We Will Rise: Embracing Grief & Joy in Times of Radical Loss

Join us on Sunday, Jan 26th for a special Thrive Sunday with beloved media activist, writer and speaker Malkia Devich-Cyril and the heart-opening, soul-stirring voices of Wildchoir.

Heartbreak and grief surround us—in the news and our politics, in the climate and rising authoritarianism, in our movements and daily lives. When our hearts feel heavy, how do we create sacred space for our grief and cultivate the joy that sustains us in these times? Let's come together - to connect, to sing, to honor what we’ve lost and what we still hold dear. As Malkia Devich-Cyril encourages us, let us rise from the rubble and dance like the dust.

IN-PERSON & VIRTUAL: Oakland & Bay area folks...come out in person and bring a friend. For folks in other locations, be part of the magic by joining us live on Zoom.

WHAT: THRIVE SUNDAYS are an opportunity to connect with a diverse and inspiring group of activists, healers, artists and caring souls; to be uplifted by music, singing, poetry, and story; and to experience the transformative power of community in service to a world of love & belonging.

WHEN: Sunday, January 26, 2025 from 4pm - 6pm PT / 7pm - 9pm ET (arrive on time!)

WHERE: Uptown Body & Fender event space - 401 26th St, Oakland, CA 94612 (near 19th St Bart Station)

Or virtually on Zoom (link shared when you register)

COST / DONATION: A $10 - $20 contribution is suggested, and you can also contribute more to support the work of Thrive by making a donation. If you are a member of Thrive's Rooted in Love community of practice, this event is included in your membership.

INVITE A FRIEND: Feel free to bring your family and friends, and invite folks on Facebook here.

VOLUNTEERS for In-Person: We are seeking volunteers to help with the set-up and break-down of this event. If you are available to arrive early or stay late, please let us know at: [email protected]

Children: Little ones are welcome to attend. We will not be offering childcare during this event but there will be a space with art supplies and games where they can hang toward the back of the event room.

We look forward to gathering!

In partnership,

the Thrive team

(A video recording of this event will be shared with everyone that registers.)

Accessibility: This venue is wheel chair accessible. Closed captioning will be offered for our virtual participants. Please contact [email protected] with additional accessibility needs and questions. Thank you!

Health Practices for our In-Person Participants

As we gather for in-person community events (while maintaining the option for virtual participation), we recognize that there is a wide range of risk tolerance levels and that the current health and Covid context is continuing to change.

To support the health & safety of our entire community, we will be engaging in the following practices:

• We invite folks to wear a mask if they feel called to and we provide masks at our Welcome Table.
• For anyone experiencing symptoms that could be associated with Covid or another sickness, please do not attend in person and join us virtually.

We continue to monitor the local, state and national health recommendations as we move forward. Masks and hand sanitizer will be available at our Welcome Table.

Thank you for your understanding and partnership. Clarifying questions can be sent to: [email protected]

Guest Speaker: Malkia Devich-Cyril is an activist, writer and public speaker on issues of digital rights, narrative power, Black liberation and collective grief. Devich-Cyril is also the founding and former Executive Director of MediaJustice — a national hub boldly advancing racial justice, rights and dignity in a digital age. After more than 10 years of organizational leadership, Devich-Cyril now serves as a Senior Fellow at Media Justice and is a contributing writer to various publications including The Atlantic, Wired Magazine, TechCrunch, The Washington Post, Truthout and We Will Not Cancel Us — a book by adrienne maree brown, among others.

In 2002, Malkia Devich Cyril helped coin the term “Media Justice”, and in 2019 declared that one significant goal of the Media Justice movement was to “fight for a future where we are all connected, represented and free.”

For more than 20 years, Devich-Cyril has championed the media and technology rights of communities of color and other under-represented groups to demand and win equity in a digital age. Devich-Cyril remains a veteran leader in the movement for digital rights and freedom, and in the movement for Black lives.

Devich-Cyril is regularly a featured speaker on issues of media, technology, and race, and has appeared in publications like Politico, Motherboard, Essence Magazine, and three documentary films including the Oscar nominated 13TH, directed by Ava DuVernay. Devich-Cyril is a recipient of the 2012 Donald H. McGannon Award for work to advance the roles of women and people of color in the media reform movement, a 2013 Prime Movers fellow, winner of the 2015 Hugh Hefner 1st Amendment Award for framing net neutrality as a civil rights issue, winner of the 2016 Electronic Frontier Pioneer award, a YBCA 100 honoree, a 2017 Root 100 honoree, and a 2020 Good Morning America Black Inspiration honoree.

As the widowed spouse of comedian and editor Alana Devich-Cyril, who died following an intense two year battle with advanced cancer, Malkia Devich-Cyril now works to transform the public narrative on grief and equity in America. In this era of rising authoritarianism and climate emergency, Malkia is writing a book on mass loss and resistance, and leading projects on healing, sustainability and grief.

Find them at @radical_loss on instagram.

Learn more at: https://mediajustice.org/staff/malkia-devich-cyril

Guest Artist: Wildchoir is a diverse group of vocalists, artists, activists, educators, healers, and community organizers who join together in big harmony. They celebrate the confluence of their many cultures & identities, including African-American, Latinx, Asian-American, Native American, Middle-Eastern, immigrant, Jewish, & queer. Their music illuminates the joy, pain, and beauty of what it means to be human in this time of systemic transformation.

They have performed with nationally-acclaimed artists for social change including Rising Appalachia, Climbing Poetree & MaMuse. They also frequently share the stage with progressive heroes of our time, such as Bernie Sanders, Ericka Huggins, Joanna Macy, and Fania Davis. Their music has inspired thousands at marches, conferences and festivals across California, most recently at Bioneers, Lightning in a Bottle, Institute for Noetic Sciences, the North America Permaculture Convergence, the Women's March, and the Rise for Climate March.

Learn more at: https://www.wildchoir.org

THRIVE is a community, network and movement building Beloved Community for these times. We bring people together at the intersections of meaning, belonging, music, the arts and social change. Started in Oakland, CA as Thrive East Bay, we have also grown into the Thrive Network as we work to build a world of love and belonging where everyone thrives.

We are guided by the following core principles:

THRIVING LIVES - We support each other in overcoming personal challenges and injustice, and creating lives filled with purpose, joy, and creative expression.

LOVE IN ACTION - We let love guide us toward compassion, gratitude, empathy, and community among diverse groups of people.

SHARED LEARNING & PRACTICE - We seek to expand our critical awareness and evidenced-based understanding of the world, and to grow together through shared inquiry and transformative practices.

SYSTEMIC CHANGE - We unite to build equitable systems where we can flourish as individuals, as communities, and as a planet.

Learn more at: https://www.thrivenetwork.org

Donate to support the work of Thrive at: https://www.thrivenetwork.org/donate

Host or Publisher Thrive Network / Thrive East Bay