Rhythmic Sabbatical Fellowship
All people deserve joyful and abundant lives filled with the rest that our bodies, minds, and spirits need. ROOT (Reclaiming Our Own Time) recognizes the need for deep rest to take care and reclaim our own lives from the demands of the world. This is an investment in the individual and collective well-being of our movement leaders.
Our vision for the sabbatical fellowship is to create different deep-rest opportunities for BIPOC leaders in Minnesota who create and nurture community change. The ROOT Sabbatical Fellowships create multiple opportunities for community changemakers to rest deeply, intentionally, and with support.
In 2025, after an extensive community engagement process, we are offering something different: the Rhythmic Sabbatical Fellowship. This opportunity was designed for those who cannot take 3 continuous months off. Existing, conventional sabbatical programs tend to be off-limits for these leaders.
The Rhythmic Sabbatical Fellowship is an 8-month program running from April to November 2025. Each month, our fellows will take a certain period off to rest and reclaim their own time. We are accepting both Individual and Group Applications. More details below.
Applications for the 2025 Rhythmic Sabbatical Fellowship are now open. Applications close on Monday, March 24, 2025, at 11:59 pm Central Time.
Rest is not for the privileged few—rest is a birthright for all.
ROOT calls for us to reclaim our humanity and return to our ancestral roots through the practice of rest and restoration.
What is the Rhythmic Sabbatical Fellowship?
Fifteen people (individuals and groups) who meet our criteria will be randomly selected for the Rhythmic Sabbatical Fellowship.
As part of this Rhythmic Sabbatical, fellows will:
- Join monthly sabbatical experiences (length: from a weekend to about 10 days) to explore and practice their rest. This includes experiences within Minnesota and out of state.
- Receive a modest financial stipend to support their ability to join the sabbatical experiences.
- Work with coaches, healing practitioners, and other guides to build and strengthen their rest practices.
- Be provided with rest-related resources such as a journal, rest worksheets, and books.
Fellows are required to do the following:
- Attend all monthly sabbatical experiences:
- Orientation: Thursday, April 24, from 12 – 1 pm (virtual)
- Session 1: Tuesday, May 13 to Thursday, May 22 (New Orleans)*
- Session 2: Friday, July 11 to Sunday, July 13 (Twin Cities)
- Session 3: Friday, August 15 to Sunday, August 17 (Greater Minnesota)
- Session 4: Friday, September 19 to Tuesday, September 23 (Greater Minnesota)
- Session 5: Friday, October 17 to Sunday, October 19 (Twin Cities)
- Session 6: Friday, November 14 to Saturday, November 15 (Twin Cities)
- During these monthly sabbatical experiences, fellows must be able to fully disconnect from work (paid or unpaid), minimizing communication with work during each experience.
- Commit to doing the work needed for the sabbatical experience. This includes setting clear boundaries where necessary, engaging in rest, and coordinating with your places of paid work, unpaid work, volunteering, and organizing work to make it happen.
- Honor the intention of the sabbatical experience to truly rest. Participants commit to not taking on additional obligations (paid or unpaid) that conflict with the monthly sabbatical opportunities.
* Requires travel by air
To be eligible for the Rhythmic Sabbatical, you (or individuals in your group) must:
- Have been doing community change work for a significant part of your life (learn how we define this)
- Be 18 years of age or older by March 24, 2025
- Identify as Black, Indigenous, or person of color
- Reside in Minnesota, or any of the Native Nations whose territories are occupied by Minnesota
- Be able to receive funds electronically to a financial banking institution or to cash a check in your name
- Have a valid mailing address
- Have travel documents that meet REAL ID requirements. Learn more here.
- If selected, be willing to submit a completed W-9, form of identification, and a reference by a community member (or a group) who also identify BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, Persons of Color) to attest to your community impact.
You are not eligible if:
- You are applying on the behalf of an organization (for profit, nonprofit, grassroots organization, a collective, or any other organized group). You can, however, apply as a group of individuals.
- You are not able to commit to the monthly sabbatical experiences.
- You are a current staff or board member of Nexus Community Partners or an immediate family member.
Information Sessions
Our information session will be held twice:
- March 6, 2025 at noon (Watch the recording)
- March 12, 2025 at noon
Frequently Asked Questions
Our FAQ page is updated regularly. Check here to see if your question has already been answered before reaching out.
For More Information
Check our FAQ, come to an information session, or shoot us an email to learn more.
