Visionary. Healer. Big heart. Full hands. We send our love to all those feeling the loss of Detroit freedom fighter and beloved community member Charity Hicks in our lives. Her brilliant way of putting the pieces together so that we all might glimpse the beauty of the whole; and her clarity on the need for unrelenting, intense struggle with love.

Charity Hicks Presente!

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Charity was a warrior on the front lines of the fight for the human right to water in Detroit. Catch her power and wisdom in this informal interview with her about Detroit’s current water crisis:


 

And we were moved by these words (below) from comrades of La Via Campesina in Haiti, written when Charity was hospitalized. Charity played a major role in hosting the delegates from the G4 and Dessalines Brigade in both New York and Detroit last October, when they were awarded the Food Sovereignty Prize. When they heard about what happened to Charity, they put together this message of love and solidarity to her, her family members and compas:

Haiti, June of 2014

To family members and comrades of our beloved Charity,

From our hearts, embraced to Charity’s, we salute fraternally her family and we are strengthened in our thought of her, our tireless comrade in the struggle for a more just for all world and all. We think of the cheerful and energetic sister and her hunger for life and the struggle.

And we know, she has not surrendered or will not surrender today. We are at her side. She represents the seeds, fruit of life, wisdom and love; and we – women and men – peasants are the guardians of the seeds and are attentive to see it germinate and fill the fields of hope.

We are sending an empowering energy from Haiti through the Caribbean Sea that will reach New York and Detroit to touch the hearts of Charity, her family and comrades.

By La Via Campesina in Haiti and 4 G Kontre:

Peasant Movement of Papay
Tèt Kole Peasant Association
Congress of the Peasant Movement of Papay
Regional Coordination of Organizations of the Southwest Region
Internationalist Solidarity Dessalines Brigade in Haiti/Via Campesina-Brazil

We also encourage folks to consider donating to the Charity Hicks “Wage Love” Fund – for her family and community.

This fund will specifically go towards:
-Covering immediate costs of bringing Charity home to Detroit and holding a proper home going service.
-Sustaining Charity’s husband Louis while he takes unpaid family medical leave from work.

Donate here online.