A Birthday Gift

Dear Friends,

In just a few days, I’ll be sixty-six years old. Maybe I should be retiring—but with the Arctic melting and a climate change denier in the White House, it doesn’t seem like the moment to sit back and crochet afghans.  Climate change is not just carbon—it represents massive ecosystem degeneration—and ecosystems include people, too.

We need to respond with massive ecosystem and social regeneration, and that’s why I spend so much time teaching our Earth Activist Trainings, which combine ecological design with a grounding in spirit and a focus on activism and organizing.  Together, our trainings offer a powerful set of tools for reviving desiccated landscapes and renewing ravaged communities. And by offering Diversity Scholarships, we’re able to get these tools into the hands of folks from frontline communities who most need them.

And so I’d like to ask you all for a birthday present.  Our scholarship program has been amazingly successful, building new networks and increasing diversity in the permaculture movement.  Success generates more demand, and we currently have more people wanting scholarships than we have grants to support.

 I just hate to say ‘no!’  So I’m asking for a birthday present, not for me personally, but for the work.

Can you help?  Could you donate $66?  Or $660?  Or $6?  Maybe there’s somebody out there that could kick in $6600?  (If you did, I’d definitely crochet you an afghan—during the program while my co-teacher is presenting!)  Feel free to donate whatever you can.  Donations are tax-deductible, and any amount will help and be deeply appreciated!

Earth Activists in Training! Photo Credit: www.brookeporterphotography.com

I’m not doing a fancy GoFundMe, or setting up a flashy website–I’m just asking!  We have a Donate page on our Earth Activist Training website—check it out and take a look at our courses and programs while you’re there.  We need to raise $10,000 right now.  Can we do it by my birthday, June 17?

We have a stellar group of students requesting scholarships for our upcoming Midwest training, June 25-July 9—from black youth working on urban gardens to a whole group of water defenders from Standing Rock.  My dearest birthday wish is to be able to say ‘yes’ to them all!

Thank you so much for your support—it has a huge ripple effect!

-Starhawk

You can donate HERE to support Earth Activist Training Diversity Scholarships!