My Friend Sea Girl

No doubt about it. These past few weeks we have seen the ugly wounds of our inherently racist and oppressive society burst open so painfully and explosively that there is no longer any excuse for ignoring the facts or resisting the necessary change. I have been heartened to see so much of the white world grasp this opportunity for change, and try to contribute however we can towards ending the systemic racism that courses through every vein of our society. Whether it’s by using the #blacklivesmatter hashtag, risking COVID to march against racist police violence, donating funds to Black organizations, or diving into some serious learning, more allies have shown up than ever before (I know – what took us so long?!?). I am hopeful that this is just the beginning of the end of centuries of racist oppression and that this new shift in conscience and consciousness continues to expand until all folk are equal and all folk are free. We ALL have a lot of work ahead of us to make this happen.

And then, just when we thought we maxed out on feeling the pain of the oppressed, JK Rowling – she who has shaped the lives of more people than any other human being in history – goes on an anti-trans rant on Twitter. She who has influenced generations is now making it clear that she does not recognize trans folk for who they are. And, with that, our collective grief for the marginalized communities has hit the depths of hell.    

I firmly believe that we are all being challenged to do something just now to fight the systemic oppression that is rearing its ugly head everywhere we look. Other than marching and writing letters, my own strength lies in fundraising.

If you have been a part of the Singing Bowl Granola community for any length of time, you already know that I frequently donate to local organizations that I believe could use some financial support. Every June (Pride Month), I fundraise for organizations that support LGBTQ folk.

There are so many groups in need of funds right now, it is hard to decide where to direct the money. After doing a fair bit of research on groups needing financial support, I came across a local fundraiser for LGBTQI refugees who are experiencing violence and abuse in the refugee camps in Kenya. My new friend ‘Seagirl’ is a young trans woman from Uganda who had to flee her home country due to homophobia and transphobia, and ended up living in refugee camps in Kenya before arriving in Canada a year and a half ago. Unfortunately, she discovered that life for LGBTQI people in the refugee camps is as dangerous as it was in Uganda, and many members of her community who are still in the camps are suffering violent attacks. She is now raising funds to help provide support for members of her extended community back in Kenya to help cover their hospital bills, supplies for recovery and costs for potential safety planning, and/or relocation costs. As the mother of a trans teen, and in light of the increased risk to trans people due to JK Rowling’s recent anti-trans tweets, this cause is close to my heart.

Pride was started by a Black trans woman, Marsha P. Johnson in June 1969. 

For the month of June, 10% of my online sales will go to Sea Girl’s fundraiser. If you wish to support this cause, all you have to do is order your favourite granola from our website. If you want to increase your impact, encourage your friends to do the same.