Creative self-expression provides a vehicle for youth to explore their personal truth and discover a sense of purpose and place, as a valuable member of our community. Investing in our youth gives opportunity for them to become leaders of tomorrow, looking towards solutions we all face.
OUR GOAL IS TO:
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Offer safe and supportive environments for healthy reflection, expression and exploration of one’s unique gifts including talking circles and workshops of creative expression.
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Offer a bridge to elder teachings in an engaging way, that can connect with the most vulnerable youth in our community.
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Introduce youth to independent musicians / Hip-hop artists that share life-affirming messages and model a way of being that is alternative to the mainstream narrative.
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Support the development of career-readiness and technical skills in music production, video production and other digital creative forms with support from mentors in the profession.
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Offer tools and healthy alternatives to modern forms of self-medication and trauma-response, to support the restoration of connection within one’s body, environment and overall holistic awareness.
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Inspire the next generation of leaders and visionaries to awaken to their gifts and be a part of creating the new paradigm.
QUESTIONS / SOLUTIONS
How can we address:
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The mental health epidemic, especially post COVID-19 lockdowns, with a lack of healthy, in-person community connection.
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Limited opportunities for connection to elder wisdom and cultural teachings for youth in our community.
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Lack of rights of passage to support a healthy transition from adolescence to adulthood.
Ideal outcomes from our workshops:
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Youth have gained experience, skills, and had fun experimenting with the creative expression of lyric-writing and performance. These tools that can aid in transforming negative energy of hardship or trauma into healthy expression.
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Connecting with the frequency of nature is a valuable and practical way of addressing high levels of anxiety, overstimulation and depression among our youth.
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Youth have received encouragement and guidance from local, guest professional artists.
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Youth have received an introduction to the wisdom of indigenous elders and Native cultural values, and understanding of living in connection to the land.
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Youth have shared their voice and received positive reflections, in a safe, healthy community setting, to help them feel more connected, with a greater sense of belonging, as a valuable member of the community.
WHAT IS OUR MODERN MYTHOLOGY?
We recognize that the younger generation has gifts that can be realized with the support of a safe, fun and healthy community setting. Without access to this, many expressions turn into frustration, rage, depression and other forms of grief. This energy could be seen as ‘rebellious’ and is too-often manifested into depression, addiction or violence.
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Mainstream, corporate media narratives are not the only reality, but many people have gotten lost in this illusion, especially with the increasing use of modern-technology and information, too often getting swept up in the fear and hysteria designed to cause people to feel helpless and powerless.
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What kind of world do we want to see for future generations?
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People all over the world are recognizing that a new mythology is needed. Many are seeking that but unfortunately there is almost nowhere to go to express this, without the support of healthy community and deep-rooted cultural knowledge. Without this, many expressions turn into frustration, rage, depression and other forms of grief. This energy could be seen as “rebellious” at an age when they would normally be going through an initiation, if an intact and healthy village was in place.
Throughout tribal cultures all over the world, community was informed through the visions and dreams moving through the village. This is not only for the "special" one's but each person being involved and contributing to the evolving vision of the community. The vision quest is a rights of passage ceremony where young people would go up on the mountain to seek an understanding and clarity of their purpose. This would provide a way of receiving such information. Young people would come down with awareness of their unique gifts and responsibility to deliver them to the village, beyond self-centered, individualistic ideas of success. This process helps to maintain balance through living our purpose, and be a part of the evolution of our collective story.
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Although at this time we may not be set up to take youth out to vision quest, at least we can hold space for a talking circle where everyone’s voice is heard, honored and respected.
We have come to a time where the collective grief of society is being brought to the surface and the solution is manifested through individual healing, supported by community. Our dream is for the younger generation to experience an introduction to this, for a seed to be planted, to express their unique voice, awaken to their gifts and be a part of creating solutions, grounded in community-values and traditional life-ways.
GET INVOLVED / CONTACT
We are open to collaboration, partnerships and alignments. Please get in touch! connect@voicesofwisdom.link