I’ve been involved in various social justice organizations since I was in my late teens, starting with the demonstrations against the World Bank and FTAA and a demonstration at the School of the Americas in Georgia. In recent years I’ve been involved with SURJ and Extinction Rebellion. I attended a training on social justice activism and relational connection through the Relational Uprising organization as well, and have been interested in the need for a relational ecosystem or permaculture for some years now.

I completed the Master’s of Contemplative Psychotherapy program at Naropa University in 2007, and have practiced as a therapist in community mental health for the past 10 years. Part of this program involved participating in group therapy for 3 years in a small group, and also frequently participating in large group processes as a class. I’ve been in therapy for my own trauma off and on since I was 19 (and I’m 45 now). I’ve been a Buddhist pracitioner off and on since my mid 20s. I wouldn’t call myself a Buddhist these days, but I do meditate daily and regularly read and attend talks by Buddhist teachers, and have a deep respect for Buddhist traditions and teaching. I have become more interested in recent years in a combination of inquiry practices that stem from Advaita Vedanta teaching, nondual teachings from many traditions, and teachings that emphasize opening the heart and welcoming all that’s found there (I especially resonate with the work of Carl Jung in this regard). I’ve attended a workshop in IFS, other trainings on trauma, and have been trained to use EFT as a trauma therapy in my own practice. I’ve participated in sharing circles of various kinds, mostly based on the Way of Council model. I also recently participated in a training by the Matrix Leadership Systems organization (based in Boulder, CO) which presents a model for developing social connections that resemble the functioning of living systems in any organization (and loved this training)!

I’m interested in deep connection with other activists who are seeking a new way to be together in this work, and a new way of understanding what kind of culture we want to build together. In particular, it seems to me that deeply-trusting relationships based on health (and relationships that actively connect and include everyone in the group) are the foundation of health in any group activity. I almost can’t be in activist groups that don’t include this anymore, because of limits to my energy, emotional sensitivity, lingering relational trauma, and how all this leads to burnout. And the vision I have as an activist isn’t only to reduce carbon, protect forests and wetlands or change social policies, but to change the fabric of life, the paradigms and basic structures that we’ve been living in (“we” in the dominant culture, that is). And to change our hearts in the process. Basically, to live from a truly integrated way of being – integrating personal healing with social connection, spirituality and social change.

Extinction Rebellion and the Matrix Ladership Systems communities come to mind first.

Yes

It feels realistic, though it does feel like a stretch.

I know Candace from meeting through a mutual friend and spending time going on walks the past 4 or 5 months during the pandemic. I feel a sense of trust with her. I don’t know the other people on this list – they are friends of Candace’s. I believe Candace finishes what she starts, and strikes me as a very determined person and committed activist.