As part of the Feminist Cabaret on May 10, which sealed the 5th Salon58 Writing Retreat and brought together nearly 85 people at the Marsoui Recreation Center, Retreat participants spoke out in solidarity with the Palestinian people, denouncing the ongoing genocide. This posture is in solidarity with all peoples struggling against colonial powers, including the aboriginal peoples of Canada, Haiti, Sudan and Congo, in keeping with Mandoline Hybride’s decolonial values.

Collective declarations, performances and individual speeches came to life throughout the Cabaret. In order to give resonance to these discourses and actions, we’re sharing here resources to better self-educate around these issues and, above all, to take action.

For a second year, Mandoline Hybride has chosen to donate $1 from every ticket sold at the Cabaret to support local Palestinian communities, this amount being added to the funds raised from the public in attendance, for a total of $165.

We have chosen to give priority to the purchase of eSim cards as a concrete way of supporting the Palestinian people. These cards enable people to communicate with each other and with the outside world, despite the destruction of communications infrastructure and frequent blackouts.

Here we share a short extract from a speech given last Saturday. It’s a quote from German pastor Martin Niemöller, rewritten and adapted by the participants⸱e⸱s of the Retreat:

When they came for the Palestinians,

I didn’t say anything, I wasn’t Palestinian.

When they came for the migrant women,

I said nothing, I wasn’t a migrant.

When they came for the academics,

I didn’t say anything, I wasn’t an academic.

When they came for the trans women, I said nothing,

I didn’t say anything, I wasn’t trans.

Then they came for me.

And there was no one left to protest.

From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free.