Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Joani (Blank) update - Sad news

[Ann Zabaldo (zabaldo]

Godspeed, Joani. 

Ann zabaldo
Takomavillage Cohousing
Washington DC

Sent from my iPhone

> On Aug 8, 2016, at 5:41 PM, Neil Planchon <neil [at] swansway.com> wrote:
> 
> 
> Hello everyone in Cohousing-l land…
> 
> I am attaching two recent messages about Joani - my longtime personal friend, 
> neighbor and Cohousing ambassadress. One of mine and the other Amika’s 
> (Joani’s daughter) are below….
> =-=-=-
> 
> Hello neighbors
> 
> I am saddened as I share with you that Joani passed away Saturday (8/6) 
> around 5:30PM.  She had loving family by her side who shepherded her through 
> the last stage of this life.
> 
> Rest in peace, Joani (my sweet)
> 
> Neil
> (Swan's Market Cohousing - http://www.swansway.com <http://www.swansway.com/>)
> 
> -=-=-
> 
> 
> And here is the message which Amika posted on Facebook on August 7th…
> 
> "My mama passed yesterday, at home, Blossom and me and Bapu by her side...My 
> family was blessed to have spent this sacred time with this lovely woman who 
> raised me as her own.
> 
> "She was diagnosed with Pancreatic cancer in June, took the news like a champ 
> and did like she always does...got down to business and handled logistics and 
> preparations. She chose to have a Celebration of Life rather than a funeral, 
> and at celebration last week, she was able to say her goodbyes and feel the 
> love of her community. 
> "She opened her celebration addressing police brutality and honoring the 
> Black Lives Matter movement. Her life was based on advancing social justice 
> issues, and the bigger picture always took precedence over her personal 
> struggles. The celebration was another platform for her to acknowledge what 
> was really important to her. She had a rapid decline after the celebration, 
> and I think she felt she had completed what she needed to. 
> 
> "This fierce revolutionary woman has taught us all so much. She has done so 
> many things in her full days here on earth and I know you all have 
> stories...share them if you feel like it. If I made this post about all she's 
> done it would take days.
> 
> "Instead, we are honoring the graceful way she passed. She relaxed into the 
> process and let go of trying to control anything...she was able to receive 
> love and care, and transformed into this gentle and vulnerable Queen. She 
> spoke with each one of my kids and my Papa in the last days of her 
> consciousness. She passed me the "boss torch", and gave her blessings to my 
> incarcerated other half as he led us in family prayer on the phone. We laid 
> with her and watched her take her last breath. She had a sweet smile on her 
> face and was comfortable. Milo joined us and we covered her body in henna 
> tattoos, flowers from the garden, frankincense and lavender oils, and filled 
> her space with candlelight, sage, copal, and Palos Santos. Bapu stayed curled 
> up with her in bed...we played music and looked at pictures and laughed and 
> cried. It was exactly what she wanted, and it was beautiful to hold space for 
> her at the gates…”
> 
> -=-=-
> 
> 
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