Projects
“Changing Maine this year embraced the power that PoC spaces hold, and in doing so, created an experience which left many people changed. Changing Maine moved me. I felt nourished, fulfilled, and achy with new thought patterns and possibilities for healing.” - Changing Maine attendee
Changing Maine
In 2017, The For Us, By Us Fund collaborated with Resources for Organizing and Social Change (ROSC) to organize and sponsor their annual day-long summit, Changing Maine. The summit takes on a new focus each year, and in 2017, the organizers focused on racial justice and movement building. Changing Maine for Racial Justice: Centering Anti-Racism in our Movements featured workshops for Black, Brown, and Indigenous Mainers led by BIPOC facilitators. Workshops for white allies were led by multi-racial teams of facilitators.
Workshops included:
Love and Dismantling Internalized Oppression - led by Durryle Brooks, PhD of Love and Justice Consulting
Oppression & Privilege in Multiracial Movements - Yamila Hussein Director of Education & College Access at Phipps Neighborhood
Native/Indigenous historical drama & intergenerational resilience training - Lin Migiziikwe Gokee-Rindal
White allies & racial justice practices - Boston-based organizer David Jenkins and Vermont-based organizer Sha’an Mouliert (M.Ed.)
Words of Fire Writing Retreat
In 2018 and 2019, The For Us, By Us Fund sponsored several days of learning, writing, work-shopping and community building for femme writers of color at the Ferry Beach Retreat & Conference Center. Retreat sessions were facilitated by local writers, LaLa Drew, Assata Radcliffe, and Samara Cole Doyon, as well as with poet Scott Woods and artist Yaani Supreme. Several collaborative writing projects have already sprung from these magical gatherings.
Soul Fire Farm
In February 2019, The For Us, By Us Fund collaborated with the Cooperative Development Institute to bring Soul Fire Farm to Maine for a public talk at USM and a day-long food justice workshop for Black and Brown Mainers held in Lewiston, Maine.
BIPOC Mental Health and Wellness
In December 2020, The For Us, By Us Fund partnered with The Third Place to host a panel on BIPOC mental health and wellness, featuring BIPOC clinicians and practitioners in southern Maine. This panel served as starting point for an upcoming project. Starting in Summer 2021, The Fund hopes to initiate a program that will provide short-term grants for Black, Indigenous, and Brown Mainers who wish to work with BIPOC mental health and wellness clinicians and practitioners. Stay tuned for this project launch!