01/29/2024
With the passing of my husband, Klee, there has been an outpouring of support, guidance, financial support and just a ton of help that I am so thankful and grateful for. Through the support I have been able to focus on my grief and being in a world where my husband is not.
In all the time I knew him he was always connected to the (Taala Hooghan) Infoshop. On one of my first trips out to Flagstaff to see him the Infoshop had just been around for a year and there was an OYBM workshop being held that weekend. He had a quick moment to say hi before he ran back inside to continue helping with the workshop. Each iteration of the infoshop he was there to build a new collective, to lend a hand, to ensure the infoshop continued to be open even while a collective was composted - and there again to help build another. There were so many nights spent at the infoshop making banners, having conversations, drinking tea, making t-shirts, gardening, making food, offering our unsheltered relatives a place to warm up, etc. When the pandemic hit the infoshop still provided the community with aid in a manner that was safe for everyone. And things slowed down a little.
The past couple of years when people felt like the pandemic was over the Infoshop was still a space that required masks, had strict protocols, and would rarely host events. This was to ensure that the more vulnerable people in the community were not being exposed to covid.
In the midst of the ebb and flow of activity, the waxing and waning support, my husband was there to help build community. Which is why it is difficult to announce that Táala Hooghan Infoshop will be closing its doors by the end of Spring 2024.
He and I talked about contingencies regarding the infoshop if he was not around. It was clear that the only real option was to sell it. This is of course very emotional for everyone who has appreciated the important space that the infoshop has given over the years. I know this news may be challenging to comprehend, and pain and loss always make real world decisions even more unpleasant and bitter. More details about the components of this decision will be shared as I am able to, and I hope that you can give me and other projects that are using the building the time we need to come to terms and express things clearly. Just know that this decision was not made lightly.
As was stated in a multitude of ways since my husband's passing, the fire that he had for social and environmental justice will not burn out - there are so many more people out there that it is now time for more people in our communities to step up and continue those fights. Taala Hooghan Infoshop was one iteration of that fight, do not let this news dampen your spirits and passion. As he had expressed before, a diversity of tactics should be a welcomed strategy. I look forward to seeing new infoshops and/or projects dedicated to building community, fueling the fight for social and environmental justice, and being radical anticolonial spaces in a world that is actively trying to suppress them.
I want to reassure people that the winter street outreach will continue for this winter season. They are currently accepting donations through the month of February on Saturdays, 10a-noon and Sundays between noon - 2p. They are requesting the following items; adult winter jackets, adult size socks, sleeping bags, hand warmers, toe warmers, adult long johns, gloves. You can email [email protected] if you have more questions.
Axhé’hee’ (thank you) for your patience, understanding, and support during this incredibly challenging time for me, his parents, his siblings, my family, and the community.
-Princess Benally
