You. Are. Amazing.
It takes vision, love, and courage to change the story of our times.
You’ve got it all. Thank you.
Wow. I am blown away by the response to The Roots of Resistance’s Community Publishing Campaign. In two days, we are thirty percent funded, which reflects the incredible generosity, love, and vision of readers and friends far and wide. Thank you. I am moved deeply by this. It gives me hope for our world. If you haven’t jumped in yet, and are ready to be a part of this beautiful happening, here’s where to find our Community Publishing Campaign:
https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/the-roots-of-resistance/x/4376219#/
The powerful outpouring of support affirms that these stories are part of the change we’re all seeking to make, bringing our selves, our families, and our communities into more caring and compassionate stances, using nonviolent action and peacebuilding to stand up for one another and this beloved Earth. Despite the daily news, I see the signs that people like us are the dandelions: bold, indomitable, persistent, springing up through the concrete of control, and letting our hearts lead. This is the truth that I write into my fiction. You will see this beauty woven throughout The Roots of Resistance. It is inspiring. It is uplifting. It’s exactly what we need right now.
You may have noticed: stories are powerful. They can hearten us, inspire us, offer us courageous examples, move us to tears of love and joy. And, while there are tons of media, books, and movies churning out relentless scary news of what’s going on, there are far too few stories of the other side of the picture. People are engaged in creative, loving acts of kindness all over this country. They are organizing together, stepping up to be the change we want to see in the world, taking unprecedented stands based on the demands of their conscience.
These are the people I write about. The Roots of Resistance features characters and scenes loosely based on true stories – like the nation’s first nonviolent public school in Rhode Island, the incredible organizing of the Danes against the Nazis, the French Acadian tintamarre bells-and-whistles proclamation of existence, Indigenous wisdom for change as embodied by a character based on my friend Sherri Mitchell, and so much more. (I could go on, but there would be spoilers amidst the dozens of things I drew from inspiring true stories!)
This Community Publishing Campaign is reminding all of us of the truth that resistance is more than protesting injustice . . . it is also working together to bring new stories into the world, to tell them to one another, to share books like The Dandelion Insurrection and The Roots of Resistance, to publish stories that offer role models like Charlie Rider, Zadie Byrd Gray, Inez Hernandez, Tansy Beaulisle, Tucker Jones and more. We are these characters in real life – and these characters grow in us like the golden blossoms of these stories.
Thank you for your belief. Thank you for being the change. Thank you for bringing stories like this to thousands. Yes, we’re actually reaching many thousands of people now with The Dandelion Insurrection . . . and with your help, we’ll go even further with The Roots of Resistance.
Get a copy of the book for you and for friends. Support the whole year of great writing (see the Community Publishing Campaign to find out how much more is coming up – it is truly amazing) and remember to enjoy this moment of community celebration. It is a moment to rekindle to love and faith in our hearts.
Find the Community Publishing Campaign here:
https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/the-roots-of-resistance#/
In gratitude, joyful tears, and deep love,
Rivera