sitting in the beautiful sunlight of madrid, steeped in deep conversation about this dynamic, evolving world, images of the struggle pass through my wandering mind. I have seen children and youth chanting, leading, cheering, crying, hugging, suffering. I sat at the dinner table with Tunisians and Egyptians whose eyes light up when they tell me how proud they are of their people. When my Tunisian friend touched down in his country he said he felt like his head was being pulled out of a bucket of water. Like he could breathe again. My Egyptian friend joined the rally for Egypt in Madrid, proudly and loudly and said for the first time he was proud of his country.

People are rising. Women are claiming their power, youth are daring to dream and children are laughing. People are also dying and suffering and fighting for their rights. As I glue myself to my computer screen I challenge myself to use my own power and resources to support change. Real, sustained change. I know, and there is no turning back, that love, and freedom of all to love and live without oppression is what we must fight for. Today I attend meetings to send a Canadian boat with the International Freedom Flotilla Two, with the goal of BREAKING THE ILLEGAL AND INHUMAN SEIGE OF GAZA. Tomorrow, I will ask you to join me.