Hurricanes, Earthquakes, Wildfires…
…Nazis marching in the streets and open sexual predators running for office—and that’s not even talking about who is holding the highest office of the land! 2017 has been a year of disasters, on every level.
Now, at year’s end, I’m sure you have a hundred good causes asking for your money. I know I do—from politicians I want to support to friends who have lost their homes. It can be overwhelming!
Earth Activist Training is a Worthy Cause!
Nonetheless, I’m very proud to ask you to support Earth Activist Training’s Diversity Scholarship Programs. In the face of all the catastrophes, Earth Activist Training builds for the future.
We teach permaculture–ecological design–with a grounding in spirit and a focus on organizing and activism. Our Diversity Program offers scholarships for people of color and differently-abled people working in environmental and social justice. We train leaders who can bring the skills of ecological design to frontline communities.
Our graduates are teaching organic gardening and empowerment to inner-city girls in Oakland, running environmental projects with at-risk youth in Indiana, learning skills to bring back to Tribal lands at Standing Rock.
They’ve built graywater systems at Occupy Wall Street and planted gardens on First Nations Land to block oil pipelines. They mix activism to counter the problems with a grounded understanding of regenerative solutions—and that’s a potent antidote to despair!
The Vital Role of Diversity
In the five years since we’ve been offering this program, we’ve learned some things. Diversity must be meaningful—not just token. So we offer not just one or two scholarships per course, but seven, eight, nine—enough to shift the culture of the group.
We’ve learned to create an atmosphere where we can each be seen, welcomed and appreciated for the fullness of who we are. And in that space, we can build real relationships of trust and connection.
In a time when tensions and divisions often seem to be driving us all apart, we’ve learned how exhilarating it can be to come together!
We need your support.
Four Things You Can Do to Support Earth Activist Trainings:
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- Donate to Earth Activist Training. In Jewish numerology, 18 is the number that means Life—so in the hope that 2018 will be a better, more life-affirming year, donating $18 would be a magical act. Or $180! Or $1800, which supports a full scholarship to one of our two-week permaculture design courses. But feel free to go ahead and donate whatever you can: any amount, large or small, is a huge help.
- Become a monthly donor. Your regular donation is an enormous support! Again, any amount is greatly appreciated—but that magic number $18 coming in on a monthly basis makes an immense difference in helping us meet our long-term goals.
- Share this info with your friends and social networks.
- Come take one of our programs yourself: a two-week permaculture design certificate course or a shorter course in social permaculture—group dynamics and conflict transformation—or Facilitation, or our Sacred Earth Apprenticeship.
It has indeed been a grim year, but I have also seen so many hopeful things, from people speaking up against injustice to people building thriving gardens amidst the ruins. Now is not the time to despair, but to plant the seeds of the future we want to live in, and to teach people how to nurture them and help them grow. With your support, we can do it!
Thank you, and Happy New Year!
Starhawk
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