Women are designed to sustain life. When supported to grow from healing into leadership, they naturally bring forth life-sustaining values such as love, compassion, joy and gratitude. In this interview, Catherine Ayotte shares her intimate experience of shifting from the ''victim'' to the ''leader'', using integrity, community and dignity as anchors in the process. She shares about her initiatory journey of stepping into women’s facilitation work. To learn more about her work, visit: www.thesacredpathofthepriestess.com.

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Rooted in ancient wisdom, we are growing a partnership culture for our regenerative future.

www.avf.earth

“We had to ask ourselves, if people are cutting down trees to cook their meals, then how can we help them reduce the amount of wood needed every time they cook.” These words from the co-founders point to their mission: to address the underlying causes of deforestation. For over twenty years, Trees, Water & People has been a leader in not only reforestation, but also in the design and distribution of clean cookstoves and other clean energy products which greatly reduce the use of natural resources for energy creation. The team is guided by two core beliefs: that natural resources are best protected when local people play an active role in their care and management and that preserving local ecosystems is essential for the ongoing social, economic, and environmental health of communities everywhere. After over a decade of service with Trees, Water & People, Sebastian Africano is proud to have been selected to lead the organization as Executive Director. He has worked first-hand in almost every aspect of TWP's programs, and brings deep perspective and dedication to advancing the struggles and aspirations of the communities TWP serves. While Sebastian travels less these days than he did during his first ten years with the organization, he is excited to raise his two young kids among the extended TWP family, and to continue building bridges to connect our unique global community. Sebastian holds an MBA from Colorado State University. Learn more at www.treeswaterpeople.org.

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Rooted in ancient wisdom, we are growing a partnership culture for our regenerative future.

www.avf.earth

Indigenous People's Day is a new holiday that is being observed instead of Columbus Day around the United States and the World, as part of the movement to take down statues of confederate leaders and to tell a more accurate history. Here in the Berkshires, the non-profit organization, Alliance for a Viable Future is organizing an Indigenous People's Day Walk in Great Barrington, on October 11th, as well as organize a Climate Resilience Workshop Series with a coalition of organizations who are dedicated to the deep connection between indigenous rights and climate resilience. To learn more visit www.allianceforaviablefuture.org, look under the projects tab, sign up for their newsletter for updates, and mark you calendar for Monday, October 11th to observe Indigenous People's Day with your community in Berkshires.

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Rooted in ancient wisdom, we are growing a partnership culture for our regenerative future.

www.avf.earth

In our modern culture, there's virtually no acknowledgment of personal rites of passage for women or any human being. The Rites of Passage Project features a diverse collective of sixty-five women of color from around the country. The purpose is to reclaim and expand the concept of a “rite of passage” to recognize that every significant experience in a woman's life from birth to death - the beautiful and the ugly, the holy and profane - can be a liberatory initiation. Through live performance-installations, an online platform, and forthcoming large-format photo book of photos and essays, we hope to re-frame, educate, and inspire the way we see and live our lives as women. Link to donate: https://chuffed.org/project/ritesofpassage-2020vision

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Rooted in ancient wisdom, we are growing a partnership culture for our regenerative future.

www.avf.earth

Plant medicines have the power to be a rite of passage into a deeper commitment to social & ecological healing. This episode is a panel discussion, with Earth-rooted Leadership Coach, Shayna Gladstone and I, as part of the Mt. Tam Psychedelic Integration Online Conference. We explore the connection between the deeply personal experience of participating in a medicine ceremony and the practical work of stepping up as a climate leader in the movement for planetary healing for the sake of our children and the generations to come. Visit www.levnatan.com to learn more about finding support to walk your path of climate leadership at this time.

Young voices should not only be heard but recognized as having the power to make change. Jewish Youth Climate Movement (JYCM) is dedicated to empowering teens to mobilize intelligent responses to climate change. In this episode, we are joined by Yonah Sadeh, Alex Tananbaum and Eli Anderson, members of JYCM’s Executive Board about their motivation to create a more equitable and sustainable world for all. Their greater purpose is to be a resource for people of all ages and religions, spreading a multi-generational message to take a stand in the name of climate justice. You can see more of their work at www.jewishyouthclimatemovement.org or follow them on Facebook and Instagram @jewishyouthclimatemovement

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Rooted in ancient wisdom, we are growing a partnership culture for our regenerative future.

www.avf.earth

Author Julia Mayer’s new book, Painting Resilience is a very personal exploration of the role Fred Terna’s art played in surviving four concentration camps, and living a creative life as a successful artist. In our interview, we spoke about what Fred’s capacity to be creative and resilient has to teach us about facing the convergent crises of our times. Fred himself says that living through it was luck but living with it takes skill. Julia wanted to discover and share what those skills are and how Fred came to acquire them. You can order her book at www.juliamayer.com.

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Rooted in ancient wisdom, we are growing a partnership culture for our regenerative future.

www.avf.earth

Edson Sean is the kind of guy, you want to get to know. And, once you know him, you want to learn more. He is one of those unique artists who inspires us to be better human beings; he is a musician, emcee and producer, who gets real. In our conversation, we went deep and made significant connections: what it’s like to be a man in today’s world - a black man, and a white man - the importance of Love, and how art & music opens the healing journey. He has a heart of gold that welcomes you to remember what’s possible when you let go and imagine what’s possible. You can learn more about his work at www.edsonsean.com.

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Rooted in ancient wisdom, we are growing a partnership culture for our regenerative future.

www.avf.earth

Arin Maya opens new dimensions of possibility - a singer/songwriter on the rise, bringing political consciousness deeply rooted in soul lineage. She is, quite simply, a breath of fresh air. In our interview, we riff on her amazing new music video, Dancing a Red Line (watch here: https://youtu.be/-ALv3nBgKfQ), which inspires new vision for the more beautiful world that we all know is possible. She brings the Love, while catalyzing social awareness, racial justice and conscious activism.

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Rooted in ancient wisdom, we are growing a partnership culture for our regenerative future.

www.avf.earth

The riot on the Capitol last week, led by far-right, white supremacists, has revealed the depths of this deeply vulnerable moment in our nation. Let’s focus on a unifying message from Jake Singer - a Sundance Chief, traditional Navajo Medicine Man, decorated Vietnam Veteran, and founder of the organization Walk with the Warriors, with the mission of honoring Native American Veterans for their service to the United States military. In our interview, he spoke to the federal government, saying “a promise is a promise,” which feels so relevant right now. For years, he has worked to establish a Native American Veterans Day as a federally-recognized national holiday. He shared his wisdom, stories and inspiring message of unity, faith and care for our water and environment, as we prepared for our WALK for a Viable Future in observance of Indigenous People’s Day, this past October 11th, 2020.

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Rooted in ancient wisdom, we are growing a partnership culture for our regenerative future.

www.avf.earth