Finding Our Way Home Healing Fair: Spring Recap
Pictured above: Healing Fair participants, facilitators, practitioners, volunteers.
Credit: Ankana Photography
On May 18th this year, ECM held our fourth Finding Our Way Home (FOWH) gathering. Echoing the previous year, our office at TSNE's Nonprofit Center was filled with more than fifty grantees and practitioners, all of whom believe in the intersectionality of movement work and spirituality as a healing justice tool.
Taina, former Wisdom Council member, began the day of wellness with a spiritual grounding, allowing for ECM Co-Directors of Philanthropy Dan Gelbtuch and Neha Rayamajhi to then frame the FOWH program. By opening this event to our Burgess Urban Fund grantees and their members, our goal was to focus on the wellness of these leaders on the frontlines in our fight against the racist and classist attacks on our communities. The modality we do this is through offering these leaders services from local holistic practitioners, allowing them to explore a range of healing arts rooted in spirituality and various faith traditions. This included herbalism, Reiki, massage, sound healing, yoga, meditation, and other arts. A space was also intentionally curated for conversations among grantees and practitioners to share ideas on integrating healing justice into their daily work to build a healthier and more sustainable movement.
Pictured above: Healing Fair practicitioners and facilitators
Credit: Ankana Photography
““When individuals and communities have space to heal from harm, burnout, and trauma, they are better able to build trust, strengthen relationships, and work collectively toward change,” ”
Despite the geographic limitations of a Boston event, grantees from base-building organizations in Brockton, Worcester, Springfield and further showed up for this full-day retreat. We were especially pleased to welcome leaders who chose to attend this optional gathering, despite being in a very intense times right now.
“Today, the TPS community is facing one of the most difficult periods in our history. Many families are living with uncertainty, fear, and emotional stress due to the termination of TPS protections. The possibility of being separated from our loved ones and losing the stability we have worked so hard to build has created a deep psychological burden on our community. For this reason, healing justice and wellness spaces are essential. They provide a safe environment where leaders and community members can process their experiences, strengthen their resilience, and support one another. These opportunities for healing allow us to continue serving our communities with hope, compassion, and strength. Access to emotional wellness resources is not a luxury—it is a necessity.”
-Doris (TPS Committee)
ECM is grateful to work beside leaders like Doris, and we will continue building FOWH based on their feedback. We will host another gathering this October, centering these conversations among grantees, practitioners, and members of our Wisdom Council. Funders and other donors will also be invited to listen to and learn from the healing-justice-based work our grantees are proud to share.
For more information on FOWH, please click here