December Residents Tackle Issues of Palestine and Incarcerated Women
Throughout the year, we offer themed invitational residencies that address the pressing issues of our time. In December, we had the pleasure of bringing two groups of outstanding writers and organizers to Mesa to offer protected time and space for their work. As both residencies ended, we were left feeling inspired by what each writer brings to the world and grateful for what they courageously shared with us.
In early December, we had the privilege of hosting writer and poet Elmaz Abinader, pediatrician and organizer Lama Rimawi, and critical geographer Nour Joudah during our Voices for Palestine residency. After witnessing more than a year of Israel’s genocide against Palestinians and destruction in Lebanon we were grateful to be able to offer space to writers and activists who are trying to share with the world the pain, grief, sorrow, hunger and atrocities endured by their people.
Of the residency, Elmaz shared: “The three women you brought together represented three different generations, three different fields of expertise and three distinct experiences. Together we shared stories and knowledge and strategies. As the elder, who is slightly fatigued of witnessing and writing with the hope that the country and the world will see nuanced, relatable people, trying to be safe and loved, I was buoyed by the work and ambition of Lama and Nour.”
L to R: Elmaz Abinader, Lama Rimawi, Nour Joudah
Our last residency of 2024 brought together change-makers Judy Belk, Susan Burton and Marlene Sanchez. Judy is a writer, speaker and a thought leader on philanthropic giving; Susan is at the forefront of the criminal justice reform movement and author of award-winning memoir, Becoming Ms. Burton; and Marlene is a Bay Area organizer, a formerly incarcerated woman and now executive director of the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights. Their residency was dedicated to thinking about how we can support the voices of the incarcerated and formerly incarcerated women, and highlight the systematic lack of support for reentry. For our final lunch, we invited a few more of Mesa’s community who are also dedicated to criminal justice reform (including several alums!): Sonia Paul, Tijanna Eaton, Krea Gomez, Jessica Nowlan, and Elaine Elinson.
We are offering both residencies again in December 2025, and and appreciate suggestions of writers and activists we should consider inviting. We are committed to opening up our space to those who are writing and thinking on the edge.
L to R: Kamala Tully, Marlene Sanchez, Sonia Paul, Susan Burton, Tijuana Eaton, Krea Gomez, Judy Belk, Jessica Nowlan, and Elaine Elinson