Solidarity In Crisis: Building Power in Uncertain Times
Building Movement Project's Executive Director Janis Rosheuvel and Adaku discuss the urgent challenges organizations and communities face in response to political instability, the importance of solidarity in sustaining movements, and how to balance immediate action with building long-term power.
Solidarity Beyond the Elections
Democracy is not just about the elections. It is a set of institutions, ideas, and practices that center the power of the people in shaping our lives. On the other side of the elections, how do we ensure that the principles of solidarity and democracy are practiced in everyday actions and decisions? How do we continue to engage communities often forgotten, pushed out, or marginalized by our current democratic system? What tools, resources, and opportunities do we need?
In this special episode, co-host Adaku Utah speaks with Margaret Faliano (IllumiNative), Mary Hooks (M4BL), and Rachel Cheek (NNAF) about the necessary and ongoing work we need to cultivate a democratic society beyond the ballot box.
2024 Elections and Beyond
Election cycles offer opportunities to deepen community engagement, sharpen narratives, and clarify movement values. As November 2024 approaches, how can we prepare to play the right roles, respond strategically, and strengthen connections?
Join co-hosts Adaku Utah and Deepa Iyer as they discuss the 2024 Elections and Beyond: Fortifying Ourselves, Our Organizations, and Our Ecosystems toolkit, featuring frameworks and tools to clarify values, engage in rapid response, and fortify ourselves and our organizations.
Building Solidarity In An Era of Silos
Fractures are widening. In an age of increasing polarization and division, how can we build bridges across lines of difference and strengthen solidarity? What strategies do we need to sustain connections across the growing chasms of ideology, experience, power, and privilege?
Join us for this special episode to explore the challenges and opportunities of building solidarity in our current social and political climate. This episode is a lightly edited recording of our April 2024 State of Solidarity, featuring our colleague Adaku Utah in conversation with Darakshan Raja, Muslims for Just Futures; Woods Ervin, Critical Resistance; Xochitl Bervera, Near Future Farms; Rachael Lorenzo, Indigenous Women Rising; and Yvonne Yen Liu, Solidarity Research Center.
Reckoning With Sustainability: Black Leaders reflect on 2020, the Funding Cliff, and Organizing Infrastructure
In this special episode, co-host Adaku Utah and M Adams reflect on the Building Movement Project's latest report in the Movement Infrastructure series - Reckoning with Sustainability. The report explores how more than 50 Black movement leaders and their organizations understood the brief moment of “racial reckoning” in 2020, how their organizations have fared in the years since, and what they see on the horizon.
Witch School Chapter 19
adrienne is thrilled to welcome Adaku Utah to Witch School. Baltimore born, Nigeria, Maryland, raised in Festac, Nigeria, grounded in her legacy of organizers, farmers and healers, Adaku harnesses her seasoned skills as a grassroots strategist, holistic healer, transformative facilitator, somatics coach and ritual artist as an act of love and commitment to her community. They enjoy co-cultivating strategic, sustainable, and impactful social justice leaders and organizations. For over twenty years, their work has centered on movements for radical social change, with a focus on gender, reproductive, race, youth, and healing justice. They are the co-founder of Harriet's Apothecary.
On this episode adrienne and Adaku talk about sabbatical, life beyond what we thought, abundance, the core roots of the magic we’re holding. witchwork as an expression of awe, the taste of joy, the texture of despair, the rhythm of earth seasons, the cycles of the moon, the sounds of drumming and humming and feet on land, receiving the touch of a loved one, the wisdom of ancestors from the underground railroad, mushrooms and crushing on your first babysitter.
Practices for Care and Endurance
A special bonus episode organized by Hala Alyan with adrienne maree brown, Spenta Kandawalla, Adaku Utah, Sepideh Moafi, Noor Tagouri and Layla Feghali. With gratitude to CTZNWELL.
Healing Across Generations at the Intersections of Memory, Care, and Justice
In this episode, Cara Page of Changing Frequencies discusses with host Adaku Utah how we reclaim ancestral wisdom for collective liberation and shape futures that center collective care and safety and build power.
Mothers of Gynecology Transform Our History and Future
In this episode, Michelle Browder from the More Up Campus speaks with host Adaku Utah about how reclaiming the history of gynecology can transform our conditions and teach us how to center empathy and dignity.
Reclaiming Our Collective Memory
In this conversation, Adaku Utah and Mariame Kaba discuss transformative spaces and practices to reclaim our interdependence and collective memory.
“We Have A Way To Reclaim the Future”
Black Visions co-executive directors Miski Noor and Kandace Montgomery sat down with Denise Perry, the executive director of Black Organizing for Leadership and Dignity (BOLD); Adaku Utah, the organizing director of the National Network of Abortion Funds, the co-director of Harriet’s Apothecary, and a teacher with BOLD; and Prentis Hemphill, the founder and director of the Embodiment Institute and a trainer with BOLD. They talk about the centrality of care, the importance of taking risks and making mistakes, and what it means to invest in Black leadership in this moment.
Race and the Fight for Reproductive Justice
How do race and gender intersect with reproductive justice? How can we make abortion activism more inclusive? Learn from a diverse panel experts in the areas of reproductive justice organizing, policy, and narrative change. This webinar is part of the RaceAnd Webinar series, which puts race and racial justice at the forefront of our conversations and strategies by exploring the intersectionality and connectedness of race and racism with various identities, issue areas, and other systems of oppression.
Abortion Access and the Fight Against Policing & Criminalization
Interrupting Criminalization & The National Network of Abortion Funds present "Abortion Access and the Fight Against Policing & Criminalization," a roundtable of Black feminist, trans, and queer organizers discussing why an abolitionist vision is necessary for the future of reproductive justice organizing, and how movements can support the other.
Speakers included:
Adaku Utah- National Network of Abortion Funds
Andrea Ritchie - Interrupting Criminalization
Maria Thomas, Beyond Do No Harm Fellow, Interrupting Criminalization
Oriaku Njoku, Co-Founder and Executive Director, Access Reproductive Care—Southeast
Erin Grant, Deputy Director, Abortion Care Network
Paris Hatcher, Founder and Director, Black Feminist Future - Imara Jones, Founder, TransLash Media
Healing and Transformative Justice: Black Feminist Futures
What if we eliminate institutions that pathologize, punish, and brutalize, and instead develop methods of accountability that allow for change and healing? In a co-curated and co-moderated conversation, Cara Page, Mariame Kaba, and Adaku Utah ask these questions and discuss the current moment through the lenses of Healing Justice and Transformative Justice, imagining a Black feminist future free from eugenic state violence, policing, and exploitation.
Restore, Renew, and Reparations: Adaku Utah and Bob Alotta on Healing Justice
On the Laura Flanders show, Adaku Utah and J. Bob Alotta discuss what healing and healing justice would look like for communities under attack and in particular, for trans women of color and gender non conforming people.
Practicing the Art of Liberatory Healing
A Blade of Grass documentary on Adaku Utah and Harriet’s Apothecary
Healing, Health, and Resiliency During COVID 19
Movement for Black Lives held an intentional space for those of us who want to deepen our resiliency and learn new health and healing practices. Duriing this national call, we heard from social movement practitioners in healing, somatics, ritual, hoodoo, and yoga about how to care for our physical body, our minds, our spirits during and beyond COVID 19. Speakers include Chinyere Tutashinda, Adaku Utah, Juju Bae, Prentis Hemphill.
Minding Your Relations with Adaku Utah : Emergent Strategy Podcast
Adaku Utah is a 6th generation Igbo healer and the organizing director of the National Network of Abortion Funds. Adaku and Mia meet to talk about organizing and providing services to communities outside of the parameters of the state, and Adaku points to the work that is required for tending to our relationships. They also leads listeners through a centering practice. So find a place that brings you comfort and press play.
