World Pride 2026 brought with it a host of activities. Fully agenda’s, the pride marches, the canal parade, the book lunch which was the culmination of a project called A Letter Full of Love to an Unknown Person. It was very rewarding to sit and share knowledge as well and exchange insights with this group of passionate and talented writers, and while the project has come to an end, it is my hope that these young writers will continue to practice and write.

I’ve updated my projects page to reflect projects I’ve been involved with.

I also am happy to have in my personal library two books which contain record of the work that we have been doing in community. Transformative Engaged Scholarship in Migration edited by Halleh Ghorashi, Tara Fiorito, Phoebe Kisubi Mbasalaki and Elena Ponzoni, is now out and available as an open access resource. Interested parties can purchase it as a hardcover book or can download it from Springer Nature. It’s an honour to be included in this work and I’m very thankful to my dear friend, Dr. Fabian Y. Holle whose defence I was privileged to witness this September. I also have Fabian’s book, Research as Relation, in my collection now.

Immediately after the hectic pace of everything, we had a small crisis at home which resulted in making a decision to take a break away from everything even if it was only for a week. We went away to Hoge Kempen Nature Park in Belgium.

We visited the limestone caves in Kanne and saw mushrooms being grown underground. I’ve always been fascinated by caves and underground structures, and visiting the Limestone caves made me think of these structures which are part of cultural heritage and of course, this led to thinking about other kinds of structures, but that’s for another time.

During our tour of the cave complex, we heard the story of a great cave-in that occurred around a hundred years ago. Even then, mushrooms were already being harvested in this cave complex at the same time that limestone blocks were being mined. It’s a tragic story, particularly since not all bodies were found.

I think of the world as being this great living, intelligent, sentient being whose language many of us haven’t properly tuned into yet. But the message of the world is laid out for us, written out clear as day, broadcasted to us if we would only care to pay attention.

The breakdown of society, the disconnections that we experience, the way in which the world has become so polarized are symptomatic of how broken our relationship is not just with each other, but show us how broken our relationship is with the natural world.

While we took this break because I wanted to spend time together with my youngest son, I realised just how important it was for me. I was at the end of a busy season, coming into a period where I needed to make decisions about what I want to do next. I realised something which a good number of my dearest friends kept trying to tell me: it’s important to think about my own work as well and to sit down and face up to the writing.

Working with the LGBTQ+ asylumseeker community continues to be one of the most important aspects of my life. While I won’t be in Amsterdam as much as I used to, I will always carry this community with me. I said as much to the younger generation of coaches and facilitators who have risen up out of LIMBO. It’s in their hands now and this auntie is happy to cheer you on and support and help brainstorm and network and do what I can so the work will continue. This is necessary work in the face of rising hostility towards the LGBTQ+ community.

During the workshop series held in Framer Framed, we heard from Queer Volt’s Tom Doesburg about hostility and acts of violence and aggression towards people from the queer community. What’s frightening is how those who carry out these acts feel validated and supported by rhetoric coming from people who hold power. It’s a grievous use of power and influence to validate hatred and prejudice. World, we can do better than that. Surely, we must be better than that.

Even though the world seems to be going up in flames, I still want to reach for a better future. I think of Octavia Butler who has always been like a shining beacon for me. I think of my Dad who when we were growing up reminded us that we can make a choice to leave the world a better place in the places we have been. We can only influence so much and we can only reach so many, but if by the grace of God, he extends the reach of our tent, then we have to do all we can to make things better for those who will follow after us.

These are my early morning thoughts in the month of October. I am launching out on new adventures. Maraming salamat for reading. May blessings and peace go with you and may you live long and prosper.