Laboring for the World We Want

By Grace Collins ’23, November 2, 2020

Renowned educator and social justice activist Valarie Kaur shares her message of revolutionary love with the IC community.

Valarie Kaur delivered a message about positive change to nearly 70 members of the Ithaca College community.

During the past few months, communities across the country have marched and protested to advocate for social change. With many looking for answers during a time of unrest and anger, on Oct. 20, Sikh racial justice activist, civil rights lawyer, award-winning filmmaker, and educator Valarie Kaur spoke to more than 70 Ithaca College students and community members about working to make positive change.

Kaur, author of the book “See No Stranger: A Manifesto of Revolutionary Love,” is best known as the founder of the Revolutionary Love Project, a movement that encourages people to use love to power social change and to labor for the world they want.

She started the evening by inviting students to take a breath and imagine an ancestor standing behind them. “This ancestor has been waiting for you just to get quiet enough to hear this piece of wisdom that will allow you to be brave with your life in this time of history,” she said.

The Zoom chat box was flooded with students sharing the name of the ancestor they thought of and the wisdom that they received from them.

Kaur then reflected on the past several months, discussing the unprecedented challenges of coronavirus, the demonstrations calling for justice for Black lives, including George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, and the anxieties surrounding the upcoming presidential election. She told students that society is currently experiencing what she calls “the darkness of the tomb and the darkness of the womb,” death and despair around us also mean that a new world is waiting to be born.

“Every experience that you have in your life, every training, every degree, every intensive, every new skill that you gain, they all become part of you. You almost become like an alchemist, taking disparate things and you're melding them together to make gold. And isn’t that the point of college, to begin to spin some of that into gold?”

Valarie Kaur

“The only way we will have a new world is if we are laboring with revolutionary love,” she said. “When we choose to enter into labor, when we choose to love people who do not look like us, even our opponents and ourselves, then our love becomes revolutionary.”

Hierald Osorto, executive director for student equity and belonging and director of the Office of Religious and Spiritual Life, moderated the rest of the conversation. Touching on topics like divine rage and forgiveness, Kaur shared stories from her life and imparted wisdom on how to labor for justice with joy.

When an attendee asked about revolutionary love within higher education and how her background in law influences her work, Kaur shared a piece of advice. “Every experience that you have in your life, every training, every degree, every intensive, every new skill that you gain, they all become part of you. You almost become like an alchemist, taking disparate things and you're melding them together to make gold,” she said. “And isn’t that the point of college, to begin to spin some of that into gold?”

“Here’s what I know students received from Valarie Kaur: a powerful assurance that they are not alone ... I hope that each person who joined us live or who will watch it via this link will hear Ithaca College’s heartbeat, reminding us that we are connected to one another.”

Hierald Osorto, executive director for student equity and belonging and director of the Office of Religious and Spiritual Life

Kyle Lazic ‘20, who recently received a copy of Kaur’s book as a gift, said she decided to attend the lecture because she was intrigued by the idea of showing love in the face of negativity.

“The election that is coming up is fueled with lots of emotions, as expected, yet I feel the strongest is hate from both sides,” she said. “The biggest takeaway from the event for me was that to show others love in times of pain takes a lot of practice. There is no secret to it, other than practice.”

Osorto felt the evening had an immense positive impact on the audience.

“Here’s what I know students received from Valarie Kaur: a powerful assurance that they are not alone,” he said. “Several participants experienced an emotional connection with Valarie’s story. I hope that each person who joined us live or who will watch it via this link will hear Ithaca College’s heartbeat, reminding us that we are connected to one another.”