vida

tomorrow, i'm heading to seattle for a 5-day retreat with youth from all over the united states.

this will be the first of 2 retreats, the second in boston at the end of the month. our meetings signify an end to the 2-year planning period for the food & fitness initiative, bringing us into implementation. communities should be nearly done with their action plan for the next 8 years, and youth have played an integral role in deciding priorities and strategies.

this week, i don't have to facilitate too many activities. i'm looking forward to camping out with the kids, using the ropes course, and chilling out a bit before we go our separate ways.

the retreat feels somewhat like an end-point for me. while we might be kept on as technical assistance, it will be to a much lesser extent than before. i'm so relieved! it means that i'll be around much more in the Bay, working locally on programs.

we recently decided to create a 'Bay Area Youth Sustainability Council.' we get $, then i'll be in charge of the project, which would be GREAT. it's so much more exciting to work locally / regionally with youth, than to pretend i'm an international expert of youth engagement...

above you'll see a little shrine that i was told to make, to realize that i am the water & the vessel. whole and complete. apparently, this is a really pivotal time in my life. saturn returns to the universe, and it's no joke!

i've been working hard to practice being where i'm at. meditating daily, and getting myself in order. just after these candles went out, a double rainbow shined over oakland :) it was magic.

so that's today's report. look forward to updates on the blog about west seattle...

til then, much love.
alis