A Politics of Joy & Belonging

Join us in downtown Oakland or virtually on Sunday, Sept 22nd for A Politics of Joy & Belonging with award-winning leadership trainer and transformation facilitator Akaya Windwood (co-author of Leading With Joy) and beloved musician, activist and song leader BenjaSoul.

It's happening. We are welcoming JOY back into the life and soul of our society. In these times of escalating division and despair, how can we find the wisdom, courage and resilience needed to keep showing up? As a multiracial majority rises in our democracy, how can we create "a politics of joy & belonging" that brings us together to build a world that works for all? Come get uplifted as we gather at the intersections of freedom, love, justice, song and renewal.

IN-PERSON & VIRTUAL: Oakland & Bay area folks...come out in person and bring a friend. For folks in other locations, be part of the magic by joining us live on Zoom.

WHAT: THRIVE SUNDAYS are an opportunity to connect with a diverse and inspiring group of activists, healers, artists and caring souls; to be uplifted by music, singing, poetry, and story; and to experience the transformative power of community in service to a world of love & belonging.

WHEN: Sunday, September 22, 2024 from 4pm - 6pm PT / 7pm - 9pm ET (arrive on time!)

WHERE: Uptown Body & Fender event space - 401 26th St, Oakland, CA 94612 (near 19th St Bart Station)

Or virtually on Zoom (link shared when you register)

COST / DONATION: A $10 - $20 contribution is suggested, and you can also contribute more to support the work of Thrive by making a donation. If you are a member of Thrive's Rooted in Love community of practice, this event is included in your membership.

INVITE A FRIEND: Feel free to bring your family and friends, and invite folks on Facebook here.

VOLUNTEERS for In-Person: We are seeking volunteers to help with the set-up and break-down of this event. If you are available to arrive early or stay late, please let us know at: [email protected]

Children: Little ones are welcome to attend. We will not be offering childcare during this event but there will be a space with art supplies and games where they can hang toward the back of the event room.

We look forward to gathering!

In partnership,

the Thrive team

(A video recording of this event will be shared with everyone that registers.)

Accessibility: This venue is wheel chair accessible. Closed captioning will be offered for our virtual participants. Please contact [email protected] with additional accessibility needs and questions. Thank you!

Health Practices for our In-Person Participants

As we gather for in-person community events (while maintaining the option for virtual participation), we recognize that there is a wide range of risk tolerance levels and that the current health and Covid context is continuing to change.

To support the health & safety of our entire community, we will be engaging in the following practices:

• We invite folks to wear a mask if they feel called to and we provide masks at our Welcome Table.
• For anyone experiencing symptoms that could be associated with Covid or another sickness, please do not attend in person and join us virtually.

We continue to monitor the local, state and national health recommendations as we move forward. Masks and hand sanitizer will be available at our Welcome Table.

Thank you for your understanding and partnership. Clarifying questions can be sent to: [email protected]

Guest Speaker: Akaya Windwood facilitates transformation. She advises, trains, and consults on how change happens individually, organizationally, and societally. She is on faculty of the Just Economy Institute, is Lead Advisor at Third Act, and is founder of the New Universal Wisdom and Leadership Institute, which centers human wisdom in the wisdom of brown womxn. She was President of Rockwood Leadership Institute for ten years, and directs the Thriving Roots Fund, which supports young womxn’s finance and philanthropic learning and leadership based in generosity and interconnectedness.
Akaya received the 2020 Vision Award from Middlebury College, was one of Conscious Company’s 30 World Changing Women of 2018, and has been a featured speaker at the Stanford Social Innovation Institute, the Aspen Institute, and the New Zealand Philanthropy Summit conferences. She is an Ella Award recipient from the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights and served on the Alameda County Human Rights Commission. Akaya is deeply committed to working for a fair and equitable global society while infusing a sense of purpose, delight, and wonder into everything we do. She lives in Northern California where she reads science fiction, makes sauerkraut, and relishes growing enormous squashes in her garden.
Akaya’s first book, Leading with Joy: Practices for Uncertain Times, will be published on October 4, 2022 by Berrett-Kohler Publishers.

Learn more at: https://leadingwithjoybook.com/#authors

Guest Artist: Benja is the Director of Diversity & Inclusion for the Berkeley Executive Coaching Institute (BECI), on the board of directors of the Interfaith Movement for Human Integrity, and the founder/director of the Joyful Noise! Gospel Singers.

A third generation professional musician, Benja is a composer, performer, and song leader who specializes in music of the Black Spiritual tradition. He can often be found leading songs at benefit concerts, vigils, protest actions, sacred services, and workshops.

Benja's "day job" is inclusion and culture consultant work for companies, nonprofit orgs, schools, government, and faith communities. His approach centers the importance of every unique human story in order to create more inclusive and expansive spaces. All of his work, from the boardroom to the classroom to the concert stage, is dedicated to interracial and interfaith alliances.

Benja lives in Richmond, CA.

Follow him on Instagram at: @benjasoulmusic

Learn more at: https://www.benjaminmertz.com

THRIVE is a community, network and movement building Beloved Community for these times. We bring people together at the intersections of meaning, belonging, music, the arts and social change. Started in Oakland, CA as Thrive East Bay, we have also grown into the Thrive Network as we work to build a world of love and belonging where everyone thrives.

We are guided by the following core principles:

THRIVING LIVES - We support each other in overcoming personal challenges and injustice, and creating lives filled with purpose, joy, and creative expression.

LOVE IN ACTION - We let love guide us toward compassion, gratitude, empathy, and community among diverse groups of people.

SHARED LEARNING & PRACTICE - We seek to expand our critical awareness and evidenced-based understanding of the world, and to grow together through shared inquiry and transformative practices.

SYSTEMIC CHANGE - We unite to build equitable systems where we can flourish as individuals, as communities, and as a planet.

Learn more at: https://www.thrivenetwork.org

Donate to support the work of Thrive at: https://www.thrivenetwork.org/donate

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

401 26th St, 401 26th Street, Oakland, United States