Reflections on a Full Year of Learning, Connections, & Cross-Pollinating
2017 was an incredibly generative year for the Healing Clinic Collective! Our work was desperately needed this year
with all of the political, social and ecological upheaval that the global community continued to experience, and
that we are contending with in the US and right here in the Bay Area.
In 2017 we focused on collaborations with healers and community based organizations that wanted
to integrate holistic and natural healing into their political organizing work.
with all of the political, social and ecological upheaval that the global community continued to experience, and
that we are contending with in the US and right here in the Bay Area.
In 2017 we focused on collaborations with healers and community based organizations that wanted
to integrate holistic and natural healing into their political organizing work.
Here is a quick look at what we did in 2017:
We collaborated for 6 Healing Clinics and events this year – the most we have done in one year thus far – as well as other learning and healing activities. Each was special and reflected the unique way in which various communities are engaging with healing at this time. We also welcomed several new amazing volunteers and practitioners into our Network!
Traditional Birth Workers of Color Reclaiming & Remembering Circles
March - June 2017
Led by our 2 resident Midwives, the Healing Clinic Collective held a 4-part series of ‘Remembering Circles’ with birth workers of color from our Network. These Circles served as a space for birth workers who focus on culturally traditional methods of childbirth and prenatal/postnatal care can share their learnings with each other in a safe and generative space. The HCC honors the oral tradition and the apprentice model of learning old world, holistic ways of caring for pregnant people and conducting the ritual of giving birth. Birth Workers of color within our Network were able to discuss important topics that exist in the world of midwifery, as well as share skills with each other. Most exciting is that we were able to bring in a traditional healer from Mexico to teach us how to build a temazcal, or earthen steam bath, to support birth workers and birthing mothers.
Healing Clinic Collective Network Gathering
April 2017
We held our 3rd Annual HCC Network Gathering at Carla’s house. This year we took advantage of our Network Gathering to acknowledge the state of panic that many of our communities were in after the presidential selection. We made offerings to the elements and sent out a unified prayer of LOVE in order to bring balance to all of the fear that was being generated at that time. We ate, built relationships, made prayer flags and art and connected to Spirit. It was beautiful!
Healing Our Healers
June 2017
On June 3rd we held our first Healing Our Healers Gathering in Oakland. This collaboration with one of our beloved Network practitioners, Dr. Neferkare Khreme, different type of healing space intended to support the healers, educators and organizers that work directly with the communities that are being targeted the most intensely by the new presidential administration in the US – including undocumented people, QTPOC people and others. Fifty Healers from our Network as well as practitioners, educators and organizers from within and outside of our Network joined in a group healing provided by Dr. Neferkare and then enjoyed traditional food soaks to integrate the healing and experience some relaxation and care.
Communities for a Better Environment (CBE), Healing Day
July 2017
Our first collaborative Healing Clinic took place in Richmond and served grassroots member-leaders from CBE’s East Oakland and Richmond membership. CBE organizes with families on the fence line of polluting industry, working to reduce industrial pollution and protect community health. CBE was an important partner in planning for the 2016 Beloved Community Healing Clinic and it was exciting to take our work together to another level! This Healing Day was part of CBE’s 2017 Summer Leadership Academy and served 30 of it’s most active member-leaders.
Building Blocks for Kids Richmond Collaborative, Womyn’s Healing Clinic
August 2017
In August we held our second Richmond-based Women’s Healing Clinic. This Womyn’s Healing Clinic (WHC) was held in collaboration with Building Blocks for Kids Richmond Collaborative (BBK), our co-hosts for the 2014 Richmond WHC. We served 150 women, predominantly from the Iron Triangle area of Richmond, as well as from several other Bay Area cities.
XRYSALIS QTPOC Healing Space
August 2017
The HCC played a collaborative support role for the annual XRYSALIS gathering in the North Bay. XRYSALIS celebrates and connects Queer, Transgender, and Intersex People of Color (QTIPoC) and is committed to self-celebration, community building, and most importantly, collective healing and restoration. The HCC was proud to send lots of healing clinic supplies as well as practitioners and volunteers from our Network to help make this healing space happen.
Movement Generation, Earth Skills Healing Clinic
September 2017
On September 30 the Healing Clinic Collective had the great joy and privilege of collaborating with Movement Generation (MG) to offer the Movement Generation Healing Clinic (MGHC). MG is very special to the HCC, being it is the initial sponsor that housed the HCC when it was just budding as a project. MG is also our political home and partners healing the separation between people, the Earth and the Spirit realm. The MGHC served approximately 100 people, with our outreach focused on members of the labor movement working to shift industries away from destructive projects such as the Dakota Access Pipeline, organizers in the Movement for Black Lives and members of the HCC Network. This Healing Clinic doubled as an MG Earth Skills training, providing 5 different workshops focused on the healing arts followed by a traditional healing clinic. HCC Network members were able to participate in workshops and volunteer for the clinic.