A Seed to a Mighty Forest - Breathing Life and Strength into Feminist Movements

 

Alright, let us gather round the fire to pause and warm our hands and thaw our hearts! Now, imagine a tiny seed nestled deep in our earth. These aren't just any seeds, though, they are rich with composting told and untold   African powerful stories of resistance.  The seed represents the tiny hope and dreams we care and attend to that offers liberation, healing and justice. We have one tiny seed growing into a mighty forest of feminist strength and resilience. 

Generations ago, our feminist ancestors seeded the ground we stand on today. They were visionaries who dared dream of a world where oppressive systems would be dismantled, where collective liberation restoration to wholeness and regeneration of our hearts, bodies, land, and territories as not just lofty ideas but conceivable realities grounded in transformational social justice.

Like us, our feminist forebearers encountered challenges, of course. The storm winds of patriarchy, colonisation, neoliberal, capitalist and extractive forces blew fiercely, threatening to uproot the delicate saplings of our movements. Yet, they persevered, nurturing their visions with unwavering courage and determination. Their sacrifices, struggles, and triumphs are the bedrock of which we stand today. We stand tall because of them, and the fight for freedom is ongoing.

As the years unfolded, our seeds continued to grow. The saplings stretched taller, weaving their branches toward the sky and intertwining with other seeds of change, creating a lush tapestry of gains. Over generations, time and space, more of us joined a diverse mix of African feminist movements, each bringing their own experiences, passions, and gifts. Our forest began to take shape, becoming a vibrant ecosystem of diverse voices, bodies, and causes united by a shared vision for a more just and equitable world.

But this journey isn’t easy. We come bearing trauma as wounds and battle scars that mobilised us into collective action are still festering—in this space of fighting against oppression and speaking truth to power there has been a lot of backlash, attack and many feminists and defenders bear hurt and suffering as a result of who they are and their daring action in the frontlines to demand for radical transformations in the communities we serve. There is a lot of unmetabolised pain and suffering that has inadvertently impacted us by splitting and isolating us even further. When our lives are governed by fear, pain, and scarcity mindsets it keeps us overwhelmed, constricted, and disconnected from ourselves, each other, and the environment in order to survive. Our forest faces other old and new daunting threats: the encroaching tide of anti-gender and anti-rights movements, the chilling winds of dwindling resources, fragmentation and tensions within our movements, and the ever-looming danger of constricting civic space. 

Yet, like a resilient forest that bends, braves and endures even the harshest storms, our movement is still here. We aspire to adapt and grow; we do not merely wish to survive—we strive to thrive.

As we approach the end of the year, let us be intentional about cultivating spaces and places where feminists can pause and rest as we regroup and reflect on forward-thinking strategies. We are indeed the branches of a magnificent forest, eager to exchange our stories, struggles, and victories. We hold immense potential to learn from one another, nurture our roots, tend to our wounds and dis-ease, and ensure that the forest of feminist power continues to flourish for future generations.

Today marks yet another opportunity to seed new ground, tend lovingly to new frontiers, and ensure that our forest of transformational social justice flourishes for future generations. 

So, let's gather our voices, share our stories, and build a forest that stands tall against any weather and any storm of crisis looming.