Constellations of Belonging
Grown and cultivated by the panelists and participants of the Building a Beloved Community virtual session, April 3, 2025.
Seeded and woven by Ziysah von Bieberstein.
Are we divorcing ourselves from our humanity?
We live under threat of being separated from our communities, from our lands.
I'm not that far away from where George Floyd was murdered.
A woman, on her way to Iftar, was abducted for a blog post.
We have to be in places that are brave.
Step away from the fractures.
Turn toward righteous women for guidance.
When we hear from each other, we become stronger.
I practice joy.
Sunlight in the morning.
The sounds of children laughing.
Of me, laughing.
Laughter, bubbling up from nowhere.
Delight feels like soft grasses. The rustling of leaves.
I delight in a new flavour of ice cream, cotton candy, a fizzy drink.
A cozy blanket on a cold night, warmth radiating through me.
The look on my puppy’s face as she gets her bedtime massage.
I practice care like my heart has been touched.
Care like fresh laundry.
Like giving up the last slice of pizza.
Care like sweet jasmine.
Like listening with every atom.
"I got you."
"I am with you."
"I am trying to understand you."
Care, like tea in bed, a bathtub, and a long soak.
Noticing my judgments.
Letting myself cry.
I dream the world I desire into being.
Freedom and nature.
Dancing toward nirvana.
One action.
One invitation.
Swimming in waters of not-knowing.
Dancing with no bra.
Divining in rest.
I dream in my body, not in my head.
I don't know how, I don't know where, I don't even know when.
But I know I am ready.
I don't have the luxury of being paralyzed by fear, by hate, by anything.
I create my own belonging.
This belonging is not dependent on the environment outside.
This belonging is radical care.
Is love.
This belonging is an act of rebellion.
A return to humanity. A return to life’s web.
I want to lash out.
But I take a step back.
I say: I love you.
There is no line between us.
We belong to each other.
IFS Americas Neighborhood Centers: Community Living Room Conversations