Iu Mien 4 Palestine
Inspired by an instagram post made by Palestinian activist, nurse, & freelance journalist Yousef Mema. Dec + Jan was strawberry season in Gaza, but these past two seasons Yousef, like many other Palestinians, were unable to harvest because of the ongoing genocide and displacement at the hands of the occupying Israeli government.
My maternal grandparents - Maa and Daa - harvesting nqimv-nqou (strawberries).
Iu Mien 4 Palestine, 2024
Linoprints on paper, 7"x5"
Mar, 2024
Like Palestinians, Iu Mien people were stewards of land and subsistence farmers before their forced displacement during the US's Secret War in Laos. Upon arriving to the US, Iu Mien people settled in highly urbanized environments like Richmond & Oakland. While some adjusted, others sought out the familiar relationship to soil and land by becoming farmers - their choice of produce, strawberries. Now most strawberry stands/farms in the Sacramento/Sonoma Valleys are operated by Iu Mien growers.
As we move into spring and the warmer seasons here in California - perfect for ripening plump strawberries - as we harvest the sweet, red nqimv-nqou that has become a symbol of the Iu Mien diaspora in CA, may we remember our siblings in struggle and move in solidarity with them towards our collective liberation.