There current and ongoing attacks against our communities are vicious. From anti-Trans bills to the defunding of public services. From the hate-filled falsehoods about scientific research to the sudden and violent early morning sweeps of our neighbors’ encampments. These are direct attacks and they can be opposed. But how? So many ways. For one, transformative justice is a non-police-based practice of resistance and movement toward justice that has never been more relevant than now.
This new support group starting in March is a response to the rise of fascism and bigotry, to lift up our movements and increase resilience. People In Struggle Together (PIST) offers weekly therapeutic empowerment sessions led by a trained therapist and social worker, and supported by a political scientist who studies social movements.
Dale Bolger (facilitator, they/them) is a queer, trans, gender-expansive radical social worker, therapist, and decades-long activist in movements for gender justice and Land Back. They see individual clients and run support groups through LynLake Centers for Wellbeing, On Your Side Family Services and work collaboratively as part of the team at Family Tree Clinic.
Sarah Combellick-Bidney (chaos wrangler, they/them or she/her) is a non-binary queer activist and tenured professor of Political Science at Augsburg University. They use research, activism, and transformative justice techniques to support survivors of violence, and they provide volunteer peer support with Trans Lifeline.
Sessions are from 6-7:30PM on Wednesdays at Family Tree Clinic and online remotely via Google Meets (the flier says Zoom but it’s actually Google Meets, and you don’t need the app to join). Registration is required. Email Dale@therapy-mn.org or call or text 760-486-2243. Donations are accepted, and no one is turned away for lack of funds.
The Instagram post is here, and the flier is below.
