Holding Space

In a world in which many are su¬ffering from being alienated from

others, from Earth and from themselves, Aminata Cairo shows us

that it is not only necessary but possible to weave relations across

the dominant di¬fferences that keeps us apart, isolated and against

others. She shows us how it is possible in practice to overcome the

seemingly insurmountable divides of race, class and gender; she

also teaches us how to cultivate love within the white walls and

lifeless instrumentality of institutions.

Not very often one has the opportunity to learn how to mentor and

work with young people. In Holding Space, Aminata Cairo holds

us to learn how to intertwine our call as educators and mentors

with our personal stories and those from whom we learned to listen

to that call. In each of the lessons that are shared in this book,

we found ourselves while sensing the sacred space that is held for

us and for the love-work that is required for that. Aminata Cairo

expands and in doing so she invites us to follow her as a teacher,

mentor, storyteller, social activist, and artist... Gran tangi Aminata

Cairo, may this be the path in which many of us converge.

Rosalba Icaza, International Institute of Social Studies

and Rolando Vázquez, University College Roosevelt