Galen's Journey to WAIL with Grief
Donation protected
This July I am traveling to Sedro Woolley, WA, the place where my Aunt Carol died by suicide 27 years ago, to join a choir of 150 others to record an album that will facilitate collective grief work. The project is called WAILS and you can learn more about it here: https://www.wailsgathering.com/. My Aunt Carol was a lesbian and the only queer elder in my family. She died when she was 40 years old, several years before I came out. There is so much to grieve about her death and so much collective grief work to do in these times. My intention for this trip is to grieve well, sing true, and do it in community.
I already have a ticket to the gathering and I have a free place to stay before and after the event in Port Townsend, WA. Your donation will allow me to get to the gathering in an Amtrak roomette, rent a car in Washington, and cover things like food, ferry tickets and any other miscellaneous expenses. Any amount that I raise beyond my travel costs will be donated to the WAILS project.
Why am I taking the train instead of flying when flying is cheaper?
- I'll be camping at the event and I need a lot of specific gear in order to camp in a way that works for my body and won't cause a flare up of chronic pain. The train will allow me to take all the baggage I need!
- I gotta move slow. Making my way slowly across the country, alone in my roomette will allow me to stay more grounded in my travels and the ride home will give me some space and time to integrate my experience. It's like a 2 day solo retreat both ways. Perfect.
- I considered driving but decided against it because I want to travel alone and traveling alone as a trans person through states that are trying to outlaw my existence as a trans person does not sound awesome. Also, driving still costs a lot and is really hard on my body.
- There’s a pandemic. It’s very important to me to not get Covid. Having a roomette instead of riding in coach will mean I can stay safe without having to mask for 40 hours straight.
Thank you so much for considering contributing to this trip. Please donate what you can (every little bit helps!) and don't donate if you can't. I'd love it if you shared this fundraiser with people you're in relationship with and let them know why you think it's important. I believe that together we have the resources to send me on this trip so that I can add my voice to the choir, practice grief, and bring what I learn back to my practice of Care Magic in my community.
May you be surrounded by deep, radical community care in your powerful, magical, worlds changing grief.
Organizer
Galen Smith
Organizer
Minneapolis, MN