With the Sol Collective team in Comerío this morning.
You know when you get to be part of something so big that it makes you feel microscopic?
That part.
Today we were invited to paint.
The inspiration. I don’t even have words.
The love is overwhelming.
Overwhelmingly blessed to be invited to be part of such a close knit, strong community. Loving and learning.
Just ate the best meal we’ve had on the island at this farm.
Hella full. Hella love. Just. Hella.
Work hard. Play hard. Paddle hard.
Can’t understate the love to our fearless leader @Estrellahood and her vision 13 years ago with Sol Collective for shining such a bright light around the globe and allowing some rando who was trying to get his life together into the circle 9 years ago and seeing what I couldn’t see in myself at that time.
You can see the water line from where Hurricane Maria hit.
Yesterday was trash cleanup along a beautiful river in Comerío after learning about their self sustaining agricultural systems. We collected almost 20 bags of trash.
“When we take care of nature she takes care of us.”
After spending some time today with the Puerto Rico fam, I’ve been reflecting on a conversation I’ve been having in a few different circles for awhile now.
I live in Sacramento’s Oak Park neighborhood right off MLK by the community center.
Every day I ride my bike/walk down that strip. Sometimes I talk to Dr. King on the ride. Every time my heart breaks a little because of the trash (including hypodermic needles) on the street, and especially in front of the community center. I’ve had this conversation enough and I’m done talking.
When I get back, Sol Collective and the ZFG camp are going to be organizing a community cleanup effort to love on the street named after Dr. King and all of our amazing neighbors, especially around the community center where our kids play.
If you would like to be involved in the effort please email me at Andru [at] SolCollective.org with your name, email, and a phone number and I will add you to the volunteer list for when this happens. We will make a FB event, promote/recruit, and everything once all the details are figured out. The hope is that we can start there and branch out to continue beautifying all of our communities.
I know I’m not the first to have this idea or do this work. There is a legacy of inspiring activism in the neighborhood that stretches back for decades.
But as a recent arrival who has fallen in love with the Oak Park community, I just feel the call to help push these efforts along.
Shoutout to everyone who has been out here doing the work for years. All insight and wisdom from the elders, business owners, and community members with deeper roots than I is appreciated. All negative attitudes, blame, and overall apathy just not welcome as long as I’m concerned.
“When we take care of nature she takes care of us.”
Just because it’s paved over doesn’t make it any less true. Eternally grateful to the community of Comerío for their inspiration.
Let’s go.
Dam what a view.
Pure love and highest vibration.
—andru defeye
Flommist Andru Defeye is the Guerrilla Poet Laureate of Sacramento. Copyright © 2018 Andru Defeye.
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