The call to co-create an intimate 28 -person program emerges from almost four years of bringing somatics to white racial justice organizers. The focus thus far has been on practicing together and building community around our shared commitments to defend Black life and end white supremacy in our lifetimes. We’re wanting to go deeper together. Deeper in practice, in relationship, and in our capacity to hold the complexity and urgency of this political moment as accountable, relaxed, and dignified white people—with love and rigor. We know that more is possible when we practice together, because we’ve seen it already. What more might be possible if we commit to this intensive container, to a year of deepening together?
In this pilot year, we are exploring how we might bring our fully embodied selves to the work of:
Conflict, rupture & repair
Shame, trauma & resilience
Ritual & holding sacred space
Grief
WHO IS CREATING THIS PROGRAM?
Dara Silverman is the lead teacher, as part of a skilled team of four teachers - Cari Caldwell, Michael Strom, Sarah Abbott and Lyndsey Scott (song-leader). Each teacher will be a mentor to a small group of participants. The program overall has an advisory group of BIPOC and white embodiment practitioners and racial justice organizers. We plan to include a team of cohort members / participants who will advise the creation of each session and also bring their experience and expertise to the program, deepening our practice around coaching & facilitation, cultural reclamation, conflict, grief, ritual, trauma & resilience.
STRUCTURE OF THE PROGRAM:
Four in-person retreats spread across the year (currently May, August & November 2024, 2025 dates TBD)
Monthly Practice & methodology calls in between retreats to stay in practice together and go deeper on concepts and political analysis, including calls with guest teachers
Monthly mentorship circles with members of the teaching team
Individual sessions
Participant organized and led groups to go deeper in topics and practices based on interest and experience
A curriculum arc integrating somatic practice and theory as foundational to the practice of other methodologies including:
Facilitation — holding space for conflict, healing, and transformation
White folks’ work — embodying racial justice, ancestor work, cultural reclamation
Political education — embodied race/class analysis, bring in relationship and our bodies as we do theory work