Dear Aviva Arts Community:

To love is to grieve. The cost of love is grief.

There are no words to express how acutely we feel the loss of Palestinian and Israeli lives. We deeply mourn those that have been killed and continue to be displaced by the war in Palestine and Israel. We vehemently condemn all violence and terrorism arising from this current escalation and from the decades prior. We call for immediate de-escalation of the violence.

We recognize that desire for peace and safety transcends political and geographic borders. We support the Palestinian people’s right to sovereignty, safety, and freedom. We support immediate peace-building initiatives and humanitarian aid for all Palestinians and Israelis in need. We are in solidarity with the people of Israel and stand against anti-Jewish hatred.

Aviva Arts is made up of artists and cultural workers who identify as immigrants, MENA, Asian, Latinx, disabled, queer, non-binary and cis-gendered women. Our lived experiences demand we hold a complex narrative, center least-heard voices and lead from our humanity. We advocate for compassion, empathy, and understanding as foundational principles that guide us.

We reject the colonialist mindset that war secures safety. We believe that everyone is in harm’s way when we allow war to be the only answer.

We denounce all those who wield authority—be it in governmental, military, or non-state capacities—for engaging in acts of violence and fostering systemic discrimination. We object to the actions of the Israeli government that have led to ongoing systemic oppression and suffering for Palestinians. We condemn Hamas for its role in perpetuating cycles of violence and chaos.

We also recognize that the United States is a settler colonial nation built on systemic oppression of indigenous, Black, Latinx and immigrants and that many in our communities have participated in and benefit from those systems of oppression. We acknowledge that we live with ongoing trauma and grief of people in our own country, and we seek to uplift those voices. This, now, also includes the Palestinian and Jewish voices of those affected by this war.

How do we keep vigil for compassion in these times?

At Aviva Arts we believe the role of the artist is to imagine a new way forward. We believe arts practice is freedom practice. Telling stories centering complex, nuanced narratives with an intersectional lens lies at the very foundation of Aviva Arts values. Let’s work to build trust across our communities through active listening, use our relative privilege to lift up others who are currently suffering, seek peace in our own bodies and release the stories that no longer serve us.

If you are struggling and in need of connection or just a moment of creative joy, please join us at our upcoming Expressive Arts Poetry workshop, Creative Rituals For Our Times, online on Nov 5th at 2pm PT. Step away from social media for a couple of hours in service of personal healing and inspiration through contemplative arts practice.

With a breath,

The Staff, Board, and Members of Aviva Arts