Category

Meet the Design Team Behind Our Heal the Healers Convening

Fred

Our Heal the Healers Convening was dreamed, designed, and created by and for BIPOC community members. Meet Felicia Sy, Casandra Clark Mazariegos, Aja King, and Rosalva M. Hernandez: the visionary team behind our upcoming gathering!

Dr. Felicia Washington Sy, MSW, PhD, is a licensed, independent, clinical social worker and traumatologist with over 20 years of experience providing trauma-informed care to sexual and physical violence survivors. Passionate about social justice and human rights, Dr. Sy is also an adjunct faculty, independent consultant, co-founder of Tender Roots, and maintains a private psychotherapy practice.

Dr. Casandra Clark Mazariegos, PsyD, LP, is the founder of Healing Movement Mental Health and Psychedelic Psychotherapy. Dr. Clark Mazariegos uses talk therapy, yoga, dance, art and meditation to help people learn how to care for themselves and their community. She is certified in psychedelic psychotherapy and integration. Dr. Clark Mazariegos is also trained in the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction, Eye Movement Desensitization Therapy, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, Yoga Nidra, and folkloric dance therapy.

Dr. Aja King, LPCC, Ed.D, is a counseling psychologist and founder of Brave Defiance. Dr. King creates retreats and healing spaces for those seeking to be nurtured to their maximum health and potential. With over 20 years of experience, Dr. King has dedicated her life to guiding others through the mental health and wellness journey. She utilizes a holistic approach which includes Reiki, Healing Touch, Sound Therapy, Breathwork, and meditation.

Rosalva Mujwid Hernandez, MPA, is the co-director of Reclaiming Our Own Time (ROOT) at Nexus. Rosalva brings a lifetime of public service experience in the nonprofit, judicial, public school, higher education, health care, and human services fields. Through both lived and professional experience across public and nonprofit sectors in person-centered design, advocacy, and systems change, Rosalva provides holistic leadership and vision building. “Curiosity is central to my worldview, and I lean into experimental learning and failing forward,” she says.


Our Heal the Healers Convening, Feb. 27 – March 1, will be a transformative sanctuary of rest, reflection, and rejuvenation amidst workshops on holistic care and professional growth. Registration closes Feb. 10!

As we gear up for our Heal the Healers Convening, ROOT Co-director Rosalva Mujwid Hernandez and Cyrus Hernandez explore what it means to rest. Reclaiming Our Own Time is finding rest practices in our day-to-day lives, from cooking to spending time outdoors.

Rest creates space for contemplation, renewal, and a deeper understanding of one’s purpose and values. It is not for the privileged few. It does not have to be earned. Rest is a birthright for all.

Rosalva reflects, “Our healers often are not lifted up as being someone who needs care and someone who we need to tend to and create space for. That’s one of the hopes we have for our Heal the Healers Conference—there are so many ways we can find rest. The hope of Heal the Healers is to really create that intentional space.”

Our three-day Heal the Healers Convening, Feb. 27-March 1, will be a transformative sanctuary of rest, reflection, and rejuvenation amidst workshops on holistic care and professional growth. Experts will share insights on how creating portals of rest and nourishing rest practices prevents burnout, fosters resilience, and nurtures mental health. If you tend to others in your circles, you are a healer, and this space is for YOU. Register by Feb. 10!

You’re invited to our Heal the Healers Convening, Feb. 27 – March 1! This pivotal, three-day event will be a transformative sanctuary of rest, reflection, and rejuvenation amidst workshops on holistic care and professional growth. As an act of revolution and movement building, attendees will immerse themselves in sessions advocating the necessity of self-care, from meditation techniques to stress management. Experts will share insights on how creating portals of rest and nourishing rest practices prevents burnout, fosters resilience, and nurtures mental health. As participants experience connection and harmony within, the alignment reduces anxiety, promotes clarity of mind, and cultivates a profound sense of spiritual well-being. Rest creates space for contemplation, renewal, and a deeper understanding of one’s purpose and values.

Register here

Reserve your spot today! Space is limited to 75 attendees.

Please note payment is required to complete registration. Rates are mindfully and lovingly curated on a sliding scale through individual self selection.

  • Individual Rate: $300 – $900
  • Small Organization Rate: $1,000
  • Full-Cost Rate: $1,500
  • Ecosystem Builder Rate: $3,000
  • Or request a scholarship if cost is a barrier

Each day, we will have workshops led by experts with lived experience. You may design your own journey through the tracks below:

SOMATIC

Somatic treatments, such as body work, yoga, Tai Chi, massage, and self-touch, offer profound benefits for rest, self-care, and community care by focusing on the connection between mind and body. These practices help individuals release physical tension and stress, facilitating deeper relaxation and enhancing overall well-being.

  • Healing Cirque Movement: An Activity of Restorative Vulnerability with Nastaaja Johnson
  • Restorative Yoga & Reflective Writing with Catherine R. Squires
  • Healing Movement Experience with Dr. Casandra Clark Mazariegos, Psy.D, LP
  • Skills for Embodiment & Renewal with Anna (AK) Meyer, Formation Healing Arts
  • Align Towards Joy with Marjorie D. Grevious
SPIRITUAL

Practices such as mindfulness, meditation, and conscious contact with a higher power encourage individuals to pause and reflect, promoting mental relaxation and emotional balance. Spiritual traditions often emphasize the importance of self-compassion and personal well-being, guiding individuals to prioritize self-care routines that nourish both body and spirit.

  • Grief is a Portal: Loss, Love & Liberation with Jouapag Lee (Ntxuaj Pag)
  • Healing the Past: Connecting with Ancestor Guides to Transform Historical Trauma with Felicia Sy
  • Embracing Darkness: Reclaiming Humanity Through Cacao Ceremony and Reflection with Ana Mariella Rivera, LICSW
  • Drumming Healing Circle: Connecting Within with Fanny Prema Manishi
  • Sound Healing Session: Resting Our Hearts and Spirit with Saulkdi Yang
ART

Engaging in artistic activities, such as painting, drawing, or crafting, allows individuals to relax and unwind, reducing stress and facilitating mental rejuvenation. Art encourages self-care by offering a means of self-expression and reflection, helping individuals process emotions and gain insight into their personal experiences.

  • Sacred Stitches: Ancestral Connection though Intentional Doll-Making with Donyelle Headington
  • Growing from Grief: Book Art & Paper-Making with Maricella Xiong
  • Singing for Liberation: Community Songs for the Moment/Movement with GOOD TROUBLE: Liz Digitale Anderson + Conie Borchardt
  • Floral Divination with Laura Villarreal
MENDING WOUNDS

Trauma healing often involves creating safe spaces for individuals to process their experiences and emotions, which fosters relaxation and mental clarity. This process supports self-care by helping individuals develop healthier coping mechanisms and self-awareness.

  • Restorative Pathways: Healing Trauma, Cultivating Community Care with Dr. Tolulope Monisola Ola (MPH)
  • Seeds of Renewal: Planting Poetic Affirmations with Dralandra Larkins
  • Breaking the Mental Health Stigma with Rosilynn Morris, MSW, LICSW
  • Healing from the Patriarchy through the Divine Feminine with Maya Carmen
  • Food as Medicine: Healing through Nutrients with Dr. Najaha Musse
  • Making Good Medicine with Linda Eagle Speaker
  • Rewriting the Narratives that Define Us with Ebony Aya

The convening is open to all and centers BIPOC voices and experiences. Continuing Education credits are available!

Questions? Email root@nexuscp.org.


Reclaiming Our Own Time (ROOT) is part of an ever-growing movement to provide resources, support, and spaces for rest and restoration for Black, Indigenous, and Persons of Color movement leaders. ROOT calls for us to reclaim our humanity and return to our ancestral roots through rest and restoration. In this space, we lift up our elders, healers, guides, artists, and community culture bearers intergenerationally, holding our communities through joy, grief, and passing ancestral practices. We believe we must honor our healers by curating spaces where we can center rest and shared practices can emerge.

“We want to reclaim our own time in large systems. How do you get to rest in an anti-rest system?”

You are invited to an insightful panel discussion featuring doctors and medical professionals who will address the critical issue of post-COVID burnout. This event will explore the unique challenges health care providers face in today’s demanding medical environments and the urgent need for effective solutions.

As the health care landscape continues to evolve, many professionals are grappling with the lasting effects of the pandemic, including emotional fatigue and overwhelming workloads. Our expert panel will delve into these challenges, sharing personal experiences and professional insights. Key topics will include the importance of implementing structural changes to promote provider well-being, such as flexible scheduling, enhanced mental health resources, and supportive workplace cultures. Attendees will gain valuable perspectives on creating sustainable practices that can mitigate burnout and improve the overall health of health care systems.

Who is this for?

This workshop is for anyone working in managed care, such as a hospital, clinic, or bureaucracy. These are heavily regulated spaces with rules protecting the system from liability, where risk mitigation drives decision-making. This is not just for those who serve in a medical capacity but includes all layers of the system: doctors, nurses, and health care assistants, as well as people who have to navigate these spaces, such as administrators, transcribers, registration clerks, billing/coding, etc. BIPOC healers in these spaces see their intuitive nurturing care at odds with the volume of people systems require them to care for in a day.

Join us for this important conversation and be part of the movement toward a healthier future for our health care providers. Your voice matters in this critical dialogue. Don’t miss this opportunity to engage with experts and contribute to solutions that can make a difference! We’ll include time for somatic grounding, stress release, and networking in our practice.

Reclaiming Our Own Time in an Anti-Rest System: Addressing Burnout for Medical Providers
Wednesday, Dec. 4, 6-8:30 p.m. on Zoom

Register here

Please RSVP by Nov. 27. We look forward to seeing you there!

Our speakers

Reclaiming Our Own Time (ROOT) is part of an ever-growing movement to provide resources, support, and spaces for rest and restoration for Black, Indigenous, and Persons of Color movement leaders. ROOT calls for us to reclaim our humanity and return to our ancestral roots through the practice of rest and restoration. In this space, we lift up our elders, healers, guides, mentors, artists, and community culture bearers who have been holding our communities through joy, grief, and passing ancestral practices intergenerationally. We believe we must honor our healers by curating spaces where we can center rest and shared practices can emerge.

As part of our commitment to learn from and engage with our community healers, we are offering a series of engagements, including a listening session, two virtual workshops, and a three-day, in-person convening. This series will craft distinct spaces tailored to our healers in different ways.

  • Sept. 26: A community listening session to help shape and inform this series.
  • Oct. 19: “Bearing Witness to the Wounded Healer: Pathways to Well-being and Rest,” a virtual workshop for those who are tending to others in the community.
  • Dec. 4: “Reclaiming Our Own Time in an Anti-Rest System: Addressing Burnout for Medical Providers.” A virtual workshop for healers working in any capacity within large systems.
  • Feb. 27 – March 1, 2025: A three-day, in-person convening designed for all healers, wherever they find themselves on the healer’s journey.

Join us for a Reimagine Rest Writing Workshop on Thursday, Dec. 5 from 6:30 – 8:30 pm! Full-time writer and award-winning teaching artist Taiwana Shambley will lead a rest writing workshop for BIPOC trans and queer folx at Modus Locus Expansion. Participants will have the opportunity to learn from Taiwana while snacking on tea and light treats in a creative and cozy setting. Pajamas encouraged!

Space is limited to 16 people. Registration closes Nov. 25, or when spots are filled. If registration is full and you’d like to be added to our waitlist, please email root@nexuscp.org.

Reimagine Rest Series: Writing Workshop

Thank you for your interest in the Reimagine Rest Series: Writing Workshop. Unfortunately, we have met our capacity. However, if you'd like to be added to the waitlist, please email ROOT@NexusCP.org. It's possible we get a last minute cancelations so don't hestitate to email us!

 

 

Reclaiming Our Own Time (ROOT) is part of an ever-growing movement to provide resources, support, and spaces for rest and restoration for Black, Indigenous, and Persons of Color movement leaders. ROOT calls for us to reclaim our humanity and return to our ancestral roots through rest and restoration. In this space, we lift up our elders, healers, guides, artists, and community culture bearers intergenerationally, holding our communities through joy, grief, and passing ancestral practices. We believe we must honor our healers by curating spaces where we can center rest and shared practices can emerge.

We’re thrilled to extend an invitation to our BIPOC elders, healers, guides, artists, and culture bearers for your proposal to present or facilitate a workshop at our three-day, in-person Heal the Healers convening Feb. 27 – March 1, 2025!

The convening promises to be a transformative sanctuary of rest, reflection, and rejuvenation amidst workshops on holistic care and professional growth. As an act of revolution and movement building, attendees will immerse themselves in sessions advocating the necessity of self-care, from meditation techniques to stress management. Experts will share insights on how creating portals of rest and nourishing rest practices prevents burnout, fosters resilience, and nurtures mental health. As participants experience connection and harmony within, the alignment reduces anxiety, promotes clarity of mind, and cultivates a profound sense of spiritual well-being. Rest creates space for contemplation, renewal, and a deeper understanding of one’s purpose and values.

Workshop proposals are due by Dec. 1, 2024, 11:59 p.m. CT.

Submit Your Proposal Here

Below, you’ll find a comprehensive guide to help you structure your submission. We look forward to receiving your proposals and to a conference that truly nourishes and empowers our community of healers!

Purpose

To offer participants tools and insights to reclaim their time and rest, especially in the lives of elders, healers, guides, artists, and community culture bearers. The experiences will support reclaiming of ancestral healing, self-care routines, foster community support, and further professional development, all while emphasizing the importance of rest and well-being. We are seeking presentations/activities that fall into one or more of the following tracks/themes:

  • Spirituality
  • Somatic
  • Art
  • Mending Wounds

Spirituality

Spirituality can significantly enhance rest, self-care, and community care by fostering a deeper sense of connection and purpose. Practices such as mindfulness, meditation, and conscious contact with a higher power encourage individuals to pause and reflect, promoting mental relaxation and emotional balance. Spiritual traditions often emphasize the importance of self-compassion and personal well-being, guiding individuals to prioritize self-care routines that nourish both body and spirit. Moreover, spirituality frequently highlights the value of communal bonds, encouraging acts of kindness, shared support, and collective healing. By integrating spiritual principles into daily life, people can cultivate a supportive environment that values rest and rejuvenation, ultimately strengthening both personal and communal resilience. Participants in this track will place a primary emphasis on spirituality.

Somatic

Somatic treatments, such as body work, yoga, Tai Chi, massage, and self-touch offer profound benefits for rest, self-care, and community care by focusing on the connection between mind and body. These practices help individuals release physical tension and stress, facilitating deeper relaxation and enhancing overall well-being. By addressing bodily sensations and emotions, somatic treatments support self-care by encouraging greater awareness and responsiveness to one’s own needs. In a community setting, shared somatic practices foster a sense of unity and collective healing, promoting mutual support and empathy. Engaging in these treatments together can build stronger communal bonds and create a nurturing environment where individuals feel cared for and connected.

Art

Art can play a transformative role in promoting rest, self-care, and community care by providing expressive outlets and fostering creativity. Engaging in artistic activities, such as painting, drawing, or crafting, allows individuals to relax and unwind, reducing stress and facilitating mental rejuvenation. Art encourages self-care by offering a means of self-expression and reflection, helping individuals process emotions and gain insight into their personal experiences. In community settings, collaborative art projects and exhibitions can strengthen bonds and create shared experiences, promoting collective healing and support. Through art, people can connect with each other, celebrate diversity, and build supportive networks that enhance overall well-being.

Mending Wounds

Healing the wounds of trauma can profoundly enhance rest, self-care, and community care by addressing and alleviating the deep-seated impacts of traumatic experiences. Trauma healing often involves creating safe spaces for individuals to process their experiences and emotions, which fosters relaxation and mental clarity. This process supports self-care by helping individuals develop healthier coping mechanisms and self-awareness. Additionally, collective trauma healing can strengthen community bonds by encouraging shared narratives and mutual support. Through community dialogues and collaborative healing practices, communities can rebuild trust, enhance resilience, and promote a culture of empathy and collective well-being.

Examples

Workshop topics under these themes include:

  • Cultural practices
  • Reclaiming ancestral healing
  • Leveraging storytelling in intergenerational practices
  • Techniques and practices for personal and professional rest
  • Strategies for integrating self-care into daily routines
  • Building and sustaining supportive community networks
  • Professional development and burnout prevention
  • Mindfulness, meditation, and relaxation techniques
  • Effective stress-management strategies
  • Creating balanced work environments
  • Using art as a gateway to rest
  • The written word: creating a personal narrative of rest through storytelling, poetry, and journaling
Selection Criteria

Proposals will be evaluated based on relevance to the conference theme, clarity of objectives, facilitator experience, and the potential impact on attendees. Preference will be given to interactive and engaging formats that provide practical, actionable insights.

Submission Instructions

Please complete the application and submit your proposal by Dec. 1, 11:59 p.m. CT. Submissions will only be accepted through the link above. Questions? Email rhernandez@nexuscp.org.

Additional Information

Selected facilitators will receive compensation of $600 for individual workshop sessions. You may submit multiple proposals to present at additional times for additional compensation.

We are delighted to announce the 10 fellows for our inaugural 2024 ROOT Continuous Sabbatical Fellowship!

A group of people stand and sit together, posing for a picture in a room with wooden panelling. They smile at the camera.
Meet our new fellows! Top row, left to right: Mikalen Belgarde, E.G. Bailey, Robert Gurrola, Gerard Calhoun, Mykela Jackson, Sally Jeon, Hedy Tripp, and Sasha Beaulieu. Bottom row, left to right: Deneira Moore and Fadumo Mohamed.

Each person will be provided resources and support to plan for an intentional three-month sabbatical. This experience includes $30,000 for their sabbatical plans, opportunities to engage with coaches, healers, and guides, and in-person sessions centering rest and reclaiming time that they will undergo as a cohort.

Fellows were chosen using randomization from a pool of 1,105 applicants. Our ROOT (Reclaiming Our Own Time) team read through all the applications that came in, inspired and moved by how many of our community members put their heart and being into shaping a brighter future for our communities of color.

For those who did not get selected for the first cohort, we know this can be hard. It takes time and emotion to dream about opportunities like these. We hope that during the application process, the time each applicant spent has given them space to reflect on how they might reclaim their rest. Each applicant has access to some rest resources in their status-update email (including discounted access to Ayo’s Somatic Network). Ayo’s Somatic Network is a space where Indigenous, Black, and melanated changemakers — healers, leaders, activists, organizers, care workers, and teachers — come together to practice body-based healing techniques, meditations, and self-awareness skills both in person and virtually.

ROOT’s next fellowship opportunity is the Rhythmic Sabbatical Fellowship. Applications open early 2025, so keep an eye out on communications from Nexus Community Partners to learn more!

BIPOC communities and other historically oppressed and ignored communities have suffered under racist and patriarchal systems of oppression since the founding of our country. And they have been fighting against these systems for just as long.

This fight against and within a racist society is taking a toll on our community leaders. Chronic stress and generational trauma are harming our physical and mental health and our ability to show up every day, as fully human. Burnout and fatigue, and subsequently its health and life impact, are disproportionately experienced by those who identify as BIPOC.

Bearing witness to trauma within a community involves a profound collective experience. It requires individuals to acknowledge and empathize with the pain of others, which can be both a burden and a shared responsibility. This process often reveals the depth of trauma and its impact on communal bonds, exposing the underlying issues that affect everyone. To this end, we call all elders, healers, guides, mentors, artists, and community culture bearers and witnesses to the sacred process of rest that is our birthright. Please join us for our upcoming virtual workshop:

Bearing Witness to the Wounded Healer: Pathways to Well-being and Rest
Saturday, Oct. 19, 1-4 p.m.

Register here

RSVP by Oct. 14. Space is limited to 50 participants. If registration is full and you’d like to be added to our waitlist, please email root@nexuscp.org.

In our time together, we will explore the healer’s journey by combining storytelling and somatic practices to create a powerful healing dynamic in our group. Storytelling allows individuals to articulate and share personal narratives, offering a way to process and externalize their experiences. This verbal expression can bring clarity and validation, helping participants make sense of their trauma or struggles. When alternated with somatic practices — such as body awareness exercises, breath work, or movement — participants can connect their emotional and physical experiences, fostering a holistic sense of healing. Somatic practices help ground and integrate the emotions revealed through storytelling, releasing stored tension and promoting relaxation. Together, these approaches facilitate a comprehensive healing process by addressing the mind and body. The shared experience of storytelling and somatic work in a group setting also strengthens communal bonds, creating a supportive environment where individuals can heal together and build a collective sense of resilience.


Reclaiming Our Own Time (ROOT) is part of an ever-growing movement to provide resources, support, and spaces for rest and restoration for Black, Indigenous, and Persons of Color movement leaders. ROOT calls for us to reclaim our humanity and return to our ancestral roots through the practice of rest and restoration. In this space, we lift up our elders, healers, guides, mentors, artists, and community culture bearers who have been holding our communities through joy, grief, and passing ancestral practices intergenerationally. We believe we must honor our healers by curating spaces where we can center rest and shared practices can emerge.

As part of our commitment to learn from and engage with our community healers, we are offering a series of engagements, including a listening session, two virtual workshops, and a three-day, in-person convening. This series will craft distinct spaces tailored to our healers in different ways.

  • Sept. 26: A community listening session to help shape and inform this series.
  • Oct. 19: “Bearing Witness to the Wounded Healer: Pathways to Well-being and Rest,” a virtual workshop for those who are tending to others in the community.
  • Dec. 4: “Reclaiming Our Own Time in an Anti-Rest System: Addressing Burnout for Medical Providers.” A virtual workshop for healers working in any capacity within large systems.
  • Feb. 27 – March 1, 2025: A three-day, in-person convening designed for all healers, wherever they find themselves on the healer’s journey.

Reclaiming Our Own Time (ROOT) is part of an ever-growing movement to provide resources, support, and spaces for rest and restoration for Black, Indigenous, and Persons of Color movement leaders. ROOT calls for us to reclaim our humanity and return to our ancestral roots through the practice of rest and restoration. In this space, we lift up our elders, healers, guides, artists, and community culture bearers who have been holding our communities through joy, grief, and passing ancestral practices intergenerationally. We believe we must honor our healers by curating spaces where we can center rest and shared practices can emerge.

Yo Soy Mi Propia Curandera (I Am My Own Healer)

As part of our Heal the Healers circle of support to the rest ecosystem, we were honored to sponsor a community-designed and -led workshop at Nexus. Holding such sacred spaces is part of our commitment to responding to community-identified needs in shared partnership. The workshop “Curanderismo – Ancestral Healing” immersed participants in the rich history of Indigenous Mexican medicine through a guided healing circle and storytelling while sharing tools to continue self-healing care for participants and their communities. Attendees reflected:

“We are all in constant need of healing, and our healers are the bridge that can connect us to that healing. Supporting them with spaces to heal and connect is a beautiful way for us to continue to heal as a community.”

“Supporting healers in our communities is vital because they play a crucial role in maintaining the well-being of others. Healers — whether they are health care professionals, mental health counselors, or informal caregivers — often prioritize the needs of those they serve over their own. This can lead to burnout, emotional exhaustion, and a diminished capacity to provide care effectively. By supporting these individuals, we not only acknowledge their sacrifices but also ensure they have the resources and self-care practices necessary to continue their important work. When healers are cared for, they can better support their families, friends, and communities, creating a healthier, more resilient environment for everyone. Investing in their well-being ultimately strengthens the fabric of our communities, fostering a culture of compassion and mutual support.”

The session was led by Maestra Rita Navarette, an elder from the Otomi Indigenous community of Metaxi, Mexico. She has decades of experience and expertise in many healing modalities, including being a Temazcalera (water pourer for the adobe sweat lodge ceremony), a Huesera (bone setter), a Curandera (healer), and a Maestra (master teacher). She is the director of a school in Jilotepec, Mexico, and has become known as an international leader and teacher. She is one of the elders and instructors for the annual two-week summer conference on Curandersimo at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque, and she is one of the traditional healing professors at CEDEHC (Centro de Desarrollo Humano Hacia la Comunidad) in Cuernavaca, Morelos.

The workshop was supported by Blanca Martinez Gavina (2023 Bush Fellow), Ana Mariella Rivera (Historias y Huellas Podcast), and Rosalva Mujwid Hernandez (ROOT Co-director, Nexus Community Partners).

Dear community,

We have selected 10 participants for our inaugural 2024 ROOT Continuous Sabbatical Fellowship! Thank you to all 1,105 changemakers who shared your rest dreams and your commitment to the community with us. The ROOT team read every single story that came our way, inspired and moved by how many of you put your heart and being into shaping a brighter future for our communities of color. All applicants should have received, via email, the status of their application.

The Continuous Sabbatical Fellowship has only 10 spots, chosen through randomization of all eligible applicants. We know this can be hard, because it takes time and emotion to dream about opportunities like these. We hope that during the application process, the time you spent has given you space to reflect on how you might reclaim your rest.

To honor the stories shared with us, we are taking the next few months to compile insights we learned and intend to share them out with you all. You can expect to receive this in early 2025. We will continue to share rest-related resources with you through our Care Packages, future Reimagine Rest events, and more. We encourage you to sign up to our newsletter to stay informed.

Early 2025, we will announce our next sabbatical opportunity: the Rhythmic Sabbatical Fellowship. Keep an eye on our website, newsletter, and/or social media pages to stay informed of this next offering.

Continue reclaiming rest, and reclaiming time!

In gratitude,
ROOT (Reclaiming Our Own Time) Team

If you have not heard back about your Continuous Sabbatical Fellowship application, please email us at ROOTSupport@nexuscp.org. If you have questions, please reference our FAQ page.

Join us at the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge near Old Cedar Bridge on Saturday, Oct. 5! We will go on a nature walk to observe how our plant relatives rest/hibernate in preparation for the winter season. Together, we will reflect on:

  • What we can learn from them
  • What their rest practices tell you about how you wish to rest
  • How we can stay connected to our plant relatives as we journey through rest

A light lunch will be provided. Space is limited to 20 people — please register at the link below!

Saturday, Oct. 5
10:30 a.m.
RSVP

If registration is full and you’d like to be added to our waitlist, please email root@nexuscp.org.

ROOT (Reclaiming Our Own Time) community events are open to all BIPOC folks. These gatherings aim to confront oppressive systems that hold our rest, healing, and wellness captive. Together, we can shift from a production-centered mindset to one of liberation.

Reclaiming Our Own Time (ROOT) is part of an ever-growing movement to provide resources, support, and spaces for rest and restoration for Black, Indigenous, and Persons of Color movement leaders. In this space, we lift up our elders, healers, guides, artists and culture bearers who have been holding our communities through joy, grief, and passing ancestral practices intergenerationally. We believe we must honor our healers by curating spaces where we can center rest and shared practices can emerge.

We’re excited to invite you to a community conversation to help shape two virtual events and a three-day “Heal the Healers” convening in winter 2025. The healer’s convening promises to be a sanctuary of rest, reflection and rejuvenation amidst workshops on holistic care and professional growth. As an act of revolution and movement building, attendees will immerse themselves in sessions advocating the necessity of self-care, from meditation techniques to stress management. Experts will share insights on how rest prevents burnout, fosters resilience, and nurtures mental health. As participants experience connection and harmony within, the alignment reduces anxiety, promotes clarity of mind, and cultivates a profound sense of spiritual well-being. Rest creates space for contemplation, renewal, and a deeper understanding of one’s purpose and values.

We want to tailor this conference to meet the needs of our local community. We would like your suggestions for regional and national presenters, workshop ideas, experiences you’d like to have, and ways to network. If you’d like to inform us about this process, please join our Zoom meeting on Thursday, Sept. 26, from 7 to 8:30 p.m.

Register