READ the June issue of Kindred’s newsletter here.
SUBSCRIBE to Kindred’s monthly newsletter here.
Dear Kindred,
Twice in the past month I’ve presented the quarter century history of Kindred World, our parent nonprofit whose organic vision is seeded in the tenacious activism of parents determined to create wellness for their children during America’s historically documented 50-year decline to the bottom of all developed nations’ health indicators. One of these oral histories was presented to the Association for Prenatal and Perinatal Psychology and Health, APPPAH, and the other was to our new Kindred Fellowship Programparticipants of college and graduate students. During each presentation, I felt ancient, especially describing for Kindred fellows the pre-Internet phenomenon of sharing rare holistic health books from the trunks of our cars in public parks in the late 90s.
Crossing a threshold into ancient activism comes with advantages. After gathering up international thought leaders, researchers, and activists over the past two decades, we can share what we’ve learned and even track emerging language for crafting a new story in our New Story Glossary. As Michael Mendizza shares on our What We’ve Learned page, “Reaching back to antiquity, but intensifying dramatically the last fifty years, a dark spell has been cast, trapping and enchanting parents, children and their cultures, in a false vision of who we are together. Realizing that adult development is the prerequisite for child development, Kindred breaks that spell, awakening a completely different way to relate to each other, and to all of nature.”
How is Kindred integrating 25 years of conscious activism? This summer, the inaugural cohort of the Kindred Fellowship Program is facilitating deep discussions with an international team of presenters around centering childhood in social justice education while becoming mindfulness-based activists, proficient in the skills necessary to embody the sustainable peace we want to see in the world. A tall order, maybe, but many people questioning the need to return to an unhealthy pre-pandemic “norm” while wondering, what else is possible? And, if ancient activists like myself are ever going to retire to our gardens, we will need to train and equip a new generation of changemakers.
What tools are we bringing to break the cycle? As our new short film Breaking the Cycle presents, to reclaim our humanity and wholeness, we must return to our species’ Evolved Nest. Our Evolved Nest has been integral to 95% of human genus history and provides a baseline for optimizing normal development. Kindred World’s longtime contributing editor, board member, and new president, Darcia Narvaez, PhD, presents her award-winning science in this six-minute film. You can explore the Evolved Nest’s self-directed learning center to learn more.
How is Kindred World uniquely positioned to lead in a post-pandemic world? As I shared in both presentations this past month, it is important to understand the origins of Kindred World because it is this same innate drive for wholeness that carries us forward as a grassroots organization and educational nonprofit a quarter century later. I hope you are following Darcia Narvaez’s posts on Kindred carefully, as she is guiding us through exciting territory: through wellness-informed awareness as the interest in trauma-informed education grows, and towards the wisdom of an Indigenous Worldview. Darcia is connecting dots begun decades ago with her grounded insights like, Wellness-Informed Practice Asks, “What Does The Community Need To Remember?”
This is a breakout year for Kindred World in many ways as we continue to serve our human family’s shift toward healing and wholeness. We have faithfully executed our nonprofit work on a shoestring budget with dedicated volunteers for 25 years. We would like to go beyond our grassroots operational strategy, but we will need your help to do so. Please consider supporting our work with your tax-deductible donation in monthly, one-time giving, or legacy gifting. If you’re not sure of our success in bringing together thought leaders, launching initiatives, and working collaboratively with many organizations over the past 25 years, take a look at our 74 five-star reviews on our Great Nonprofit’s page here.
Thank you for your support of Kindred World, and its many initiatives. We hope you will join us in our new Mighty Networks platform and app that will allow you to find each other locally, while sharing your inspiration and strategies for sustainable peace in a safe space.
Watch my oral history of Kindred World here. Please scroll down to find evidence of the unfolding of our New Story.
READ the June issue of Kindred’s newsletter here.
SUBSCRIBE to Kindred’s monthly newsletter here.
Happy Solstice,
Lisa Reagan
editor@kindredmedia.org
Kindred Media, Editor
Kindred World, Co-Founder