FemCom: 10 Years Of RESURJ!

2021 marked 10 years since RESURJ’s first advocacy activity at the 44th Commission on Population and Development, after RESURJ’s founding in 2010. While we continued to grapple with the challenges brought by the COVID-19 pandemic, unable to meet in person to mark this important milestone in south feminist organising, we felt the need to reconnect with friends and allies who made RESURJ possible.

It has been a long journey filled with resilience, resistance, community care, reflection and action and we can’t thank you enough for being a part of it.

A rectangular frame with leaves and flowers on it. Inside the frame is a smaller frame. Two parallel lines runs through the top left and right corner each, making triangles at the corner. The words, “strength,” “alliances,” “freedom,” “resilience” and “peace” are written within the left tiangle. Below that, we have the words, “remaining grounded,” “action”, “support”, and “space for clarity.”

Within the right corner triangle, the words, “co-creation”, “accountability” are written, and below that, the words, “balance”, “political+personal” are written.

In the center, there is an aquarium with a fish, boats, and sea grass. A semi circle closes the opening of the aquarium. Text within the semi circle reads, “hopes for the future; dreams; visions” and “Resurj turns 10.”

Around the aquarium and at the bottom of the image, we see illustrations of different kinds of people with different tons of skin and semblance. Surrounding those people are written many words and ideas, “Transitioning”, “changed the way, we share power,” “advocacy and leadership,” “organized collective,” “transnational feminist alliance”. The illustration of a person on the right is looking into a mirror. The reflection on the mirror reads, “healing, collective care, changing from within.”

In the bottom left and right corners each, there are 2 arms extended and holding each other. The text written on the arms read, “co-learning, mental well being, shared struggles, support” A rubic cube is placed near the left arm, and illustration of Saturn planet with the words “looking back” is placed on right side. — Illustration capturing conversation at the FemCom | Illustration by Kokila B

As a part of the celebration, we hosted a Feminist Community of Care (FemCom), bringing together all those who have been part of this important journey.

Through this FemCom, we reflected on our journey so far through the words of our current and former members, allies and accomplices, and explored our hopes and wishes for the next steps of RESURJ in furthering sexual and reproductive justice.

We shared our vision of a feminist future, of what it means for a collective to stay connected but also see new planets.

A word cloud with the words "sharing, rebellious, grounded, messy, hope, strength, passion, watering, nurturing, freedom, co-creation, work, nefelibata, mess, remain, peace, continuance, support, resilience, caring" — Wordcloud of FemCom participants’ response to, “What is your dream for RESURJ?”

We express our gratitude to everyone who joined us in the celebration, and those who could not but have been an extremely important part of RESURJ’s history and journey.

Roaring on!