#WeMustHealOurselves Action

Call to Action:

This is a call for young (18 to 35) Black survivors of sexual violence to join a direct action planning committee that will be tasked with collaborating on an upcoming action on December 27th in Austin, TX that centers womanist values, restorative justice, and prison abolition.

Action Committee Application: https://goo.gl/forms/Hu11xZ7IrZF2ceBG3

Action Details:

In October 2018, Brett Kavanaugh was appointed to the United States Supreme Court after being accused of sexual assault. His accuser, Dr. Ford, attested to Kavanaugh’s assault of her before the Senate, reminding the country of and re-sparking conversations about Anita Hill’s courageous plight of the same nature in her battle against Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas. This sparked outrage and was a catalyst for mass conversation around accountability and consent, triggering many victims of sexual assault. The invalidation of Dr. Ford and Ms. Hill, their stories, and their pain by the government has resulted in the demand for alternative systems of accountability, justice, healing and reconciliation for survivors of sexual assault.

The #WeMustHealOurselves Action strives to do the following:

-Honor the power and momentum of this moment; to demonstrate the power of collective action

-Empower survivors of sexual assault to raise political consciousness and shift community attention toward systemic alternatives to the criminal justice system as it exists now

-Carve out emotional and psychological capacity to engage politically

-Demand healing and reconciliation as a prerequisite for individual and community growth and rebuilding.

Learn More at: https://www.fourhundredandone.com/wemusthealourselves

Vision for the Future:

In February, 20 survivors who participated in the #WeMustHealOurselves action will be invited to participate in three per week services, including:

-individual therapy sessions

-restorative justice circles with their assailants

-community clinics

The #WeMustHealOurselves Initiative is facilitated by traditional and holistic health practitioners, mental health professionals, and community members, all of whom volunteer their services. Program participation will culminate in the formation of the We Must Heal Institute planning committee.

The We Must Heal Institute is 400+1’s long-term systemic alternative to current systems that are supposed to address issues associated with sexual violence, accountability, and healing but, ultimately, fail victims by upholding and perpetuating systemic oppression.