Solidarity Across Distance For Researchers, & Changemakers Supporting Communities from Afar

I'm hosting a gathering specifically for researchers, changemakers, humanitarian workers, documentarians, and diaspora organizers who support communities in conflict zones from a distance—navigating the complexities of solidarity when you're not on the ground.

The Reality We're Naming:

You're doing the work from afar. Conducting research. Documenting crises. Coordinating resources. Advocating. Fundraising. Managing WhatsApp groups across timezones. You have access, resources, platforms—but not proximity. You carry guilt about distance, frustration with limitations, and questions about whether your work actually helps.

The power dynamics are real:

• You can leave (physically or digitally). They can't.

• You have passport privilege. They're trapped.

• You control narrative framing. They live the reality.

• Your career may benefit from their crisis. They're just trying to survive.

But the relationships are also real. The need is undeniable. The work matters—when done with integrity.

This workshop is for those asking:

• How do I support without extracting?

• What do communities actually need from my research/documentation/advocacy?

• How do I manage requests when I can't help everyone?

• Am I doing solidarity work or saviorism?

• How do I sustain this long-term without burning out?

What We'll Explore Together:

Navigating Power & Proximity

• The reality of having resources but not proximity

• Accountability when you can leave and they can't

• Examining your positionality honestly

• The difference between solidarity and saviorism

The Communication Reality

• Managing relationships across brutal distance

• Setting boundaries without abandoning people

• How to ask for updates/information without being extractive

• Navigating requests you can't fulfill

Material Solidarity That Actually Works

• Direct aid: what helps vs what makes you feel good

• Money transparency and navigating transfers

• When institutions fail: coordinating mutual aid

• The ethics of research/documentation that benefits your career

Sustaining the Work Long-Term

• Building for years, not moments

• Preventing burnout when crises don't end

• When media attention fades but you're still connected

• Balancing professional goals with genuine solidarity

• Processing your own guilt, frustration, and helplessness

Building Honest Relationships

• What does accountability actually look like?

• How do we strengthen bonds without extraction?

• Collective problem-solving across power differences

This is for those committed to doing the work differently—with honesty about power, transparency about limitations, and genuine relationships over performance.

Details:

Choose Your Session:

• • SESSION 1: Tuesday, March 3 | 2:00–4:00pm EST (7:00pm UK | 8:00pm Central Europe | 9:00pm East Africa | 10:00pm Mogadishu)

  • SESSION 2: Thursday, March 5 | 10:00am–12:00pm EST (3:00pm UK | 4:00pm Central Europe | 5:00pm East Africa | 6:00pm Mogadishu)

  • SESSION 3: Tuesday, March 31 | 10:00am–12:00pm EST (3:00pm UK | 4:00pm Central Europe | 5:00pm East Africa | 6:00pm Mogadishu)

Format: 2-hour virtual gathering via Zoom
Size: Limited to 8-10 participants
Approach: Reality-based, honest about power dynamics, focused on practical strategies

Investment:

• $75 for individual researchers, documentarians, diaspora organizers

• $125 for those employed by universities or well-resourced organizations

• $500 for organizations/universities sponsoring 3-5 employees

• Contact for pricing for larger cohorts (6+ participants) or private sessions

Who this is for:

• Researchers studying conflict zones

• Documentarians/journalists covering crises

• Diaspora members coordinating support from abroad

• Humanitarian workers based outside conflict zones

• Advocates/campaigners working on these issues

• Anyone doing solidarity work from distance who wants to do it with integrity

Who this is NOT for:

• People currently in conflict zones (different workshop for you)

• Organizations looking for feel-good DEI programming

• Those not willing to examine their own power/privilege

A note on my positioning:
I am a writer and public interest technologist, working across conflict zones through Access Point, where I interview community leaders in the Global South. As a nomadic member of the Somali American diaspora, I am positioned between worlds. I understand the guilt of distance, the complexity of solidarity work, and the reality of trying to support communities while navigating my own limitations. This gathering is about doing the work with integrity, not performing it.