Apr 21Member-onlyStories of Care & Control: a timeline of the medical industrial complexSomeone recently asked me, so, aren’t you writing anymore? We haven’t seen a post from you since before your book came out. It stopped me and, fascinatingly, I felt a wave of guilt as though I had oopsed on something and then, seconds later, I started to giggle. I HAVE…Medicine7 min readMedicine7 min read
Sep 30, 2022Member-onlyon the evolution of careIn its oldest roots, the word care means to call out, to yell. Even, to scream. Where does a call spring from? Is it your belly? Your throat? Your feet pushing into the ground? The ancient use of the word also means to scream, a word that is even harsher…Care15 min readCare15 min read
Mar 18, 2022Member-onlyOn impact: memento mori — Susan RaffoFor much of my younger years, I used apology as a way to control a situation. Rather than sit in what’s uncomfortable, I took responsibility for everything. I mean EVERYTHING. I apologized before anyone actually told me there was a problem. I offered up my ego and my agency, the…Memento Mori15 min readMemento Mori15 min read
Feb 22, 2022Member-onlyGrief and gravity — Susan RaffoIn 1992, I went with my partner to see the Names Project quilt when it was brought to Minneapolis. This was a new-ish partner and we weren’t just going as queer people. …Grief11 min readGrief11 min read
Aug 20, 2021Member-onlySeeking Trans liberation through birthwork — Susan RaffoI have had bits and pieces of this conversation with Jessica over the last few years and each time, I have felt something inside me shift and change. Some of this is the specifics of what Jessica is sharing — how we hold the pre-emergent life of a child-before-birth and…Transgender12 min readTransgender12 min read
Jul 26, 2021Member-onlyThe lineages healers have to contend with…. working with ancestors of purpose — Susan RaffoThroughout the 1980s, during my 20s, I lived in England. Bristol, to be exact. I remember walking with a friend, someone about ten years older than me. It was a happy sunny day. I remember skipping down the sidewalk, a horizon of Victorian buildings and winding streets laid out in…Healing12 min readHealing12 min read
May 13, 2021Member-onlyAt least two layers of support: an anatomy of collective care — Susan RaffoI remember the first time that I learned about the buddy system as a part of organizing. It was during a five-day training held by Training for Change , maybe 12 or 13 years ago. On the first day, they paired us up with someone to be our buddy. Then…16 min read16 min read
Feb 27, 2021Member-onlylistening: three brains (or more) instead of one — Susan RaffoA reading of this blog post that supports the practice below is on my website which is listed at the bottom. **** I am going to share a teaching with you, something I learned from I had started to disappear before she had her stroke. My mind made up all…15 min read15 min read
Feb 14, 2021Member-onlyIn honor of revolutionary love: remembering Saint Valentine — Susan RaffoI love to tell my daughter stories about Catholic saints and Catholic history. Across all of our lines, our people have been Catholic, Catholic, Catholic. So far I haven’t been able to find anyone across any of our lines who thought the Protestant Reformation was worth converting for. Italian Catholics…Valentines Day12 min readValentines Day12 min read
Jan 27, 2021Embodying impact — Susan RaffoHello, friends. About two months ago, I was invited to create a webinar/an offering for the Embodying Social Justice gathering. When we realized that my schedule and their live recording schedules didn’t line up, they invited me to create something ahead of time. I ended up doing a two-hour workshop…Healing18 min readHealing18 min read
