OUR VISION: The Wellness Refuge is a community-based project that will break down barriers for BI&POC, trans, LGBTQIA+ and underserved folx to practice self-care in nurturing settings co-created with their health and wholeness in mind. As the program expands, our hope is to grow a network of wellness refuges where people can feel welcome, heard and inspired.
OUR MISSION: The Wellness Refuge will offer holistic services and thoughtfully curated programming for those who wish to step away from city life and to reconnect with nature, healing practices and themselves.
About Us
Our mission is centered around spatial justice - the belief that people are not bound to one place or environment and have the right to visibility and inclusivity in all spaces. While a city is often the epicenter for new ideas and movements, it remains a place of continual change, disruption and pollution. The pandemic has taught us that being in the present moment along with rest and outdoor activities are important.
The Wellness Sanctuary will engage with people from all walks of life to restore diversity, equity and accessibility through an inclusive space that champions rest, healing and intuitive learning. Through community programming, we offer a variety of ways to engage with the natural landscape and community members.
The Why
Studies show that people who walked for at least 90 minutes in a non-urban outdoor setting experienced improved memory and lessened anxiety when compared to those who walked in an urban setting. Since more than half of urban cities are non-white, natural settings are an important way for BIPOC people to connect with nature and obtain those mental health benefits. As an example, only 20% of National Parks are visited by BIPOC folx each year. One study cited poor treatment and lack of diversity amongst park rangers as contributors to this unwelcome feeling. If the National Parks are not a place of refuge, state and local outdoor spaces most likely mirror these disparities, not only for BIPOC, but also for underserved communities.
There exists a measurable cognitive advantage when time is spent outdoors. The break in constant stimulation allows for the executive attention system to replenish. The results are increased problem-solving and creativity. Restorative environments are not just about the natural setting though, but also about how the experience within that setting is processed. So if a space is not truly inclusive and equitable, then visitors will not gain the mental health benefits of quiet, greenspace.
Donate
OUR ASK: We're reaching out to the wider community to raise funds for the purchase of land in Massachusetts. This is phase one of a longer term vision to provide truly inclusive space to underserved and underrepresented peoples.
No matter where you live, you are part of this.
Thank you for the time you took to read about the vision and mission of The Wellness Refuge. Any size donation will make a world of difference. Come with us on this journey as we move from a scarcity mindset to one of shared abundance.
Contact
As a community-based not-for-profit, your ideas and input matter!
What do you want to see at The Wellness Refuge?
Do you have ideas about ways in which we can make the space more accessible and
inclusive?
How would you like to be represented within the Wellness Refuge?
We’d also love to collaborate and support the stories + interests of community members.
Let’s start an open dialogue! Email Us
