The movements transforming our world touch and intersect in important and fascinating ways. This daylong convening was created for you, if you are interested in exploring edges and spanning boundaries — within and across our movements, in the depths of your being, and between “us and them.”
Our Saturday venue is serene and state-of-the-art: the Student Center at Sonoma State University. We are also pleased to share that Sonoma State University students will participate in their own convening on Friday, as a lead-in to their attendance on Saturday.
Tickets for Saturday are available on a sliding scale starting at $50. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are provided. Join us and let’s build relationships, power, and solidarity for our movements.
Favianna Rodriguez
Our keynotes are “conversation catalysts.” We have three, one for each of the three movement clusters of Justice, Commons, and Spirit. They will set the table for us to represent and reflect on our ideas, practices, and movements — their strengths, their limitations, tensions between them, and the patterns that connect them and us.
Kristen Zimmerman has two and a half decades’ experience as innovator of groundbreaking work in social justice. As a movement maker, artist, storyteller, strategist and trainer she has helped groups open to new ways of thinking and being, align around purpose and move towards action. Kristen co-founded many movement building organizations and projects including Movement Strategy Center, Youth In Focus, Community LORE and Full Circle. Her writing, which includes Love with Power: Practicing Transformation for Social Justice (2016), Out of the Spiritual Closet: Organizers Transforming the Practice of Social Justice (2010), ReGeneration: Young People Shaping Environmental Justice (2005), and Making Space, Making Change (2003), has catalyzed and reframed innovative work in multiple sectors. Kristen currently lives in Oakland, is an independent consultant, the proud parent of Jonah, and a parent organizer around special education issues in Oakland.
Nikki Silvestri is the Co-Founder and CEO of Silvestri Strategies, a project design and management firm working to support thriving communities, economies, and natural environments.
As the Co-Founder of Live Real and former Executive Director of People's Grocery and Green for All, Nikki has built and strengthened social equity for underrepresented populations in food systems, social services, public health, climate solutions, and economic development. A nationally recognized thought leader, her many honors include being named one of The Root's 100 Most Influential African Americans in 2014.
Nikki regularly forwards the message of equitable economies through numerous media channels. BET.com, the Huffington Post, and the San Francisco Chronicle have featured her writing, and her recent television appearances include All In with Chris Hayes and the Melissa Harris Perry Show on MSNBC.
Matthew Fox is an internationally acclaimed spiritual theologian, Episcopal priest, and activist. He holds a doctorate, summa cum laude, in the History and Theology of Spirituality from the Institut Catholique de Paris and has devoted 45 years to developing and teaching the tradition of Creation Spirituality, which is rooted in ancient Judeo-Christian teaching, inclusive of today’s science and world spiritual traditions; welcoming of the arts and artists; wisdom centered, prophetic, and committed to eco-justice, social justice and gender justice.
Fox believes that by reinventing work, education and worship we can bring about a non-violent revolution on our planet and has committed himself to this vision for many years. He has authored more than 35 books on spirituality and contemporary culture, among them: Original Blessing, The Coming of the Cosmic Christ, The Reinvention of Work, A Spirituality Named Compassion and Meister Eckhart: A Mystic-Warrior for Our Times. Fox is a recipient of the Abbey Courage of Conscience Peace Award (other recipients being the Dalai Lama, Mother Teresa, Ernesto Cardenal and Rosa Parks); the Ghandi King Ikeda Award; and the Tikkun National Ethics Award.
Rajasvini Bhansali is the Executive Director of International Development Exchange (IDEX) and a passionate advocate for participatory grassroots-led social change and movement building. In a wide-ranging career devoted to social and economic justice, she has led a national social enterprise, managed a public telecommunications infrastructure fund addressing digital divide issues, and worked as a researcher, planner, policy analyst, and strategy consultant.
Vini has been involved in community organizing and volunteer board roles for the last two decades. Inspired by the potential of social justice philanthropy to support movements and community based organizations, Vini serves in advisory roles for the Agroecology Fund, Transform Finance, and the Women’s Building in New York City. She is currently active on the Board of Directors for Greenpeace USA and the Rockwood Leadership Institute. She also serves on the Planning Committee for the 2016 Association of Women in Development (AWID) International Forum on Women’s Rights and Development on cross-movement dialogues, solidarity and strategies.
Michael Brabant, Ph.D. has been trained in both academic and clinical settings as well as studied with shamans, mystics, and intuitive healers. By synthesizing the most potent inner technologies and the nuanced conceptual understanding related to embodied transformation, he offers a body of teaching and practice called Divine Humanity. This teaching helps us to build the energetic, relational and emotional infrastructure to live our lives as if every moment and everything contained within it, is both sacred and deeply intelligent. In essence, this teaching connects us to the innate wisdom of the body underneath our mental conditioning and imprinting.
Dr. Angelo Williams is Diversity MBA magazine’s 2016 Top 100 under 50 Diverse Executive Leaders awardee and Senior Fellow with the Nehemiah Emerging Leaders Program. Dr. Williams has over 20 years of executive leadership experience having served as a Gubernatorial Appointee (State Chancellor’s Office), K-20 education policy analyst (CA State Senate and Assembly), Director of Legislation and Communications, and Education Field Deputy (CA State Assembly). Dr. Williams served as a program officer for the WK Kellogg Foundation where he helped award $1.5 million to communities nationwide. He also served as Assistant Executive Director for Policy at the CA School Boards Association where he helped write successful grant proposals that netted $1million for education and training. Finally, Dr. Williams serves as an adjunct professor of Sociology (Los Rios Community College District), Educational Leadership and Administration (CSUS) and as principal consultant for Human Capital Development Consultants. cablackhealthnetwork.org
As the Network Director for the Bay Area Justice Funders Network, Dana works to: create more authentic partnerships between community leaders and funders; connect funders across silos; and organize funders to mobilize resources for social justice issues and movements. Dana has had executive roles in both community-based organizations and in philanthropy, and her leadership has been recognized by her peers—in 2014, she was awarded a Distinguished Alumni Award from Oakes College at the University of California at Santa Cruz, and in 2015, Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders in Philanthropy recognized Dana as one of twenty-five national “Leaders in Action.” Dana has a Masters of Science degree in Organization Development from the University of San Francisco, and Bachelor of Arts degrees in American Studies and Visual Arts from the University of California at Santa Cruz and Non-Profit Management Certification from San Jose State University.
Rev. Diane Johnson , PhD, has been working with social sector organizations, national initiatives, municipalities and foundations focused on social change for almost thirty years, serving a wide array of clients engaged in organizational and institutional transformation. Dr. Johnson has trained, consulted and coached over 8,125 individuals and groups on cross-sector collaboration; community development; faith-based partnerships; cultural capacity, diversity and inclusion; and the intersection of spirituality, contemplative practice and social change. Her scholarly credentials include a Ph.D. – Tufts University, a M.Div. – Graduate Theological Union, an M.A. in Nonprofit Management – The New School, and a B.A. in Communications – University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Johnson was recently ordained within the United Church of Christ.
Tom Llewellyn is the Organizing Director at Shareable.net, and a lifelong sharer, commoner and story teller. He coordinates the global Sharing Cities Network, #MapJam, and other community sharing campaigns, in addition to collaborating on Shareable’s weekly publishing, co-editing the Shareable Guide to Sharing book series and speaking internationally about real, equitable sharing cities.
Previously, he was the Education and Activism Director for Sustainable Living Roadshow co-leading the touring organization across the U.S. for 5 years producing eco events and actions promoting environmental, social and economic sustainability. Tom has co-founded several community and sharing based initiatives including: A PLACE for Sustainable Living, Asheville Tool Library, REAL Cooperative (Regenerative Education, Action & Leadership) and the worker cooperative Critter Cafe.
He has a self-directed degree in Mind/Body Studies from San Francisco State University with an emphasis in holistic health and psychology, is a Certified Massage Therapist and has a Permaculture Design Certificate.
Pamela Wilhelms is a social architect, organizational consultant and executive coach. As lead architect for Wilhelms Consulting Group, the company she founded in 1987, Pamela now focuses the work on businesses building capacity for multiple bottom line measurements, and coaching leaders in all sectors of society who are shaping the shift towards an abundant regenerative economy.
Pamela has worked with leaders from more than 40 countries, on five continents, and from organizations as varied as Fortune 20 companies, the White House, the United Nations, natural resource agencies, social entrepreneurs and community leaders. Her latest endeavor is the Soul of the Next Economy Initiative, which connects global thought leaders and action leaders for innovation and profound deep change in individual, organizational and societal systems for the flourishing of life on the planet.
Trained in traditional medicine, Brenda draws on the healing powers of the natural world to guide her as a spiritual leader and healer. Her current work is focused on sacred economics, land trusts for social good, transformational and mindful leadership, and establishing the Nepantla Center for Healing and Renewal. She is committed to co-creating a society filled with wholeness and beauty, and is grateful to her elders and ancestors for the values that have led her to spiritual and social justice work. She has over 15 years of experience in nonprofit management, movement building, women’s health, and environmental and social justice. She serves on the boards of Movement Strategy Center and the Lion’s Roar Foundation. In the past, she has served as the Director of the East Bay Meditation Center, and as a Senior Fellow at the Movement Strategy Center. Her book, Real World Mindfulness for Beginners: Navigate Daily Life One Practice at a Time, is set for release in November 2016.
Karym Sanchez is a Community Organizer with the North Bay Organizing Project. Karym came up as a leader with M.E.Ch.A at the SRJC. He led a campaign to implement restorative justice practices in Santa Rosa City Schools which dramatically reduced the amount of suspensions and expulsions in the school district. Karym has also worked as a restorative justice program manager. He is currently the youth organizer for NBOP and coordinates the Student Congress which is a county wide network of high school students that work on grass roots campaigns like free student bus passes and bringing Ethnic Studies Courses to High school campuses.
Trathen Heckman, Executive Director, is the founder of Daily Acts, publisher of Ripples Journal and a backyard farmer. Former director of Green Sangha, he serves on the board of Transition US. Trathen inspires, educates and collaborates with communities, business and municipal leaders to harness the power of nature and inspired action to restore the health of our lives and communities. He lives in the Petaluma River Watershed where he grows food, medicine and wonder while working to compost apathy and lack.
Music. Poetry. Dance. Performances will be woven into the day to inspire you and invite you into a full-bodied experience. If we, as a body politic and movement of movements, endeavor to hospice the collapse of systems and engender our next systems, it will take decolonized bodies, regenerative bodies, and awakened body-minds working together.
Dahlak is a multi-faceted hip-hop artist, maximizing his abilities as musician, actor, poet, and educator within the transformational space of the theater. Winner of the Brave New Voices international poetry slam, Dahlak has performed on the Tavis Smiley Radio show and HBO’s Def Poetry Jam. As a member of the group iLL-Literacy, Dahlak has showcased his seamless blend of hip-hop, theatre, and spoken word throughout the U.S. and overseas including over 200 colleges and universities. From 2007 to 2012, Dahlak has released five musical projects, which include full-length albums Dual Consciousness and Spiritrials.
In 2015, Dahlak performed his one-person play Spiritrials at The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. The play has been commissioned by several theaters around the U.S. and given support through the Columbia and Zellerbach Foundations.
Carina Buzo was born in Stockton, CA to parents who desegregated schools in the early 60's. Her love of justice is a commitment to graciousness, growth, and optimism. As a poet, she was a part of Brave New Voices, an international youth poetry slam, and Future Corps, a facilitation and coordinating training at Brave New Voices, out of Youth Speaks, Inc. in San Francisco.
Carina’s academic foundation is in Women’s and Gender Studies, Feminist Studies, and Queer Studies from Sonoma State University. She earned a Master’s Degree from Oregon State University in College Student Services Administration with an area of specialization in Intersecting Identities at Predominately White Institutions. She currently serves as the Program Coordinator for Campus Life Programming at The HUB at Sonoma State University.
Basho Fujimoto is a musician, performance artist, and wellness coach whose work has been featured around the world. Basho has recorded and performed with the late John Tchicai, the Danish innovator and leader of the Free Jazz Movement, apprenticed and performed with Kodo, the heartbeat drummers of Japan, and was co-producer and manager of the Free Association, a seven member band that fused world beats and rock ’n roll with hip-hop and spoken word.
Basho's work on wellness and creativity has been featured at the Esalen Institute (called “America’s pioneering center for transformation”) as well as the Ashram retreat center in Southern California. He lives in Ojai, CA with his beautiful family.
Gabriel Duran is a singer/songwriter from Monrovia California. His musics deepest roots stem from his early introduction to Motown's soulful sounds and the Gospel music that filled the church he grew up in. Both of these influences would teach him the humbling power of music and its effects on a community. From the age of 5 he would go on to eventually learn the piano, saxophone and guitar which led him on a journey through different genres and would infuse a holistic approach to his love for music. He now creates music and lyric that challenge the listener to critically analyze the societal systems at large and their effects on the human body and human interaction. Gabriel hopes that he will challenge other artists to uncover this power and do the same. He is currently working on his first body of work, which he hopes to release by 2017.
We gather to prefigure a Just Transition… propel the
Great Turning… and tell the New Story.
We meet at the intersection of intersectionality, commoning, and consciousness.
“We don’t have a ‘we’” is not a tolerable state of affairs -
it is the interpersonal inner struggle to demonstrate that
another world is possible, always-already.
Through provocative talks, generative conversations, artist performances, and embodied practice, there will be opportunities to engage your head, heart, and hands.
Enjoy three meals and a day of action-inquiry in a diverse community that defies simple characterization.
We are change makers. Community organizers. Concerned citizens. Citizen philanthropists. We are transformative artists. Academic scholars. Social innovators. Spiritual practitioners. We are students and young leaders. Wise elders. Indigenous healers. We are technologists. Ecologists. Anthropologists. We are futurists. Facilitators. Family.
We come from many walks of life, united by a desire to create a loving, fair, cooperative, sustainable, and thriving future.
Breakfast
Welcome
Performance & Practice
JUSTICE - Kristen Zimmerman
World Café
Harvest
Break
Performance
COMMONS - Nikki Silvestri
World Café
Harvest
Lunch
Performance & Practice
SPIRIT - Matthew Fox
World Café
Harvest
Break
Breakout Panels
Dinner
Performance & Practice
Panel: A Movement of Movements
Table Question
Harvest
Closing Remarks (10 minutes)
A Moment for Movements takes place on the beautiful campus of Sonoma State University. Our venue is the new Student Center. Use the maps below for driving directions to SSU and the centrally located Student Center (#34 on the campus map below). Parking is available for $5 or $8 in nearby campus lots.
Our heartfelt thanks to these friends for supporting this convening:
A Moment for Movements: Justice. Commons. Spirit. is a joint initiative of:
