yourself, trust your process, trust your journey, trust your knowing. and before you give yourself to the external world, explore your inner self first so that you are aligned with your intuition. don’t do it for social media or for other people. do it for yourself.
“making a way for SUSU” by ishmael ahmed
Place of grounding, of growing, of growling, safety, and saving
The fire of Leo, the pride comes together
The ancestors invoked, and made present
To celebrate life in dance and fire
To live and thrive
The future is not set, the lions arise
To be or not to be is not the question
For we are
In a place of hope, new beginnings, a place apart
What can we do with our time together, what space can we make
Where can we go together, and a part
Coddle not anger, for it is brittle and breaks
Shards piercing the soul, leaving behind scars, bind it to the pride
The community, the people
By our actions we will be known
Transformations, the alchemical process
The revelation of the gold
The return of those things lost, taken, and forgotten
Made present
Time and place are the space
Here we manifest
Adversity not to be avoided
Should not be courted
It arises and need not be forced
Make space for Joy allowed to rise
By our actions we will be known
The night falls
The music thrums
The fire burns
The morning comes
The place is here
Making a way for Susu
“call to community” by ishmael ahmed
The edge of the western Abanaki, just before the water shed changes
In the valley of the Connecticut
Near the falls, the old places of learning
A place is made
In it
An ingathering initiated by the garden created
A space to begin to be
Simple, grounded; seeds planted
Re-emerging of older ways
How do we connect
What can we do with the time together
What will be done
Susu, community, reciprocity
Commitment to the work
Now
For the seven generations to follow
The rainbow
How do we through off the yoke of the colonizer
How do we return to place
To all people come knowledge
The prophetic speech
Do we listen
For Black elk has spoken
Given the ghost dance
The dream of the people returning
The return of sustenance
Arising the people of rainbow
Pounding of the feet to earth, ancestors arise
Resonance, the call, the manifestation
From the rainbow, all colors, shades and hues
Sounds of voices coloring the world
With speech
It with words, providing a since of meaning
Painting it with sound
Illuminating desire
Calling for a reconciliation with peace
On the edges of the western Abenaki
The Connecticut
Before the ridge where water flows north
A place is made
And ingathering occurs
Susu