BuyTwitter/IoO

It seems that this merger will add energy and gravitas to our collaborative efforts. I'm in favor.

Dear Friends, I just received sad news about a member of this campaign, @sureshf -- a former financial advisor who joined the revolution many years ago. May our efforts to tackle the financialization of life with better alternatives be in his memory. Here is the email:

Dear Danny,

I learned recently that a friend, Suresh Fernando, has died. He had been struggling for weeks after an emergency heart operation, slipping in and out of a coma, until the decision was finally made to remove him from life support.

That morning, his friend posted on social media: "At 4:45 am this morning, Suresh passed away. Fortunately he was comfortable and there was no struggle - his great heart simply slowed down and eventually stopped.”

I first met Suresh back in 2011 during Occupy Vancouver, where he lent his passion and heart toward kindling the movement into life. He was quick to support where needed, driven by a love of humanity and the belief that a more beautiful world is possible.

From there, as the protest morphed into Casseroles and beyond, Suresh always seemed to be there. When the front moved off the street, he dove into creating connection between affinity groups, ultimately coalescing in a platform built for systemic change: commUNITY (http://dotcommunity.ca/the-ekosystem-approach).

In our final email communication we traded back in November, he was gearing up for the Kinder Morgan pipeline battle, recognizing this would be our own "Standing Rock" front line. He wrote:

"For me Standing Rock is exactly what I believe is the path to victory since it is both a powerful political statement as well as a beautiful community. It is through the simultaneous deconstruction of the existent and the building of the future communities that we will be build the new world.”

It’s hard not to feel that his life has been cut short. I wonder about how many of his initiatives will be left unfinished. How many of his relationships have been left frayed and torn. And yet, somehow there seems to be mercy in that too.

I believe Suresh knew he would not be the recipient of the revolution. In an interview for The Tyee (https://thetyee.ca/Life/2012/05/26/Suresh-Fernando/) during Occupy Vancouver, he shared his story, along with his understanding of change:

"When Occupy came along, it was no big shock. I knew and continue to know that this is not some short-term phenomenon. It's a reflection of something much, much deeper, and if you think it's going to reveal itself in six months, then you're a little naïve about social transformation. It doesn't necessarily happen quite that quickly."...

Thank you Suresh, for being an activist of the future.

May you be well gathered in by your people on the other side. May those you inspired and touched continue to speak your praise for a long while.

And may your acts spark the flames of courage in those yet to come, recognizing we are all part of a grand unfolding, each playing our necessary part.

Ian MacKenzie
Salish Sea, Canada

What sad news. Sending comfort to his close ones.

So sorry to hear about Suresh, only knew him online but seemed a very decent and committed guy.

Look at this energy in 26 people!

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Also, stay tuned for an announcement with ridiculously good news about the home stretch for #BuyTwitter!

The suspense is killin' me, @dannyspitzberg!