iya coalition | Detroit

“Oyěwùmí discusses extensively and convincingly in The Invention of Women how the colonial project introduced gender constructs among Yorubas with their inaccurate translations of how we arrange our societies. We often conceptualise gender/sex as a binary and, sometimes, a spectrum with opposing ends; word and opposite; female and male; mother and father. However, motherhood for Yoruba people transcends the gender/sex category.

Ìyá is often translated as the Yoruba word for mother; however, these are not the same. The institution of motherhood in the English canon is represented as gendered by various dominant conceptualisations, feminist and non-feminist.

To gender the Ìyá, or reduce it to a gendered institution, is not only reductive to who an Ìyá is but, frankly, insulting.

Ìyá embodies what Oyěwùmí refers to as the matripotent principle.”

SOURCE:https://shado-mag.com/articles/opinion/iya-%E2%89%A0-mother-making-a-yoruba-sense-of-motherhood/

iya coalition’s framework is grounded in the concept of ‘queer mothering’, referencing the maternal role of the Earth and its ability to produce and nurture infinite forms of life. Queer mothering asserts that love and connection are at the foundation of all things.

That being said, the iya coalition aims to provide a platform for mutual nurturing, crafting a community wherein major issues like homelessness, resource access, and so on are directly confronted, interrogated, and addressed to the best of our collective ability.

Email: iyacoalition@gmail.com

A coalition is an alliance of two or more people, groups, or organizations that unite to achieve a common goal, often for increased political influence, pooled resources, or expanded reach. Coalitions typically form when complex issues are too large for a single entity to address effectively and are seen in various sectors, including politics, activism, and community development.

Strength in Numbers | Expanded Capacity | Strategic Action

FISH - in Yoruba mythology, Yeyé Omo Ejá (or Yemoja), means “Mother Whose Children are the Fish.” Many tales depict her as the primordial mother of the earth and universe, who created the oceans out of immense grief for her children. She is heralded as the patron spirit of women and children. With this mythos in mind, the iya coalition understands the human condition as one wherein every individual is worthy of support and nurturing, as we are all children of the same maternal source. We do not believe in scarcity, but instead aim to create the communal connections that restore each individual’s natural right to abundance and care.

Similarly, fish swim in schools as a defense against predators, to increase their foraging efficiency, and to conserve energy during long journeys.

target demographic

1. michigan-based disenfranchised, marginalized, or otherwise at-risk individuals/artists seeking community aid & connection

2. we center queer and disabled femmes of color, with the understanding that "If Black women were free, it would mean that everyone else would have to be free since our freedom would necessitate the destruction of all the systems of oppression." (Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor, How We Get Free: Black Feminism and the Combahee River Collective)

[  ] mutual aid

[  ] crowdfunding

[  ] resource sharing

[  ] local ride share

[  ] job opportunity sharing

[  ] trading & bartering

[  ] organizing

[  ] radical book club

[  ] spiritual connectivity