Roots & Remedies 2022: Save the Date!
We are excited to host our third virtual Roots and Remedies convening for our network partners and fiscally sponsored projects. This year's theme is "Pleasure in Praxis." Our intention is to gather and explore what it means to unapologetically center rest, joy, play and healing. Stay tuned for more details and save the dates: July 11 - July 15.
|
Earlier this month staff and board participated in a hybrid in-person/virtual gathering in Atlanta, GA! During the retreat we appreciated capacity building and the facilitation by Ebony Ross, Executive Director for the Conflict Transformation Fund, focused on addressing anti-blackness and organizational culture. We were introduced to Dwayne Wharton of Just Strategies to help us embark on a strategic journey of visioning the future direction(s) of Praxis. In addition to holding space for much needed team building and work planning, we were also able to take advantage of our time together to meet with local regional partners such as Freedom University and the National Black Farmers Justice Alliance.
|
Learning Circle: In March, we wrapped up our Learning Circle on Nutrition and Food Sovereignty through Community Gardens and Urban Farms. This virtual Learning Circle, through support from the Centers for Science in the Public Interest, brought together members from 18 basebuilding organizations that steward a community garden or farm.
Goals for this Learning Circle included:
- Building a better understanding of how to best support community gardening/urban farms in their work to transform local systems of food and nutrition
- Offering a training or technical assistance workshop identified by Learning Circle participants that would support day to day stewardship their garden/farm
- Connecting basebuilding community organizations stewarding a community garden/urban farm.
We are looking forward to sharing more insights from the Learning Circle soon!
|
The Praxis programs team continues to work to center community in rural policy and power-building efforts:
- Policies for Action: Earlier this month, we began the process of surveying institutions that passed declarations naming racism as a public health crisis as well as community base-building organizations. Our goal is to be able to assess community involvement in passing these declarations and to learn whether these declarations have led to tangible action and change.
- Toward Better Rural Futures: In January, we held a stakeholder meeting with Change Labs solutions to discuss polices that would advance racial equity and economic development in rural communities. In May, we will be presenting our findings at Regards to Rural in Pendleton, Oregon.
|
New Season of In Praxis Podcast: Check out our new season of In Praxis, where we are exploring community driven strategies for food justice. Our guests are incredible community organizers working to advance fair farming practices, community-led urban farming, and equitable food procurement and retail. Listen to episodes 1-5!
|
Comms Power Hour: The Praxis Project communications team is hosting a monthly drop-in space for staff and volunteers of community power building and movement building organizations to discuss all things comms-related and provide mutual support to one another. Email diana@thepraxisproject.org to learn more.
|
We are excited to introduce Yolonda Riley, our Accounting Associate. She comes to Praxis with an extensive background working in the non-profit sector to improve the stability and quality of life for marginalized and vulnerable populations, and is eager to contribute to Praxis's efforts to support and grow movements that promote justice. Yolonda works to expand the capacity of our finance team to process outgoing payments and incoming revenue. Learn more about Yolonda.
We are equally excited to introduce Yeleen Lee, our Program Associate for Fiscal Sponsorships. She joins Praxis with a background in immigrant organizing and language access work, fundraising for a creative writing center, and most recently in grant-making for the Astraea Lesbian Foundation for Justice’s US Fund. She’s excited to meld her experiences to fiercely support Praxis’ fiscally sponsored projects on capacity building, admin, and operations work. Learn more about Yeleen.
We look forward to welcoming back Jenna Gaarde, our Program Director - Research & Training, from parental leave. She will be easing back into her role beginning Friday, April 29th. Jenna is looking forward to catching up on email and having 1:1s with new and ongoing staff to check in, get to know new folks, and catch up on the past several months. We are ecstatic about meeting our new youngest honorary team member, Baby Jules!
|
Movement Building Fiscal Sponsorship...
|
Reminder! If you're someone who has general questions about fiscal sponsorship, or specific questions about our program, feel free to join us at our monthly Fiscal Sponsorship Office Hours! Hosted by our Senior Program Manager, Blair, and our Associate Director, Ariel, these are public Q&A sessions that will take place on the last Fridays of the month at 9am PST / 12pm EST. Feel free to bring your breakfast/lunch and pop in for as long as you need to. Access the link to office hours here. We ask that folks at least skim the content on our Movement Building Fiscal Sponsorship page before joining the call, to have a grounding in our approach to fiscal sponsorship and how it supports capacity and power building within movement work.
|
Praxis's Research and Training team has had the honor of collaborating with partners to create shared spaces for learning an action.
-
Public Conversations for Change Leadership Fellowship: We also continued to support CUNY College of Staten Island's Public Conversations for Change Leadership Fellowship (PCCLF). Through planning and co-facilitating community practice sessions, we have assisted fellows in developing projects to center equity and belonging on Staten Island.
|
|
