ESJ Timeline
Timeline for understanding the historical roots and present circumstances of “embodied social justice”
It is critical to convey that the ESJ lineage/timeline does not begin with anything that happened in 2020, or even 2000 but rather has a much longer history that is rooted in an age-old series of conversations about embodiment, social justice, and possible otherwise futures that have taken place in multiple fields of practice and have involved a range of authors, teachers, and practitioners with different social locations
2020s
Their belief is that by combining engaged practitioners with liberatory culture principles and emotional competencies, a more supportive ecosystem for change can be created. Healing, both personal and systemic, is seen as the key to transforming oppressive systems, with relationships as the catalyst for change. Transformational Characters are essential in driving this commitment to healing within families, organizations, and movements, activating shifts in surrounding networks. The foundation for change lies in strengthening relationships through trauma healing and resilience-building, enabling the realization of bold visions for interdependence and the abolition of harmful systems by developing embodied and emotional capacities.
The Network to Advance Abolitionist Social Work (NAASW) endeavors to promote a form of social work dedicated to deconstructing the prison industrial complex (PIC) and constructing the life-affirming future that abolition seeks to achieve.
We are a diverse, cross-generational, interdisciplinary coalition dedicated to offering Ecotherapy education and leadership within an inclusive framework that is deeply rooted in Social Justice principles and community well-being.
The Women & Femme-led Food Sovereignty Program of WECAN partners with Indigenous and frontline women to ensure the cultivation and expansion of food and medicinal herb resources for their communities. This collaborative effort aims to establish a sustainable approach to enhance community resilience in the face of interconnected crises such as climate change, colonization, and the COVID-19 pandemic. Through the establishment of garden networks and tree nurseries, these women are actively engaged in the preservation and dissemination of valuable plant knowledge. They are committed to promoting sustainability, strengthening local economies, and revitalizing traditional practices deeply rooted in Traditional Ecological Knowledge. In doing so, they serve as an inspiration for innovative solutions to contemporary challenges, particularly in the realm of climate adaptation.
The Finding Our Way Podcast is led by Prentis Hemphill, a teacher, somatics practitioner, and movement facilitator. This podcast engages in meaningful dialogues with influential figures in the realm of social justice, art, and activism. Together, they explore the paths to creating the world we desire, emphasizing personal healing and transformation as essential components of this journey.
"Sensuous Knowledge is a collection of thought provoking essays that explore questions central to how we see ourselves, our history, and our world."
Love and Rage intertwines the unique insights and real-life wisdom of Lama Rod Owens with Buddhist principles, hands-on meditation techniques, mindfulness, tantra, pranayama, ancestral rituals, energy practices, and classical yoga. This book emerges as a soothing guide and a practical roadmap for individuals pursuing justice, even in the face of overwhelming anger, demonstrating their unwavering determination. In these challenging times, it stands as an essential text.
Humans encompass a wide range of beliefs, morals, and physical characteristics. Oppressive systems feed on our difficulty in embracing diversity, causing harm to our relationship with our own bodies.
In "The Body Is Not an Apology," Sonya Renee Taylor, a globally recognized activist and poet, presents radical self-love as the remedy for healing the wounds inflicted by these oppressive systems. She encourages us to reconnect with the revolutionary roots of our minds and bodies and to celebrate our collective and enduring strength. By acknowledging and addressing our internalized body shame, we become motivated to awaken others and disrupt the systems that perpetuate body shame and oppression across all body types. When we collectively act upon this truth on a global scale, we usher in the transformative potential of radical self-love, paving the way for a more just, equitable, and compassionate world that benefits us all.
Fostering learning and innovation at the intersection of healing-centered education, contemplative social science and slow work.
The Abolitionist's Handbook is intended for individuals seeking to envision a world where communities are honored with dignity, care, and respect. It encourages us to shift our focus from cancel culture to envisioning transformation and fostering healing.
Rest Is Resistance, deeply rooted in spiritual energy and the principles of Black liberation, womanism, somatics, and Afrofuturism, offers captivating storytelling and practical wisdom. Hersey's lyrical voice, shaped by her expertise in theology, activism, and performance art, serves as a rallying cry, a guide, and a manifesto. It's a call to action for the sleep-deprived, justice seekers yearning to break free from Grind Culture's oppressive grasp.
American anti-democratic elements provoke mass radicalization and widespread chaos, leaving millions traumatized. "The Quaking of America" by therapist Resmaa Menakem equips readers to address this threat, potentially averting further devastation.
We must undergo a profound transformation in our core values, a radical change in our mindset, actions, work approach, and connections. Contrary to popular beliefs, the primary driving force behind societal transformation is not coalition building or problem analysis, but rather, it's the process of healing: a profound, all-encompassing, and systemic healing both internally and externally.
In this context, Dr. Shawn Ginwright dispels the prevailing misconceptions about social movements – a series of deeply rooted beliefs that hinder our progress towards healing and attaining sustainable systemic change. He elucidates why these perspectives are ineffective and instead offers four groundbreaking shifts for more effective activism and collaborative leadership.
The objective of the Embody Lab is to democratize embodiment and somatics education globally, fostering a safe, collaborative environment for the community to learn, grow, and achieve personal and professional goals through accessible pathways.
Healing Justice Lineages, by Cara Page and Erica Woodland, is a powerful anthology delving into the history, legacies, and liberatory practices of healing justice. It reclaims the wisdom of our ancestors, offering profound insights on collective care, resilience, and liberation. This anti-capitalist, Black feminist, and abolitionist collection calls for community-led care strategies that transcend commercialized self-care and medical surveillance. Centering disability, reproductive, environmental, and transformative justice, it amplifies an often-overlooked tradition of liberation. Sections cover ancestral roots, regional stories, and a future shaped by these healing lineages.
Embodied Activism focuses on transforming society through understanding and connecting with our bodies. Rae Johnson combines somatic arts, trauma-informed psychology, and anti-oppressive movements to help ordinary people make an impact while avoiding burnout. This guide teaches us to listen to our bodies, embrace sensuality, and foster genuine connections. Perfect for embodiment professionals, community organizers, and anyone seeking innovative ways to change the world, one body at a time
2010s
EqualHealth's mission is to foster critical awareness and worldwide collective efforts in the pursuit of health equity for everyone. EqualHealth's vision is a global community comprising health professionals, educators, and activists committed to the cause of health equity that goes beyond geographical boundaries. Their objective is to educate health professionals in identifying the structural and social determinants of health and to encourage them to participate in well-planned, collaborative activism that targets the underlying reasons for health disparities. Collectively, they strive to create a global social medicine movement of educators and practitioners who work to combat health inequities within their institutions and in society at large.
Sage Community Health Collective's goal is to establish a non-hierarchical, worker-owned collective focused on community wellness. Their mission includes challenging systemic health disparities and the traditional patient/practitioner relationship. They aim to offer affordable, accessible, trauma-informed, and harm-reductionist healing services such as acupuncture, herbs, bodywork, and nutritional counseling. Additionally, they plan to promote community and individual wellness through workshops and skill-sharing activities in collaboration with community members, activists, and advocates.
The 3rd Space Support program aims to assist individuals from the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Two-Spirit, Trans, and Gender Non-Conforming People of Color (LGBTSTGNC POC) community facing challenges related to employment, education, healthcare, and immigration status. It serves as a nurturing environment for mutual and lasting support, emphasizing creativity, resourcefulness, and innovation. We will harness our resilience to empower one another.
The Healing Clinic Collective's central purpose is to rekindle a connection to the Sacred and promote a sacred approach to holistic well-being. They aim to restore reverence for ancestral healing practices rooted in cultural expressions of love, interconnectedness, and regenerative relationships with people and the Earth. Western clinical medicine, with its emphasis on pharmaceuticals and neglect of emotional and spiritual factors, is seen as isolating and inadequate, especially for addressing the spiritual and emotional traumas that underlie physical health conditions. The Healing Clinic Collective seeks to make natural and ancestral healing modalities more accessible to underserved communities, working against systemic discrimination, social abandonment, and economic exclusion that contribute to high rates of trauma and spiritual crisis. They have created a network of over 100 natural and traditional wellness practitioners and healers to provide ongoing care.
Allied Media Projects (AMP) focuses on using various forms of media to promote liberation, encompassing personal, collective, and systemic transformation. It operates as a network of individuals and initiatives, with its roots in Detroit and connections spanning the globe. Their goal is to explore and share methods of utilizing media to shape a more desirable world. AMP envisions a world where people collectively care for themselves, one another, other species, and the planet.
BOLD (Black Organizing for Leadership and Dignity) is a nonprofit dedicated to fostering social change and enhancing the quality of life for Black individuals by (re)establishing the essential social justice framework necessary for mobilizing Black communities. BOLD achieves its mission by providing Black organizers and leaders of social justice groups with the necessary personal and organizational resources to establish and maintain collaborative social movements. This is carried out through a range of training and mentorship programs.
Namu Farm specializes in cultivating crops with origins in the Asian diaspora. They aim to adapt traditional East Asian farming techniques and seed varieties to the demands of large-scale agriculture in arid and hot environments. The farm employs natural farming methods, which include minimal tillage and a closed-loop approach to managing soil fertility. They also collaborate with Kitazawa Seed Company and grassroots community organizations on their Second Generation Seed line, which aims to connect Asian and Pacific Islander (API) communities with the plants from their ancestral lands. Namu Farm actively integrates community-led participatory research into their seed preservation and enhancement efforts through educational programs related to farming and cooking.
Streetwise and Safe (SAS) is an initiative that collaboratively employs various strategies to empower LGBTQQ youth of color who have encountered policing rooted in race, class, and gender and sexuality-specific discrimination. The focus is on addressing issues related to "quality of life" policing, as well as the policing of sex work and human trafficking, to develop leadership, knowledge, and skills among these youth.
Dignity and Power Now (DPN) is a grassroots organization based in Los Angeles, founded in 2012, with a mission to advocate for the dignity and empowerment of incarcerated individuals, their families, and communities. Their core goal is to establish a Black and Brown-led abolitionist movement rooted in community strength, with a focus on achieving transformative and healing justice for those affected by incarceration.
Grounded in principles of abolition, healing justice, and transformative justice, DPN runs various programs encompassing activism, health and wellness, and leadership development. These include coalitions addressing sheriff violence and jail construction, an arts and wellness collective, a rapid response team of healers, leadership development initiatives for individuals returning from prison and high school-aged youth impacted by incarceration, and a media department. Their current campaigns revolve around achieving effective civilian oversight of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department and reallocating funds from the county's substantial jail plan to mental health diversion programs and community resources. Dignity and Power Now is led by Patrisse Khan-Cullors, a co-founder of Black Lives Matter, and operates as a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
The Bay Area Transformative Justice Collective (BATJC) is a community organization based in Oakland, California, dedicated to establishing and promoting transformative justice approaches to address child sexual abuse. They envision a world where ordinary individuals can effectively respond to child sexual abuse incidents, addressing immediate needs while also preventing future harm.
Their work involves ensuring safety, intervening in ongoing violence, and creating sustainable structures for accountability, healing, and resilience for survivors, bystanders, and those responsible for the harm. BATJC conducts labs, studies, and community gatherings where people can learn about transformative justice and enhance their skills in various related areas. Their ultimate aim is to empower and bolster the collective capacity of their community to respond to harm within all the spaces they engage in.
#BlackLivesMatter was established in 2013 following the acquittal of Trayvon Martin's killer. The Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation, Inc. operates globally in the US, UK, and Canada with the mission to eliminate white supremacy and empower local initiatives to address violence directed at Black communities by both the state and vigilantes. Their strategies involve countering violence, nurturing Black creativity, and emphasizing Black joy to achieve immediate improvements in their lives.
This collective movement is committed to inclusivity, seeking to transcend the narrow nationalism sometimes found within Black communities. They aim to construct a movement that encompasses a broad spectrum of people, ensuring that all voices are heard.
Their focus extends to the lives of Black queer and trans individuals, those with disabilities, undocumented individuals, people with criminal records, women, and all Black lives across the gender spectrum, giving priority to those who have been marginalized within previous Black liberation movements.
The ultimate goal is to create a world where Black lives are no longer systematically targeted for harm. They affirm their humanity, their contributions to society, and their resilience in the face of oppressive forces. The call for Black lives to matter is a unifying cry for the liberation of ALL Black lives.
The People's Movement Center (PMC) is a collective composed of people of color, indigenous individuals, queer, and trans practitioners and healers. Their mission revolves around healing and promoting healing within the framework of justice, emphasizing the interconnectedness of these concepts. PMC aims to highlight and uplift often overlooked healing practices, wisdom, healers, and practitioners from marginalized and isolated communities. They are dedicated to their local work, demonstrating a strong connection to the land they operate on.
Recognizing that trauma and systems of supremacy thrive on disconnection, PMC focuses on fostering connections and reconnections. Their work revolves around reconnecting individuals with themselves, their communities, and the land and spirit.
PMC utilizes their space for various purposes, including individual healing sessions, group and collective healing spaces, and experiential learning and celebratory events. Past activities have encompassed Collective Bodywork Days, Wellness Weekends, specialized healing spaces for Black organizers in solidarity with Black Lives Matter, and API organizers. They have also conducted solidarity training sessions for Standing Rock and offered workshops on disability justice, healing justice, and transformative justice. Additionally, PMC has organized Theater of the Oppressed trainings, Movement Labs, and workshops on Writing from the Body.
Trans Lifeline is a non-profit organization with 501(c)(3) status that operates a grassroots hotline and microgrants program. They provide direct emotional and financial assistance to individuals in the trans community who are experiencing crises, and their services are offered by members of the trans community.
The Anti Police-Terror Project is an intergenerational coalition led by Black individuals with a multi-racial membership. Their goal is to establish a sustainable model for eliminating police violence in communities of color. They provide assistance to families affected by police violence, helping them seek justice, documenting incidents of police abuse, and connecting impacted families and community members with essential resources, legal support, and healing opportunities. APTP initially emerged as a project under the ONYX Organizing Committee.
Harriet’s Apothecary envisions a world where Black, Indigenous, and People of Color have the power, healing, and safety to live fulfilling lives. They organize to prioritize healing, wellness, and resilience within their communities independently of the medical industrial complex. Simultaneously, they hold health institutions accountable for creating safer and thriving spaces for these communities. Their approach incorporates a Black, Queer, Feminist perspective to social justice work, offering accessibility and affirmation to diverse identities, body abilities, and experiences of marginalization and violence. This intergenerational collective, led by Black Cis Women, Queer and Trans healers, artists, health professionals, activists, and ancestors, is committed to co-creating accessible, affordable, liberatory, all-body inclusive, all-gender honoring community healing spaces that empower individuals identifying as Black, Indigenous, People of Color, and their allies.
In response to ongoing violence against Black communities, a collective of more than 50 organizations representing thousands of Black people came together in 2015 to articulate a shared vision and agenda. This collective is rooted in and led by Black communities, recognizing the interconnectedness of their struggle with all oppressed people. They emphasize addressing the specific experiences of racial, economic, and gender-based state and interpersonal violence faced by Black women, queer, trans, gender nonconforming, intersex, and disabled individuals. The Movement for Black Lives (M4BL) launched the Vision for Black Lives in 2016, a comprehensive policy agenda for the post-Ferguson Black liberation movement. After extensive consultations, research, and outreach, they are relaunching the Vision for Black Lives 2020, which includes policy briefs for each of its planks, starting with "End the War on Black People."
The grassroots organizing task force called "Chicago Street Youth in Motion" is dedicated to advocating for street-based youth in the city. This task force is inclusive of all genders and works as part of our broader campaign to transform the perception and support of homeless and street-based youth in Chicago, particularly those who engage in survival activities.
For the Wild podcast collaborates with influential thought leaders and visionaries to promote various perspectives, amplify grassroots voices, and share stories often overlooked by mainstream media. Our main topics revolve around protecting natural environments, promoting ecological renewal, resisting consumer culture, and addressing disconnection caused by human supremacy.
Our mission is not only to create an Anthropocene anthology but also to advocate for a new paradigm centered on earth renewal through conservation and restoration ecology. We are rooted in socially conscious communities, informed by decoloniality and Traditional Ecological Knowledge, and committed to bridging social and environmental justice.
In an era where information on climate change and social resistance is increasingly restricted, and the suppression of dissent is on the rise, independent media serves as a crucial watchdog for sharing the truth, which is precisely what we aim to accomplish through our podcast.
Trauma is a widespread human experience, affecting veterans, survivors of molestation, those from alcoholic households, and victims of domestic violence. Dr. Bessel van der Kolk, an expert in trauma, draws on decades of experience in "The Body Keeps the Score." This book explores how trauma physically and mentally alters individuals, hindering their ability to experience pleasure, engage fully, exercise self-control, and trust others. Dr. van der Kolk delves into innovative therapies, like neurofeedback, meditation, sports, drama, and yoga, which leverage the brain's natural neuroplasticity to aid recovery. The book is based on his research and that of other specialists, highlighting the profound impact of relationships in both causing trauma and facilitating healing, ultimately offering hope for reclaiming lives.
Healing by Choice (HbC!) is a collective of women and gender non-conforming people of color, as well as health and healing practitioners located in Detroit, MI. Their mission is rooted in integrity and love, drawing wisdom from Mother Earth, ancestral traditions, and healing practices. HbC! emphasizes the belief that everyone possesses the capacity to heal, and they foster healing within the community. Their collaborative approach involves creating spaces that promote healing, regeneration, and transformation for both the group and the communities they engage with.
Second Generation Seeds nurtures the connection between the Asian and South West Asian/North African (SWANA) diaspora and the plants that have coevolved with us.
Through the conservation, adjustment, and cultivation of cherished crops, we emphasize that culture is based on our creative visions, extending beyond our historical recollections.
The Land Memory Bank and Seed Exchange aims to establish a collectively developed repository documenting the distinct coastal cultures and native ecosystems found in the climate-affected wetlands of southeast Louisiana. This initiative will involve a multifaceted experiential project, with the goal of motivating and implementing preservation, restoration, and adjustments in the Mississippi River Delta. This project will manifest through cultural events, strategic installations, and a digital archive.
Vision Change Win (VCW) comprises a group of seasoned social justice advisors dedicated to assisting organizations in realizing their missions, visions, and principles to the fullest extent. We provide pragmatic and efficient resolutions to social justice organizations involved in policy advocacy, community mobilization, arts, culture, and direct assistance.
Lumos Transforms, established in 2015, is a social enterprise dedicated to guiding individuals, communities, and organizations through constructive transformations. We are there for individuals facing distressing symptoms, high levels of stress, challenging past experiences, or unjust situations, offering tailored solutions to enhance their well-being, prepare for change, and tap into their inherent capabilities. Our mission is to empower people to embrace wellness, bolster resilience, and foster positive habits, initiating a chain reaction of transformation. Our ultimate objective is to cultivate socio-cultural systems that are robust, harmonious, interconnected, enduring, and just.
"Octavia's Brood" is an anthology of short stories that brings together the imaginative power of speculative fiction with the vision of activists and organizers working towards a world free from war, prisons, and capitalism. Edited by Walidah Imarisha and adrienne maree brown, these stories span various genres, including sci-fi, fantasy, horror, and magical realism, all aimed at injecting imagination and innovation into our political endeavors. Along with the stories, the book features essays by Tananarive Due and Mumia Abu-Jamal, offering new perspectives on how speculative fiction can inspire social change.
The National Queer and Trans Therapists of Color Network (NQTTCN) is a healing justice organization focused on reshaping mental health for queer and trans Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (QTBIPOC). They aim to create a world where everyone, especially QTBIPOC communities, has access to healing and health resources rooted in healing justice and collective liberation. Through political education and field building, they work to empower health, mental health, and healing practitioners to challenge the harm caused by the medical-industrial complex and establish new systems of care. NQTTCN envisions a future where movement organizations are better equipped to navigate and collectively heal from violence, trauma, crisis, and uncertainty with the support of politicized health and healing practitioners aligned with healing justice.
The Harriet Tubman Collective (HTC) is a non-profit organization based in Texas, inspired by the historical figure Harriet Tubman, who emancipated herself and went on to lead enslaved individuals to freedom through the underground railroad. HTC is dedicated to creating initiatives that promote anti-violence efforts and the development of progressive, sustainable communities.
Trans Queer Pueblo is a shelter in Arizona specifically designed for LGBT+ migrants of color. It serves as a platform for addressing essential needs, fostering the leadership of migrant LGBT+ individuals of color, and converting these needs into community strength. The shelter is committed to advocating for social justice on behalf of all individuals.
Black Emotional and Mental Health Collective (BEAM)'s mission is to eliminate the obstacles that Black individuals face in accessing and maintaining emotional health care and healing. They achieve this through education, training, advocacy, and creative arts. Their approach is grounded in a healing justice framework, which offers a holistic response to generational trauma and violence, as developed by Cara Page and the Kindred Healing Justice Collective.
Frontline Wellness Network is a network of healthcare professionals working to put an end to the public health crisis associated with criminalization and imprisonment.
The Health Justice Commons defines health as something that supports life, promotes harmony, dignity, and is essential for humanity's future, especially in times of climate chaos and social injustice. They emphasize that health isn't merely found in medication or expert definitions but must be shaped by our collective wisdom and grounded in our personal experiences. Autonomy and bodily sovereignty are crucial for health. The Health Justice Commons is part of a broader movement focusing on just transitions, disability justice, and a green new deal.
Igniting a long-overdue dialogue about how the legacy of racial injustice and white supremacy plays out in society at large and Buddhist communities in particular, this urgent call to action outlines a new dharma that takes into account the ways that racism and privilege prevent our collective awakening. The authors traveled around the country to spark an open conversation that brings together the Black prophetic tradition and the wisdom of the Dharma. Bridging the world of spirit and activism, they urge a compassionate response to the systemic, state-sanctioned violence and oppression that has persisted against black people since the slave era. With national attention focused on the recent killings of unarmed black citizens and the response of the Black-centered liberation groups such as Black Lives Matter, Radical Dharma demonstrates how social transformation and personal, spiritual liberation must be articulated and inextricably linked.
The Minnesota Healing Justice Network (MNHJN) is a collaborative group of intergenerational community healers and practitioners who prioritize the wellness of Historical Black and Brown families. Their focus is on mutual aid, health equity, solidarity, justice, and providing rest for the community healer. The MNHJN includes experienced healers, caregivers, birth workers, artists, mediators, and everyday people committed to holistic, accessible, and BIPOC-led alternative health care. They aim to create networks of trauma healing homes, wellness spaces, and retreat centers that employ healers of color, promoting interracial solidarity. Their motto is "Healers Healing Healers," and they represent the next generation of healthcare providers and innovative medicine practitioners, forged through resilience in times of crisis.
In "My Grandmother's Hands," therapist Resmaa Menakem offers a groundbreaking perspective on the impact of racism in America by examining it through the lens of trauma and body-centered psychology. He emphasizes the significance of the body as the place where instincts, reactions, and trauma are stored. Menakem argues that the generational trauma of white supremacy is deeply ingrained in the bodies of all Americans, leading to suffering not only among African Americans but also white Americans and law enforcement. The book calls for collective recognition of the physical and psychological effects of racism and offers an alternative approach to addressing racial divisions.
Emergent Strategy draws inspiration from Octavia Butler's work and offers a unique approach to self-help, societal change, and planetary well-being. The book encourages readers to embrace the constant state of change in the world and understand it as an ever-evolving stream of patterns. Rather than resisting change, it invites us to engage with and learn from these patterns to gain a deeper understanding and the ability to influence them. This approach is grounded in a materialist perspective, blending science and science fiction to create a visionary guide for transforming ourselves and our world.
Joyful Militancy explores the presence of fear, self-righteousness, and moralism within liberation movements, their impact, and offers strategies to address these issues. It emphasizes the importance of fostering tenderness and vulnerability alongside strong militant commitment in order to create more inclusive and effective movements.
Irresistible, formerly known as Healing Justice Podcast, honors the diverse traditions of leaders, artists, and spiritual guides who encourage us to live out the freedom we seek. Explore "Becoming Irresistible" to discover the various influences that have shaped our vision. Collectively, they are constructing justice movements that are inclusive, dynamic, and teeming with vitality.
Embodied Social Justice offers a body-centered method for addressing oppression, particularly tailored for professionals in social work, counseling, education, and related fields. This approach utilizes the implicit wisdom of our bodies to tackle power imbalances in society. Drawing from a conceptual framework, real-life cases, and a practical model, the book merges insights from education, psychology, traumatology, and somatic studies. It addresses gaps in how these fields have traditionally approached social justice issues.
A nationwide network and internet platform that focuses on the well-being and recovery of Latinx migrant communities and movements.
La Cura offers an exploration of Latinx healing and wellness, taking you on a journey to delve into the meaning and potential of healing. Through conversations with various experts, including historians, spiritual leaders, trauma-informed healers, and practitioners from both traditional and western medicine, we will delve into the diverse aspects of healing.
Changing Frequencies imagines a world where our communities are no longer subjected to experimentation and exploitation. Their goal is to shed light on the enduring trauma caused by scientific racism and medical exploitation. They actively advocate for cultural and political changes that will lead to the transformation and healing of the damage inflicted by the Medical Industrial Complex (MIC).
Aileen's is a peer-centered establishment located in Federal Way, catering to women engaged in sex work in the Pac Hwy area, just south of Seattle. They are dedicated to addressing the numerous challenges faced by these women, including homelessness, legal issues, substance abuse, domestic violence, and more. Aileen's provides a safe and non-judgmental space for women to access support, share safety information, and receive harm reduction tools. It was established in April 2019 and later received a King County grant to initiate a peer leadership program, offering training, internship opportunities, and case management to overcome various barriers. Aileen's is a community for women involved in sex work, homelessness, and related struggles, as well as volunteers and allies willing to undergo their training.
ESII (The Emergent Strategy Ideation Institute) operates based on trust, crafting procedures to gather the appropriate individuals to tackle the most pressing tasks of our current era. Gradually, we create a supportive environment for envisioning a potential future and formulating strategies to achieve it.
The Politics of Trauma combines somatic healing with social analysis. It is intended for therapists and social activists who recognize that healing from trauma and driving social change are interconnected. While somatics is effective in addressing trauma, it usually concentrates on the individual, neglecting the social factors that contribute to trauma. Staci K. Haines, a somatic innovator, encourages readers to consider the broader societal causes of trauma, such as racism, environmental degradation, and poverty, and offers a way to bridge individual healing with broader social transformation.
Pleasure Activism by adrienne maree brown explores how we can make social justice a pleasurable human experience. Brown introduces the concept of "pleasure activism," a politics of healing and happiness that challenges the idea that changing the world is just hard work. Drawing on the black feminist tradition, the book rethinks the foundations of activism. It includes essays, conversations, and insights from various feminist thinkers, covering topics such as sex work, climate change, race, gender, and more. This book is part of the Emergent Strategy series, focusing on innovative approaches to addressing contemporary challenges and finding opportunities within crises.
2000s
"Being Black" by Angel Kyodo Williams is an elegant and practical book that seamlessly melds the wisdom of Buddhism with an inspirational message of self-acceptance and community empowerment. The author, drawing from her own experiences growing up as an African-American, guides readers toward cultivating a "warrior spirit" based on truth and responsibility as a path to genuine happiness and personal growth. Williams, a Zen priest, social activist, and entrepreneur, shares personal anecdotes, timeless teachings, and straightforward principles. Her honest and hip perspective invites individuals of all faiths to embrace a fearless and graceful life, fostering self-acceptance and empowerment.
CARA is a Seattle-based grassroots organization dedicated to promoting liberation and social justice. Their central focus is on anti-rape work, which serves as the foundation of their activism. They employ various tools, including community organizing, critical dialogue, artistic expression, and collective action, to foster safe, peaceful, and sustainable communities. Their blog offers a Black feminist perspective on current political issues, debates, and local matters in Seattle.
Generation FIVE is committed to ending child sexual abuse within five generations. They achieve this by employing survivor leadership, community organizing, and public action to address the intergenerational effects of child sexual abuse on individuals, families, and communities. Rather than isolating the issue, they integrate child sexual abuse prevention into broader social movements and community initiatives aimed at addressing family violence, economic oppression, and various forms of discrimination. Their approach centers on fostering a meaningful community response as the foundation for effective prevention.
INCITE! operates from a framework that acknowledges the intersection of sexism and racism, along with other forms of oppression, in the lives of women of color. Survivors of sexual or domestic violence from these communities often face a dilemma: they are pressured to confront their communities to address their experiences of violence, while their communities may encourage them to remain silent in order to maintain unity against racism. Additionally, women of color encounter institutionalized violence, including law enforcement brutality, incarceration, and sterilization abuse.
While the anti-sexual/domestic violence movements have played a crucial role in breaking the silence surrounding violence against women, they have become more professionalized and depoliticized. Consequently, they often fail to address sexual and domestic violence within the broader context of institutionalized violence and oppression. INCITE! recognizes that addressing sexual/domestic violence within communities of color necessitates confronting these larger systems of violence, such as militarism, attacks on immigrants' rights, the proliferation of prisons, economic neo-colonialism, and the medical industry.
To address the unique ways in which violence affects their lives, INCITE! prioritizes grassroots organizing that focuses on the connections between sexual/domestic violence and state violence.
Bold Futures is an organization in New Mexico that spearheads policy change, research initiatives, place-based community organizing, and cultural transformation. They prioritize the perspectives and expertise of women and people of color, particularly those most affected by various issues, recognizing the intersections of their identities.
Their mission revolves around creating communities where everyone has the resources necessary to make informed choices about their own bodies and lives. They aim to foster environments where individuals can live with respect and dignity.
The Movement Strategy Center (MSC) was established in Oakland, California in 2001 by Taj James, Kristin Zimmerman, and Lisa Russ. Their mission is rooted in the belief that transformative grassroots movements seeking to change societal structures must also transform the way people think, live, and perceive themselves. They emphasize the interconnectedness of issues and the need for equally interconnected systemic solutions.
MSC draws inspiration from the 60/40 Stance, a transformative practice that delves into individual and collective purpose and the subconscious habits that impact one's capacity as a movement builder. Over two decades, they have supported local and national movement makers in driving change from the grassroots up.
MSC is committed to facilitating a "Just Transition" towards a world where regenerative relationships between people and the planet take precedence, with a focus on economic, racial, and gender equity. Their approach revolves around four core elements: leading with a bold vision and purpose, embodying the values they advocate for, fostering deep and radical community, and strategically navigating toward a future characterized by interdependence, liberation, and resilience.
Young Women's Empowerment Project acknowledges the work of SoMove.Org and Blake Nemec on a documentary project. The documentary discusses the closure of a non-profit organization, the healing process, and the political challenges that led to its closure. It features the voices of young people, former adult allies, and community members who share how the organization, YWEP, impacted their lives.
Young Women's Empowerment Project also confirms that YWEP is still active, particularly through its "Street Youth Rise Up" campaign in Chicago, focusing on changing the perception and treatment of homeless and street-based youth. The organization's research reports, "Girls Do What They Have To Do To Survive" and the "Bad Encounter Line Report," have gained recognition, including being sent to the United Nations and cited in the New York Times. These reports highlight the systemic challenges faced by young people in the sex trade and have inspired similar initiatives in other locations, such as a hotline in Portland, Oregon, and research tools in Chicago. The message also encourages checking out "We Charge Genocide" to see how some of their work continues to influence change.
The Fireweed Collective provides mental health education and mutual aid with a focus on Healing Justice. They prioritize the emotional well-being of all individuals, especially those most marginalized by society. Their mission aims to challenge the harm caused by systems of abuse and oppression, which can be perpetuated by the mental health system. They work towards fostering a culture of care that is free from violence, with the ultimate goal being not just survival, but thriving as individuals and communities. Their vision is a world where all communities have the autonomy to determine the sources of their care, medicine, and well-being.
Casa de Salud's mission is to provide high-quality medical and mental health services to uninsured and underinsured patients, with a particular focus on new immigrants and refugees who encounter barriers to accessing healthcare elsewhere. Founded in 2010 in St. Louis, Missouri, Casa de Salud was established to address the significant gap in primary healthcare for uninsured Latinos and newcomers to the United States. Its founder, Bob Fox, collaborated with Saint Louis University, which supplied the facility where Casa still operates.
Over the years, Casa de Salud has assisted thousands of immigrants, refugees, and individuals lacking adequate insurance coverage. It has become a well-respected and established part of the St. Louis healthcare community, known for its vital role in serving vulnerable populations.
Mimi Kim, the founder of Creative Interventions, questioned the standard approach to addressing domestic violence after handling numerous crisis calls from survivors. She realized that her solutions often assumed leaving and involving the police were the only options for achieving safety, which left survivors with limited choices.
Mimi recognized the need for alternative options and a space for those closest to and most affected by violence to envision and create solutions. She observed that many survivors in her community rejected the available resources and sought more practical ways to address violence.
As a response, Creative Interventions was established in 2004 with the goal of shifting education and resources back to families and communities. The project aimed to empower those most impacted by violence by making support and safety more accessible, intervening at the early stages of abuse, and providing education, skills, and support for individuals and communities interested in ending violence. It sought to transform once abusive individuals and communities towards healthier change and growth.
TGIJP (Transgender, Gender Variant, and Intersex Justice Project) was established in 2004 with the primary mission of combating human rights violations against transgender, gender variant, and intersex individuals, particularly transgender women, both within California prisons and on a broader scale. Although TGIJP has previously engaged in legal work for intersex individuals involved in the prison system, the organization has aspired to expand its efforts in this area to align with its name and mission.
In 2014, TGIJP took a significant step by welcoming an intersex individual into its core volunteer team. This move has prompted the organization to enhance the visibility of intersex issues within their existing initiatives, such as incorporating information in their newsletter and raising awareness about intersex issues with current allies. TGIJP is also focused on internal education for staff, core leadership, and members, fostering collaborations with intersex organizations, and reaching out to identify incarcerated intersex individuals. The goal is to provide information and support to enable imprisoned intersex individuals to self-advocate and self-organize.
Sins Invalid is a performance project rooted in disability justice, with a strong focus on artists with disabilities, particularly those who are people of color and LGBTQ/gender-variant. Led by disabled people of color, it explores themes related to sexuality, embodiment, and the disabled body. Through their provocative work, Sins Invalid challenges societal norms of "normal" and "sexy," presenting a vision of beauty and sexuality that includes all bodies and communities.
Their definition of disability is broad, encompassing physical impairments, sensory minorities, emotional disabilities, cognitive challenges, and chronic/severe illness. They understand disability as a shared experience across various walks of life, with connections to communities affected by the medicalization of their bodies, including trans, gender-variant, intersex individuals, and those whose bodies do not conform to cultural norms of "normal" or "functional."
Sins Invalid emphasizes that true liberation comes when all aspects of a person's identity, such as disability, queerness, race, gender identity, and more, are embraced as part of their whole being. They value allies from diverse backgrounds who share a commitment to liberation. The organization is dedicated to achieving social and economic justice for all individuals with disabilities, transcending individual legal rights in favor of collective human rights. Their stories, combined with thoughtful analysis, aim to bridge identity politics with unity among oppressed communities, laying the groundwork for a collective pursuit of liberation and beauty.
Child Sexual Abuse is a widespread but often silenced issue that affects many individuals. It is sensationalized in the media, and politicians often build their careers by appearing tough on offenders. Unfortunately, a high majority of these incidents go unreported, and the consequences of trauma can span generations and impact daily life. While it's typically seen as a personal matter, it is, in fact, a prevalent problem that touches every community. It often serves as a person's initial encounter with power used to silence and control.
In the present context, where public health prioritizes cost-effective business transactions over prevention or care, and public safety is equated with an increase in policing rather than a reduction in violence, the text asks how our movements and communities can respond to violence in ways that truly promote safety and accountability. It also explores how to establish an effective infrastructure that can address the enduring impact of generational trauma and confront the conditions of poverty, racism, and colonialism that perpetuate violence.
The Atlanta Transformative Justice Collaborative, with Project South as a core member, convened a comprehensive strategy session in May 2010. During this session, they delved into historical patterns of violence, institutional and community responses, and identified opportunities for creating organized community responses that prioritize safety and accountability. The text acknowledges the historical influence of racism and poverty in the South, as well as the significance of resiliency and survival strategies in their history. The collaborative's commitment is to develop movement-based structures that can support new organizing models aimed at eradicating child sexual abuse.
The Audre Lorde Project is a community organizing center that serves Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Two Spirit, Trans, and Gender Non-Conforming People of Color in the New York City area. Their work is centered on mobilization, education, and capacity-building with the aim of promoting community well-being and advancing social and economic justice. They are dedicated to addressing and embracing diversity, with a commitment to responsibly representing and serving the various communities they work with.
NYSHN (Native Youth Sexual Health Network) collaborates with Indigenous peoples in Canada and the United States to champion and develop comprehensive and culturally sensitive initiatives related to sexuality and reproductive health, rights, and justice in their own communities. Some of the key areas they focus on include culturally appropriate sex education, the revival of traditional rites of passage and traditional knowledge, promoting healthy relationships and preventing violence, addressing pregnancy options, youth parenting, and family issues, advocating for environmental justice and addressing environmental violence, harm reduction, advocating for Two-Spirited and LGBTTIQQA individuals, raising awareness and prevention of Sexually Transmitted and Blood Borne Infections (STBBIs) and HIV/AIDS, supporting youth in custody, jail, prison, and the child welfare system, addressing issues related to the sex trade, sex industries, and street economies, exploring Indigenous feminisms and masculinities, promoting sexual self-esteem and empowerment, developing media literacy, engaging in youth activism and human rights advocacy.
NYSHN also conducts advocacy, outreach, and community mobilization efforts, working with service providers, organizations, adults, Elders, and allied communities. This includes providing various forms of education, creating curriculum and resources, and engaging in long-term collaborative projects. They also undertake media arts justice work, such as creating short films and videos, arts-based initiatives, media campaigns, zines, declaration and statement writing, and community-based participatory action research.
The Rock Dove Collective is a radical community health exchange focused on providing accessible and anti-oppressive healthcare within communities. They coordinate a network of health practitioners who offer various forms of care, including physical, mental, sexual, emotional, social, and spiritual well-being, from a progressive and holistic perspective. Comprised of anarchist and radical individuals, the collective emphasizes decentralized and non-oppressive healthcare as both a daily necessity and a revolutionary approach.
Many of their practitioners accept mutual aid in exchange for their services, a practice highly encouraged by the Rock Dove Collective, as they believe it can contribute to a foundation for a freer and more just world. Their vision encompasses a healthy, non-toxic, and anti-violent society where all facets of well-being, including mental, emotional, and spiritual, are given as much attention as physical health. They view health holistically and recognize the interconnectedness between personal bodily systems and broader social structures.
The collective is committed to building a liberatory practice and values anti-oppressive, anti-hierarchical, and horizontal approaches in their individual and collective efforts. They aim to free themselves from dependency on institutions and individuals that exploit, neglect, and harm people in various ways. Their commitment to self-care and mutual aid is seen as essential in making a meaningful impact on society. The Rock Dove Collective strives to support those advocating for change within or outside authoritarian structures, taking responsibility for their well-being, their comrades in the struggle, and the global community. Their ultimate goal is to ensure that quality healthcare is accessible to all people, regardless of ethnicity, culture, nationality, economic class, sexual identity, gender, or age. They actively work to remove any barriers that hinder access to such services, viewing it as a shared responsibility.
The present situation, marked by a global pandemic, political turmoil stemming from systemic inequalities, and various challenges, has highlighted that returning to the "normal" way of life that brought us here is not a viable option. Doing so will likely lead to further chaos.
Given the current circumstances, which include the toll of the COVID pandemic, the stress and isolation of lockdowns, and increased awareness of racial and identity-based violence, there's an opportunity to move forward and actively work toward creating the world we truly want to inhabit. However, the question many people grapple with is how to achieve this transformation.
A 6-month program, known as "Re-Emergence," has been developed to address this question. Recognizing that each person's journey is unique, the program emphasizes that if we aspire to a world characterized by justice, equal opportunity, and love and respect for all individuals, our actions and practices must align with this vision. Re-Emergence is designed to provide support and guidance, bringing together experienced faculty and community members to share their wisdom and help participants discover their role in collective liberation, healing, and overall well-being.
How Our Lives Link Altogether! (H.O.L.L.A!) is a grassroots youth program with a transformative approach. It provides training in youth organizing, youth development services, political, cultural, and spiritual education, as well as non-traditional methods for healing, education, and community building. H.O.L.L.A! is rooted in grassroots movements and emphasizes healing justice as part of the youth development process.
The program's history is deeply connected to the experiences of individuals who have lived, worked, survived, and been educated in underserved urban communities in New York. The founders, including Bill, Marlon, Arocks, Shaq, Spud, Butta-Lab Cory, and Terrell, met while incarcerated in the New York State Correctional Facility. During their time in prison, they collaborated to develop the framework for H.O.L.L.A! as they sought to understand their individual and collective journeys through the criminal justice system. After three years, they began returning to their communities with a new plan of action. Terrell joined the effort after the organization's formation outside of prison and introduced community-based programming.
Despite the negative portrayal and stereotypes surrounding black and brown youth, the founders of H.O.L.L.A! were motivated to create programs within their own communities. H.O.L.L.A! spreads a message of love to youth in marginalized communities by engaging with middle and high schools, churches, detention centers, and people in their neighborhoods.
H.O.L.L.A! is a multi-faceted story that encompasses various narratives and personal and collective experiences. It involves the pain of incarceration, a deep belief in themselves, their communities, the youth, and a vision for a better future.
The Kindred Collective is a network of grassroots healers, including energy, body, and earth-based practitioners, along with medical professionals. They are dedicated to creating mechanisms for wellness and safety that address and transform generational trauma and violence in their communities and movements.
The organizational mission of The Kindred Collective is to intervene, disrupt, and ultimately transform the effects of generational trauma and violence in the southern communities and movements they serve. They achieve this by honoring and supporting integrative healing traditions and practices to enhance collective resiliency and survival. The collective comprises anti-oppression grassroots healers from various traditions and practices, including energy, body, and earth-based traditions, as well as birth workers, medical practitioners, social workers, nurses, counselors, cultural workers, and organizers, all primarily based in the Southern United States.
The scope of Kindred's work involves building a collaboration of southern healers and organizers who are prepared to respond to trauma through collective models. This approach aims to sustain their communities and movements, prevent isolation, combat early burnout, and address emotional, physical, and spiritual deprivation.
Movement Generation, founded in the early 2000s in the San Francisco Bay Area, was created by grassroots organizers, movement builders, and popular educators from various community-based organizations. During its formative years, it brought together young leaders from over 30 organizations for vital discussions on movement strategy. This effort led to the development of the Justice & Ecology Project.
After Hurricane Katrina, organizers recognized the growing need to address the challenges and opportunities related to ecology, sustainability, and the global ecological crisis facing working-class communities of color. In 2007, in partnership with the Occidental Arts and Ecology Center, Movement Generation initiated ecological justice training retreats and strategy meetings. These events covered topics like peak oil, peak water, biodiversity loss, climate change, environmental toxins, sustainable agriculture, and the potential for local, regenerative, socially just economies and participatory democracy.
Today, Movement Generation continues its work, engaging hundreds of organizations and thousands of community leaders, activists, and organizers through retreats, political education, skills workshops, peer exchange, campaign development, alliance building, and strategic support. It serves as a political home for many committed to social and environmental justice.
RYSE empowers the youth in our city to shape its future. They establish safe spaces rooted in social justice, fostering youth empowerment for love, learning, education, healing, and community transformation. RYSE is open to all young individuals aged 13-21, offering free access to their facilities, free meals, and various workshops and programs in areas such as arts, health and wellness, youth organizing, and college and career development.
Healing justice is a perspective that aims to promote practices centered on resilience and well-being as a transformative approach to addressing the long-standing issues of violence and trauma within our communities.
Positive Women’s Network – USA is a nationwide organization composed of women living with HIV and their supporters, with a mission to enhance the collective influence of all women living with HIV in the United States. Established in 2008 by a group of 28 women leaders with diverse backgrounds who are themselves living with HIV, PWN-USA fosters the development of new leaders and shapes a policy agenda that considers the impact of gender on the domestic HIV crisis while emphasizing principles of social justice and human rights.
Ancient Song is a birth justice organization with a national reach that is dedicated to eradicating maternal and infant mortality and morbidity in underserved Black and Latinx communities. Our approach involves making sure that every pregnant, postpartum, and parenting individual of color can access comprehensive, top-tier doula care and support, regardless of their financial means. Our work encompasses doula training and services, community education, and active advocacy for policy reforms that promote reproductive and birth justice.
Southern Birth Justice Network is dedicated to delivering maternal health care that is considerate and culturally attuned. You can consult with a certified community midwife for prenatal examinations, recommendations, and assistance in accessing additional healthcare services. Interact with a doula who has received training to offer guidance and support throughout your pregnancy experience. Benefit from perinatal services, various classes, informative sessions, storytelling, and a range of other resources.
Project NIA, which translates to "purpose" in Swahili, is a grassroots organization dedicated to ending the arrest, detention, and incarceration of children and young adults by promoting the adoption of restorative and transformative justice practices. Their work involves assisting youth who have encountered trouble with the law, as well as those who have been victims of violence and crime, by offering community-based alternatives to the traditional criminal legal process. They collaborate with local activists and organizations to develop these alternatives.
The organization's core belief is that harm can be transformed into healing by fostering connections and opportunities within communities. Through a combination of education, research, and advocacy, Project NIA aims to provide constructive ways to address harm, moving away from reliance on the police and the conventional criminal legal system. Over the past decade, they have conducted more than 200 community workshops on juvenile justice and the prison industrial complex and have produced numerous educational curricula focused on improving how harm is addressed in communities. Their overarching goal is to prevent young people from ending up in incarceration.
The mission of Generative Somatics is to support social and climate justice movements in achieving their visions of a radically transformed society. They accomplish this by introducing somatic transformation to movement leaders, organizations, and alliances. Their programs engage the body, including emotions, sensations, and physiology, to align actions with values and vision, as well as to heal from the impacts of trauma and oppression. The ultimate goal is to advance compassionate yet resilient movements, filled with creativity and liberatory power, to bring about societal transformation.
Their vision entails an interconnected society, rooted in the creative and embodied collective power of these movements. They aspire to establish institutions and norms that reject structural oppression, exploitation, extraction, and intergenerational violence. Instead, they aim to uphold life itself, recognizing humanity as an integral part of nature rather than separate from it. Their vision includes ensuring safety, dignity, and a sense of belonging for all.
Prior to 2000
Including Laozi and the witches of old
"Pedagogy of the Oppressed" is a pivotal book by Brazilian educator Paulo Freire, initially written in Portuguese between 1967 and 1968. It was published in Spanish in 1968, followed by an English translation in 1970. The Portuguese version was published in 1972 in Portugal and later in Brazil in 1974. This work is regarded as a foundational text of critical pedagogy, advocating for a new educational relationship among teacher, student, and society.
Dedicated to the oppressed, Freire draws from his experience in teaching Brazilian adults to read and write. He incorporates a detailed Marxist class analysis to explore the dynamics between the colonizer and the colonized. Freire criticizes traditional pedagogy, which he terms the "banking model of education," for treating students as passive receptacles for knowledge. Instead, he argues for an approach where learners are active participants and co-creators of knowledge.
The Lomi Psychotherapy Clinic, established in 1987, has been a vital mental health service provider in Sonoma County. They offer a variety of therapies, including mindfulness-based somatic approaches and other tailored methods. With a mission to make high-quality mental health care accessible, their vision is to create a safe and vibrant community. Originally founded as part of The Lomi School, the clinic has grown significantly over the years and serves a wide range of clients. It plays a crucial role in providing care to those who can't afford full fees and those facing immediate mental health crises. Additionally, the Lomi Legacy Fund for Mental Health offers free counseling sessions to community members impacted by crises, such as wildfires and the COVID-19 pandemic.
"Bodies in Revolt: A Primer in Somatic Thinking" by Thomas Hanna is a groundbreaking work that introduced the term "somatic" in the modern context across various fields, such as healthcare, bodywork, movement arts, and body-centered psychotherapy. Hanna's book emphasized the idea of the "soma," defining it as a process of "embodied awareness" that extends beyond mere biological or mind-body reductionism. The book explores the historical and philosophical perspectives, from Darwin to Piaget to Kierkegaard, that have contributed to this concept.
This book played a pivotal role in shaping the field of somatics, establishing the foundation for various somatic disciplines, and outlining Hanna's vision for the future of human potential. "Bodies in Revolt" has encouraged readers to adopt a somatic perspective when considering human existence and has given significance to the terms "soma" and "somatic." It offers a broad-ranging survey of the philosophical and scientific currents that have converged to provide a new understanding of human beings as entities with embodied awareness. Hanna's work has catalyzed the body-mind movement that now permeates contemporary life.
Theatre of the Oppressed, created by Brazilian visionary Augusto Boal, is a community-based educational approach that utilizes theater as a transformative tool. Originally designed for peasant and worker populations, it is now used globally for purposes like social and political activism, conflict resolution, community development, therapy, and influencing government legislation. Inspired by Paulo Freire's educational ideas, TO encourages critical thinking, analysis, and active engagement. In TO, the audience becomes "spect-actors," actively participating in discussions and actions using the language of theater. Boal's work has spread worldwide, with active centers in various countries and grassroots practitioners, including teachers, social workers, therapists, and activists.
Rainbow Research, Inc., established in 1974 and located in Minneapolis, Minnesota, is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization. They boast a diverse team of experienced research and evaluation professionals, known for their work on a wide range of projects at local, regional, and national levels. With expertise in research, evaluation, human rights, and advocacy, their adaptable staff can engage in projects that align with their values while delivering high-quality outcomes. Their clients encompass county and state governments, school districts, community-based organizations, national entities, and foundations.
Ignacio Martín-Baró, a Spanish-born Jesuit priest with training in psychology, was a prominent advocate against oppression in Latin America. He often spoke out against the "publish or perish" academic culture in the United States, noting that in his home country of El Salvador, it was more like "publish and perish." In 1989, he was tragically silenced by a Salvadoran death squad. This collection of his writings, the first available in English, highlights his significance in Latin American psychology and social theory.
The essays gathered from various professional journals delve into topics that shaped Martín-Baró's thinking, including the psychological dimensions of political repression, the impact of violence and trauma on child development and mental health, the use of psychology for political purposes, and the role of religion as an ideological tool. These writings, while rooted in the context of civil conflict in Central America, have broader relevance in a world marked by political and social upheaval. Martín-Baró's work underscores the crucial connections between mental health, human rights, and the fight against injustice. His analysis of contemporary social issues and critique of the social sciences' response provide insight into his lasting impact on social thought and his unwavering commitment to the people of El Salvador.
Richard founded the Strozzi Institute in 1985 with the belief that leaders, coaches, and organizations needed a deeper understanding of somatics for effective leadership. This realization led to a decade-long collaboration between Richard and Fernado Flores, PhD, combining linguistic and somatic distinctions to refine the institute's practices.
In 1999, they introduced the first Somatic Coach Certification program and have since become leaders in the field. Over the past two decades, they have worked with leaders worldwide, from Fortune 500 companies to startups and social enterprises, certifying Somatic Coaches and Master Coaches, and integrating somatic bodywork into leadership development.
Under the leadership of Staci K. Haines in 2012, the institute renewed its commitment to developing transformative leaders and organizations capable of addressing contemporary challenges and opportunities, with the goal of leaving communities and the world in a more vibrant state than they found it.