WHY JOIN US? Many women of color experience stressors compounded by gender and race, and other aspects of our identities, on a daily basis. In the workplace, these stressors can heighten as colleagues and supervisors unfairly perceive women of color as threatening, angry, incompetent, hostile, and worse. Being exposed to continual racial trauma and stress can have a profoundly negative impact on our mental, emotional, and physical health. Join us to share experiences with others, prioritize rest and restoration, and to begin to heal the impact of workplace trauma so we can live more fully and freely.
WHO IS THIS RETREAT FOR? Women+ of Color refers to women who are Black, Asian, Latinx, Native or indigenous, and/or multiracial. Cisgender and trans women, and nonbinary people, are welcome to attend.
DATES: You may arrive as early as 3pm to check-in and explore the grounds at Elohee Center. Our programming will begin at 5pm on Friday, September 6, 2024. Our programming will conclude at 1pm after lunch on Sunday, September 8, 2024.
WHERE WILL THIS RETREAT BE HELD? Elohee Center is located in the mountains of northeast Georgia. It is 90 miles north of metro Atlanta and about 90 miles west of Greenville, SC. The closest airport is Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International airport. Elohee rests on the 220 acres of undeveloped land called Landsong. Marvel at the 100ft waterfall, hike the winding trail systems, and spend time under the grand hemlock. While at Elohee exploring the land, you will experience several of the diverse ecosystems this Blue Ridge terrain has to offer. The land is also home to an array of flora and fauna sure to help deepen your connection with nature. Elohee serves delicious, nutritious, seasonal meals that support mind, body, and spirit using local ingredients when possible and can accommodate a variety of diets including vegetarian, vegan, omnivore, gluten-free, and pescatarian.
HOW DO I REGISTER? Please use this link for more information about Elohee, the retreat schedule, cost information, and to register for this retreat.
ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS? Please reach out to Jessy at jessy@molinaconsulting.org
We look forward to building a warm and welcoming space for our collective healing with you!
PAST RETREATS:
DATES: Please plan to arrive by 4pm on August 14, 2023 and depart by 3pm on August 17, 2023, with lodging checkout at 10am. Transportation to the retreat site is not included in the price, but we will help you make arrangements and coordinate with other participants if desired. The retreat center is located one hour north of San Francisco, 1-1/2 hours from Sacramento, and 45 minutes from the Pacific Ocean. The vineyards of the Napa Valley and the Calistoga mineral spas are thirty minutes east.
LODGING: The retreat will be held at Westerbeke Ranch in Sonoma, CA. Lodging (3 nights) and food are included in the price. Your meals will be fresh, local, delicious, nutritious, sustainable, and handmade. We will be able to accommodate your dietary restrictions and preferences. You will have access to the beautiful grounds, including walking trails, gardens, meditation spaces, a pool and hot tubs. All lodging is shared. Consider registering with friends and family!
COST: The cost of the program, inclusive of lodging and food, is $1500. Full payment is due by June 15, 2023.
NEXT STEPS: Please email Jessy at jessy@molinaconsulting.org
Frequently Asked Questions:
WHAT IS GENERATIONAL TRAUMA? When we are talking about Trauma, this may, but doesn't necessarily have to be trauma with a capital T (such as violence and abuse). Trauma is an experience that causes harm, whether physical, mental, or emotional. Generational trauma, also called inter-generational trauma or transgenerational trauma, is trauma that is transferred from one generation to another. The harm that earlier generations experienced shaped them in ways that continue to impact the current generation.
WHAT DOES GENERATIONAL TRAUMA LOOK LIKE FOR US?
It could look like this:
Pressure to be silent and complicit in family secrets, which may include violence and abuse
Prioritization of image - What will people think?
Pressure to be perfect
Pressure to conform and fit in - What do you want vs. what should you want?
Pressure to deny aspects of oneself that do not fit within familial and cultural expectations
Inadequate space for emotions and feelings
Inability to prioritize self-care and self-expression, communicate needs
We are looking to explore some of this in a safe space AND celebrate all there is to LOVE about our culture and heritage and ALL the generational strengths we have benefited from along the way.
WHO IS THIS RETREAT FOR? We are inviting Malayalee American Women+ to attend. We will create a safe and welcoming space for multiracial folks, queer folks, cis and transgender women, and non-binary people. We are welcoming participants from all class and caste backgrounds, sexualities, religious backgrounds, and more. We will ask all participants to honor and respect the cultures, identities, experiences, and belief systems in the group. We will expect and accept differences, and where there is conflict, we will work together to resolve the conflict with love and respect for one another at the center.
HOW BIG IS THE GROUP? We will have one facilitator and 15 participants. We are keeping it small in order to build a sense of safety, trust, connection, and community.
WHO WILL FACILITATE? This retreat will be facilitated by Jessy Molina.
Jessy’s parents immigrated to Boston, Massachusetts from Kerala, India in the 1970s. She is the oldest of six children, and an attorney, equity practitioner, and dialogue facilitator. She enjoys bringing people together to build community, understanding and connection across our many differences. She is exploring how our generational trauma continues to impact us in profound ways and how we might be part of healing ourselves and one another. As bell hooks wrote, “rarely, if ever, are any of us healed in isolation. Healing is an act of communion”. She is committed to becoming more free and helping others to do the same.
ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS? Please reach out to Jessy at jessy@molinaconsulting.org