Find your tribe and love them hard
Find your tribe and love them hard
Joyful sociality, the dignity of personhood, and our calling to care
“For me, the question of democracy also opens up the question of what it means to be truly human. And it seems to me that we need to recognize that to develop the best humanity, the best spirit, the best community, there needs to be discipline, practices of exploring. How do we work together? How do we talk together in ways that will open up our best capacities and our best gifts?”
Vincent Harding
Our time is awash with weaponized narratives – from newsfeed battles to divisive media discourse, our societal waters churn with words fueling polarization – causing us to live more divided than ever before.
Over the years, we have seen and learned that deep understanding emerges when people hold opposing realities in interplay: fear and hope, loss and beginnings, power and insecurity, me and you.
At We Belong Europe, we devoted ourselves to creating a hospitable space where people can hold hard conversations and speak across their differences. A place where we can cross gulfs between us about politics, religion, environment, and emotions. We called it “Disruptor Talks.”
Disruption, we believe, is the ingredient of civil transformation that helps us peel away ideas that have been mapped onto us. We wanted a place where everyone feels safe and welcome to give shape to questions we don’t know how to ask each other.
This initiative stemmed from the deeply intimate experience of our co-founder, Yasmine Ouirhrane when she had to take legal action against a far-right presidential candidate in France in 2019. After Yasmine was named Young European of the Year, the far-right politician used her picture online, publicly implying she didn't belong to Europe. This distressing incident, which resulted in hundreds of people directing hate towards Yasmine, and leading to depression, not only dissuaded her from viewing politics as a catalyst for change but also reinforced our belief that it is insufficient to merely encourage women, gender minorities, and BIPOC to assume responsibilities and public leadership roles without acknowledging that they will be disproportionately affected by the hostility associated with these positions.
“Especially in the current climate where the far right is gaining influence in Europe, it is crucial to come together, transcend traditional party boundaries, and stand in support of those who believe in fighting for democracies.”
Our first gathering took place in Berlin this January. Our guests included representatives from the Allianz Foundation, BMW Foundation, Brand New Bundestag, DEI Officers from private companies, and activists from civil society. We are filled with gratitude for all the engaging discussions, invaluable insights, and memorable moments. And above all, we want to thank everyone for their participation and support, and for being part of this journey with us.
🔥You can listen to Yasmine’s speech here.
Disruptor Talks is an invitation for you to be participants in the future of language. To show that honest, unsettling conversations can germinate the seeds of self-reflection and thus, a social shift that allows us to live forward together while holding disagreement. To turn conflict into connection.
Join us. 🩷
🫶 “Nothing about us without us!”
Back in my college days, a dear friend from South Africa introduced me to the beautiful Zulu greeting “Sawubona”. It means: I see you, and by seeing you, I bring you into being.
My conversation partner this month embodies what this powerful word conveys – that the core human need is to be seen. And when we are truly seen, we flourish.
Nadia Kendall is a disability rights activist and the powerhouse behind our “Hidden Disability Inclusion” program. But this does not even begin to fill you in on the magnitude of her passion and action leadership in the world of neurodiversity.
Fostering a neuroinclusive society is Nadia’s personal calling and long-haul commitment. She shares a fearless vision for unfolding a resilient communal life, expanding the edge of change.
We talk about how we can work with what is breaking towards creating education and work environments where neurodiverse people can flourish; towards living, as she says, in “a Luxembourg (and hopefully a Europe) that is not only diverse but also inclusive is for all the little Nadia’s out there!”. A world we would all like to inhabit. Nadia revives my faith that, even at the heart of grapplings that divide us, change is not just possible but inevitable.
I urge you to read our conversation alongside a person who you know might find this empowering or even more so, needs it.
More from We Belong 💜
🗣️This month we traveled to Berlin to record an episode with Mina Saidze, founder of Inclusive Tech, the first European advocacy and consulting organization for diversity in tech.
🗣️ Join Yasmine in her conversation with Adeola Naomi Aderemi, multilingual, multilocal, multi-format artist, scholar, and editor of chief of Distinguished Diva as they discuss her volunteer work with refugees and migrants, her commitment to diversifying the creative industry, as well as modern media landscapes.
Cabinet of Curiosities
Sense of Belonging: 39 initiatives that foster European libraries as democratic spaces
The Europeans: podcast series looking at politics and culture around the continent. Each week Katy (reporter in Paris) and Dominic (opera singer in Amsterdam) delve into the stories that don't get enough attention in the national media and interview fascinating people across Europe, from writers to activists, scientists to chefs.
Women in International Law: a new podcast series of the Geneva Academy and ATLAS Network that showcases women with diverse experiences and career paths in the field.
Mental Health for Entrepreneurs: In this powerful episode, Andy Dunn unveils the complexities of living with bipolar disorder in the high-pressure world of entrepreneurship. His story shatters stigmas, fosters greater openness, and paves the way for a more inclusive and understanding environment, encouraging acceptance of the diverse perspectives and unique challenges neurodiverse individuals face.
A Message From the Future: Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and illustrator Molly Crabapple offer a thought experiment: instead of blindly barreling toward climate disaster, what if we made a drastic shift? Imagine we actively chose to protect our environment and save both our habitat and ourselves. What would the future look like then?
🛠️Resource Hub
Neurodiversity Education Academy
📚Nadia’s recommendations:
Unmasking Autism by Devon Price
Strong Female Character by Fern Brady (highly recommend in audiobook format!)
🕵Opportunities
📍European Press Days 2024 in Rouen, France from April 6th to April 7th
NL/ BE Intern with Are We Europe
TED Conferences, Social Media Manager
🌎FAO Internship Programme for Latin America and the Caribbean (August 27)
NL Climate Fund Managers, HR Intern
US Program Assistant, Leadership & Social Impact (rolling basis)
Women's Impact Leadership Fellowship
💻Global Alliance for Green and Gender Action: Linking and Learning Co-Coordinator (Mar 10)
🌍 Access Now Communications & Media Manager
BE International Disability and Development Consortium (IDDC): Communication Intern (Feb 27)
DE German and English speaking Intern for the European Climate Initiative’s Advisory Team (Feb 27)
BE Friends of the Earth Europe: People, Culture and Wellbeing Coordinator (Mar 10)
NL Hivos: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Change Manager
🌳Applications for the annual in-person Orion Environmental Writers’ Workshop open 2/1. Preview details for this year’s gathering at the Omega Institute (May 1)
🎀FREE LEADERSHIP COURSES
Exercising Leadership: Foundation Principles Harvard
Connected Leadership Yale
Be Ready to Lead The Institute of Leadership
Leadership & Management Oxford Home Study
How to Manage a Remote Team GitLab
Practical Leadership MIT
High-Performance Collaboration Northwestern
Foundations of Business Intelligence Google
🎓Yale, Harvard, and MIT from the comfort of your home
The Art of Public Speaking & Writing Persuasively Harvard
Managing Happiness Harvard
Intro to Computer Science Harvard
Intro to Negotiation Yale
The Science of Well-Being Yale
Intro to Computer Science & Programming with Python MIT
How to Become an Entrepreneur MIT
💰Grants for activists & small organizations
Digital Defenders Partnership: rapid response funding for human rights defenders, journalists, activists & organizations facing digital threats/attacks. Duration: 4 months. Amount: €10,000 (Rolling basis)
Unifor Social Justice Fund for projects promoting the role of trade unions & workers groups in social justice & reform. Location: International. (March 1)
UN Voluntary Fund for Victims of Torture offers various grants for assistance to torture survivors & their families. Location: Anywhere. Amount: $30,000 - 100,000. (March 1)
Les mando un abrazo enorme!
Iva