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Hello, loved ones!

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Welcome to Resurrection Sunday... YAY!

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It's um actually the first Sunday in a long time 
that I've gone to church.

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Filmmaker, queer activist Emilio Rojas invited us 
to come to church with him this morning,

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which was a really powerful, interesting experience,

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and what's cool is that I met Emilio 
at the Bayard Rustin Symposium

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last Sunday... last Saturday,

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where I gave a keynote.

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And part of the activity 
that we did in our keynote ritual

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was based on this poem that I'm about to 
share with you by Audre Lorde.

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It's called "When The Saints Come Marching In".

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<i>Plentiful sacrifice</i>

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<i>and believers in redemption</i>

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<i>are all that is needed</i>

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<i>so any day now</i>

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<i>I expect some new religion</i>

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<i>to rise up like tear gas</i>

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<i>from the streets of New York</i>

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<i>erupting like the rank pavement smell</i>

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<i>released by the garbage trucks' baptismal drizzle</i>

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<i>the high priests have been ready</i>

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<i>and waiting</i>

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<i>with their incense pans full of fire</i>

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<i>I do not know the rituals,</i>

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<i>the exaltations</i>

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<i>nor what name of the god</i>

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<i>the survivors will worship</i>

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<i>I only know</i>

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<i>she will be terrible</i>

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<i>and very busy</i>

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<i>and very old.</i>

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So I love this poem.

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I love the idea of what we can see 
as the new religion

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coming up from the grimiest place.

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The baptismal drizzle of the garbage trucks
on the pavement of New York City.

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And how we can imagine 
a terrible, busy, old, female god,

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whose high priests are ready and waiting.

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So the assignment for this week

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is to think about that.

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What are the faith-transforming baptismal drizzles

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experiences of funk

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that you are present to

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at this time in your life, 
at this moment in your community.

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What is the dirtiness 
that is actually prompting you

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to think about what you believe, 
to remember what you believe,

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to feel empowered to create 
your own definition of divinity,

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or a remembered definition.

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Let me know!

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I would love to hear from you,

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and if you would like to talk more 
or have your own poem oracle,

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the poem oracles we did at the Bayard Rustin
Symposium were off the hook,

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and if you would like your own poem oracle,

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check me out at:
summerofourlorde.wordpress.com

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And have a beautiful week... AH!!!

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Before I go!

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In a couple of days it will be Audre Lorde's 
--would have been--

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Audre Lorde's 80th birthday.

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And over on the Feminist Wire 
we're having a forum...

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Audre every day,

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wonderful pieces from former students,
and chosen disciples of Audre Lorde,

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poetry, essays, beautiful photographs,

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that we'll be sharing.

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So, come on over to School Of Our Lorde at
summerofourlorde.wordpress.com

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and also check out the Feminist Wire this week for the Audre Lorde tribute.

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Sending much love!

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Happy Resurrection Sunday!

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MWAH!