ROOT DOWN RISE UP is an experiential program that fosters self-discovery and community leadership in young women.
We recognize that the internalized personal narratives that drive isolation and disengagement are reflections of the cultural stories of separation that perpetuate the large-scale environmental, social, and spiritual crises that face our world. Through experiential programs that foster embodied experiences of deep connection—to nature, community, and self—we seek to empower young women to act as c
ompassionate leaders for social and systemic change in their lives and communities. We support young women to root down to their authentic emotional and ecological selves, and to do so in safe and supportive spaces with peers, mentors, and the natural world. Through deepening their connection to self and others, we aim to empower young women to rise up and take part in the movement toward a life-sustaining society. In workshop settings, we support participants to:
...engage in embodied experiences of connection and deep community;
...explore their individual stories, including the disempowering narratives that constrain their ability to authentically show up in their lives and in the world;
...draw parallels between their inner struggles and larger cultural stories of separation, dominance, and competition;
...honor and acknowledge their pain and compassion for the world as sources of wisdom and strength;
...recognize the shared humanity in experiences of shame, fear, and powerlessness;
...increase social and environmental awareness, empathy, personal agency, and self-compassion;
...and begin to own and rewrite the personal and cultural stories from a place of personal empowerment and connection to others who are actively working for the Great Turning.*
