Metamorphosis

River (they/them) is a poet from the Appalachian diaspora in the United States. River is weighed by the genocide in Gaza and the West Bank inflicted on Palestine by Israel and the United States, which prompts them to speak out in their writing practice. The genocide must cease immediately and permanently, apartheid ended, and Palestinians must be afforded dignity, self-direction, and freedom. Accountability must come to those in Israel, the United States, and other countries supporting these war crimes; reconciliation and reparations must be made.