Solidarity is the art of Love:
A Conversation
Written by A Woman Who Loves, Genesis Johnson.
Genesis Johnson, a woman who loves, author of Literature Therapy, was born in Georgia and raised between Dade and Broward County, Florida. Her work explores the profound connections between the practice of solidarity and love, crafting narratives that encourage deep reflection and transformation.
This conversation moves through shared cultural and culinary exploration, highlighting
the commonalities between Palestinian and Black American soul food traditions. It emphasizes
the importance of preserving family histories and celebrating diverse culinary experiences. The
conversation delves into the concept of solidarity, stressing the need for discomfort, empathy,
and patience in supporting liberation movements. The participants also discuss the
interconnectedness of various struggles against oppression and the power of collective action in
achieving liberation. Topics include the role of food in preserving cultural identity, the impact of
colonization and migration on culinary traditions, and the significance of inter-struggle solidarity
in advancing shared goals.
Like love, solidarity isn't linear; it's an ecosystem of experiential processes that lead to
the autonomous choice of solidarity. Love is a principle of that choice, often forgotten at times.
The elements that comprise my experience of love and solidarity, in no particular order, are
experiences that shift, alchemize, and transform you and all those you encounter. Let's discover
together:
Courage and Intrigue:
Courage and intrigue are vital to deepening one's empathy for marginalized groups. Curiosity is a
cornerstone of solidarity because it stems from the courage to be curious about what your
immigrant parents or grandparents have endured due to colonization, or the intrigue about what
has happened to other cultures and people similar to yours.
Recognition:
To be loved is to be understood. Recognition of the similarities among cultures and people
around the world suffering at the hands of Western colonialism is crucial.
“It was lovely. Not to be stared at, not seen, but being pulled into view by the interested,
uncritical eyes of the other.” – Toni Morrison, Beloved
Affection: Affection, similar to romantic affection, carries significant weight in the practice of solidarity.
When you sit with honesty, apply your intrigue, lean into recognition, and step into connection,
affection will naturally follow. It isn’t forced or manufactured; no brand deal or televised
broadcast can create this natural process. Affection leads to holding space for others and
allowing yourself to be held. This could look like sharing your family’s migration or history with
other people of color and allowing them to connect their own historical points to yours.
Connection:
When the dots connect and the cords spark, you realize there is no fundamental difference
between you and someone else. Your history is inextricably linked to hundreds of thousands of
cultures and people around the world, and you are not alone. Your struggle for liberation and for
a world worth living in is not a lone endeavor; you are with millions, and millions are with you.
We are brighter together. We are stronger together. We are smarter together. And in truth,
as strange as it may sound, love is a practice we can instill in one another. As the late, great
James Baldwin said, “Love has never been a popular movement,” but that doesn’t mean it hasn’t
been here all along—unseen, unknown, and unheard. What is love? Love is action; organization
and mobilization. Love is the desire to learn about one another and the acceptance of the
unknown. This conversation about solidarity as an act of love will be held by Elias Rischmawi
and Julian Joyner (creators of Sahouri Soul) and facilitated by a woman who loves deeply. In this
dialogue, we'll explore the journey of Sahouri Soul's creation, gaining insight into the creators'
views on solidarity, empathy, and love. We'll also discover how their personal life experiences
have shaped the way they navigate the world today.
Elias moved to South Florida and began cooking for friends who didn’t know the difference
between Palestinian and Israeli food due to cultural appropriation. The lack of acknowledgment
and recognition of Palestinian heritage led Elias to educate his community through food with his
educational dinners called Azume. Through his culinary practice, his partner Justine, a Black
American creator with deep roots in soul food that has migrated throughout the East Coast,
recognized the cultural crossover between Palestinian food and soul food.
As their relationship evolved and they recognized the aligned struggles they both faced with
colonization and continued oppression, something formed from their love that shifted
perspectives both globally and locally: solidarity. Their desire to know each other's history and to
stand beside each other allowed them to experiment with cultural foods, eventually leading to the
creation of their private dinners, Sahouri Soul. Sahouri Soul is named after the Palestinian
Bedouin culture, which Elias’s identity is rooted in, and the soulful Black American culture that
Justine comes from. The combination of their identities and cultural exchange demonstrated how
solidarity is a form of love.
This conversation moves through shared cultural and culinary exploration, highlighting the
commonalities between Palestinian and Black American soul food traditions. It emphasizes the
importance of preserving family histories and celebrating diverse culinary experiences. The
conversation delves into the concept of solidarity, stressing the need for discomfort, empathy,
and patience in supporting liberation movements. The participants also discuss the
interconnectedness of various struggles against oppression and the power of collective action in
achieving liberation. Topics include the role of food in preserving cultural identity, the impact of
colonization and migration on culinary traditions, and the significance of inter-struggle solidarity
the commonalities between Palestinian and Black American soul food traditions. It emphasizes
the importance of preserving family histories and celebrating diverse culinary experiences. The
conversation delves into the concept of solidarity, stressing the need for discomfort, empathy,
and patience in supporting liberation movements. The participants also discuss the
interconnectedness of various struggles against oppression and the power of collective action in
achieving liberation. Topics include the role of food in preserving cultural identity, the impact of
colonization and migration on culinary traditions, and the significance of inter-struggle solidarity
in advancing shared goals.
Like love, solidarity isn't linear; it's an ecosystem of experiential processes that lead to
the autonomous choice of solidarity. Love is a principle of that choice, often forgotten at times.
The elements that comprise my experience of love and solidarity, in no particular order, are
experiences that shift, alchemize, and transform you and all those you encounter. Let's discover
together:
Honesty:
Honesty about our own ignorance of other oppressed groups, or holding space for others to be
honest with themselves and you about how colonization has truly affected them.
“Choosing to be honest is the first step in the process of love. There is no practitioner of love
who deceives. Once the choice has been made to be honest, then the next step on love's path is
communication.”
― Bell Hooks, *All About Love: New Visions*
Honesty about our own ignorance of other oppressed groups, or holding space for others to be
honest with themselves and you about how colonization has truly affected them.
“Choosing to be honest is the first step in the process of love. There is no practitioner of love
who deceives. Once the choice has been made to be honest, then the next step on love's path is
communication.”
― Bell Hooks, *All About Love: New Visions*
Courage and Intrigue:
Courage and intrigue are vital to deepening one's empathy for marginalized groups. Curiosity is a
cornerstone of solidarity because it stems from the courage to be curious about what your
immigrant parents or grandparents have endured due to colonization, or the intrigue about what
has happened to other cultures and people similar to yours.
Recognition:
To be loved is to be understood. Recognition of the similarities among cultures and people
around the world suffering at the hands of Western colonialism is crucial.
“It was lovely. Not to be stared at, not seen, but being pulled into view by the interested,
uncritical eyes of the other.” – Toni Morrison, Beloved
Affection: Affection, similar to romantic affection, carries significant weight in the practice of solidarity.
When you sit with honesty, apply your intrigue, lean into recognition, and step into connection,
affection will naturally follow. It isn’t forced or manufactured; no brand deal or televised
broadcast can create this natural process. Affection leads to holding space for others and
allowing yourself to be held. This could look like sharing your family’s migration or history with
other people of color and allowing them to connect their own historical points to yours.
Connection:
When the dots connect and the cords spark, you realize there is no fundamental difference
between you and someone else. Your history is inextricably linked to hundreds of thousands of
cultures and people around the world, and you are not alone. Your struggle for liberation and for
a world worth living in is not a lone endeavor; you are with millions, and millions are with you.
We are brighter together. We are stronger together. We are smarter together. And in truth,
as strange as it may sound, love is a practice we can instill in one another. As the late, great
James Baldwin said, “Love has never been a popular movement,” but that doesn’t mean it hasn’t
been here all along—unseen, unknown, and unheard. What is love? Love is action; organization
and mobilization. Love is the desire to learn about one another and the acceptance of the
unknown. This conversation about solidarity as an act of love will be held by Elias Rischmawi
and Julian Joyner (creators of Sahouri Soul) and facilitated by a woman who loves deeply. In this
dialogue, we'll explore the journey of Sahouri Soul's creation, gaining insight into the creators'
views on solidarity, empathy, and love. We'll also discover how their personal life experiences
have shaped the way they navigate the world today.
Elias moved to South Florida and began cooking for friends who didn’t know the difference
between Palestinian and Israeli food due to cultural appropriation. The lack of acknowledgment
and recognition of Palestinian heritage led Elias to educate his community through food with his
educational dinners called Azume. Through his culinary practice, his partner Justine, a Black
American creator with deep roots in soul food that has migrated throughout the East Coast,
recognized the cultural crossover between Palestinian food and soul food.
As their relationship evolved and they recognized the aligned struggles they both faced with
colonization and continued oppression, something formed from their love that shifted
perspectives both globally and locally: solidarity. Their desire to know each other's history and to
stand beside each other allowed them to experiment with cultural foods, eventually leading to the
creation of their private dinners, Sahouri Soul. Sahouri Soul is named after the Palestinian
Bedouin culture, which Elias’s identity is rooted in, and the soulful Black American culture that
Justine comes from. The combination of their identities and cultural exchange demonstrated how
solidarity is a form of love.
This conversation moves through shared cultural and culinary exploration, highlighting the
commonalities between Palestinian and Black American soul food traditions. It emphasizes the
importance of preserving family histories and celebrating diverse culinary experiences. The
conversation delves into the concept of solidarity, stressing the need for discomfort, empathy,
and patience in supporting liberation movements. The participants also discuss the
interconnectedness of various struggles against oppression and the power of collective action in
achieving liberation. Topics include the role of food in preserving cultural identity, the impact of
colonization and migration on culinary traditions, and the significance of inter-struggle solidarity
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