SURPRISE FARM RETREAT CENTER
Ensemble Heroes Workshop
Saturday, Aug 9, 9 am - 5 pm
Join our one-day workshop about how we can approach heroism through a collective lens, drawing inspiration from environmental ethics and ensemble narratives. How do individualistic tropes prevent us from engaging in effective action for each other and the planet? How can we participate in heroism and meaning-making that is safe for our bodies and good for our souls?
Activities include analysis of ensemble heroes in fiction and history, intention-setting, hiking, meditation, and yoga. This is a great opportunity for anyone who feels burnt out in their service work and struggles with the balance between doing things for themselves and others. When we switch from a main character to a "one of many main characters" mindset, we give permission for the groups we belong to to thrive when we can't contribute, and permission for ourselves to rest, think, and bring our clearest, most joyful selves to the causes we care about.
Suggested donation is $50; you may also chose "Other" on the registration page to put whatever donation amount is accessible to you, including $0 (we want you to attend!)
Your Teacher
Kate Kesner has worked at multiple nonprofits for social and environmental justice, including the San Diego Food Bank, Solana Center for Environmental Innovation, an orphanage for HIV positive children in India, and her college LGTBQIA+ center. She currently volunteers teaching creative writing at Centinela State Prison and the Navy Brig in Miramar through SDSU's Valuing Incarcerated Students in Academia program and the Prison Arts Collective respectively. In 2019, she was featured in NPR's Marketplace for her participation in effective collective action.
Kate is particularly interested in how individualistic media representations of heroism hinder the average American's understanding of their own power.
