than bringing people together around a common purpose. Rather community building involves fostering a collective spirit and developing a keen awareness of the interrelatedness among community members. Community stakeholders, however, have become increasingly aware of the ways in which urban conditions have threaten vibrant community life and have become increasingly “toxic” to well-being. These might include violence, poverty, domestic and sexual abuse, family disruption, and racism. Just as physical toxins can reach dangerous levels, social toxins can also severely constrain people’s capacity to act. Long term exposure to economic abuse, structural violence and social marginalization has threatened aspects of civic life and community well-being. Symptoms of high levels of social toxicity in communities of color might include depression, despair, hopelessness, fear, anger, and self-destructive behaviors. These challenges have been barriers to organizational development, leadership development and program innovation. Healing, from these forms of social trauma is an important response to each of these areas of community life.
II. What We Do; Radical Healing as a strategy
The Institute for Radical Healing promotes wellness through its retreats, research, and training seminars specifically designed for urban communities of color. We believe that power and control over life situations are key for social justice and wellness. Therefore rather than striving for the absence of risks and the elimination of community problems, the Institute builds the capacity of individuals and communities to integrate strategies that promote wellbeing. These strategies focus on four important areas of well-being (1) cultural well-being which is developing an appreciation of ones ethnic and racial identity, (2) social well being involves an awareness of how individuals and groups can act to confront social problems, (3) economic well-being is connection to viable economic opportunities as well as preparation to enter the workforce, (4) Educational well-being is engagement with ongoing educational opportunities that improve the quality of life for oneself and others.
- Vineyard Retreat Center & Wellness Retreats
The Vineyard Retreat Center is a ten acre vineyard located in Sonoma California. The purpose of the center is to provide individuals, community organizations, with a relaxing space to nurture creativity, inspiration, and reflection about social justice work in urban communities of color. The retreat center hosts organizational training seminars on the convergence of well-being, spirituality, activism and social justice. The center plays a particularly important role in that it serves as a incubator of innovative ideas needed to transform human suffering.
- Radical Healing Neighborhood Institutes
Radical Healing Neighborhood Institutes are seminars held in neighborhood predetermined neighborhoods that focus on community building, interpersonal wellness practices, and organizing. The purpose of these institutes is to provide neighborhood residences to create, rather than eliminate, the type of neighborhood in which they want to live. This involve building a collective imagination, and developing the collective capacity of neighborhood residents to act.
- Research & dissemination strategy of innovation toward wellness
In order to build the capacity of individuals and communities, to thrive, the conducts ongoing research about “promising” practices and strategies that facilitate individual transformation, neighborhood change organizational strength.
One of the Institute’s goals is to be come an international leader in transformational practices for community leaders and community organizations. Our training series involves strategies about how to build wellness with an understanding of the root causes of social problems. Using healing technologies that have been used in African and indigenous communities for thousands of years, our training provides clients with unconventional strategies for addressing organizational, neighborhood and interpersonal problems.
- Grape sales and distribution
The Institute is a unique blend of both non-profit and private corporation. The Institute also uses its 10 acres of prime Sonoma property to harvest the finest Cabernet Sauvignon grapes for wine making. The revenues from our grape sales provide an ongoing stream of revenues for the institute’s primary activities.
