C O N S C I O U S M I N D S C A M P2 0 1 5 R E P O RT

O P E N I N G M E S S A G E

Conscious Minds Camp 2015 ran for 11 days in August with thirty-five youth, plus adults, elders, and children, from eleven different towns and cities across Southern Ontario.

Conscious Minds Camp (CMC) is a collaborative leadership camp developed by and for youth and young adults to heal, learn and grow.

In the face of climate change and extreme inequality, there is a pressing need to cultivate ecological and equitable practices for a liveable and healthy future. Yet the current education system is slow and resistant to teaching youth the skills and resources we need to be competent and active citizens of this future.

This is why CMC was created – as a space for youth to explore, practice, and experiment in collaborative, critical, and creative ways.

CMC is our camp; it is the way we want to learn; working towards the way we want to live.

This summer was a program planning camp where organizers and campers worked together to create camp content and culture. The organizers had lots of ideas and goals in mind, but we went into the camp with only the first three days concretely planned out. On Day 3, we spent the afternoon evaluating what we had done so far, while creating the schedule for the next three days. In this way our learning process was responsive to the evolving needs and interests of the campers.

The following report details testimonials, pictures, and descriptions of our experience at camp. The camp was an incredible success! In one year our participation has grown from seven to thirty five campers. On top of that, our CMC Organizing Circle has jumped from four, to six, to twelve members strong!

All of this could not have been possible without all of the help and support we received.

A huge thank you goes out to all of our supporters, mentors, and guides.

Most of the photos in this report were taken by the wonderful and talented Danelle Jane Tran – thank you DJ!

All quotes are from camp participants, taken from anonymous post-camp surveys.

We hope you enjoy this report, and we look forward to building this project with you for many years to come.

C A M P F R A M E W O R K SDecolonizationHuman Rights

Climate Change Resilience

T E A C H I N G A N D O R G A N I Z I N G M E T H O D SPopular Education

Open SpaceOutdoor LearningIf/Then Thinking8 Shields Model

W A L K T H R O U G H O F T H E 1 0 D A Y S A T C O N S C I O U S M I N D S C A M P

Day 1-2Word from our campers

Day 3-4Word from our campers

Day 5-8Love Letter to the Earth

Day 9-10Solar Panels

S P E C I A L T H A N K Y O U T O O U R A D U L T / E L D E R S U P P O R T

F I N A N C I A L R E P O R T & T H A N K Y O U T O D O N O R S

W H A T T O E X P E C T F R O M U S N E X T !

T A B L E o f C O N T E N T S

C A M P F R A M E W O R K S

We used three intersecting frameworks of Decolonization, Human Rights, and Climate Change Resilience. On Day 2 we did a workshop exploring definitions for these three concepts. Below are some thoughts on what these words mean to us:

D E C O L O N I Z A T I O N

reclaiming fo od systems

power over self

re-indigenize

colonizer exodus:

not always possible

reclaiming history & culture

acceptance & co-existence

right relations

freedom of your mind

question norms & ownership

language revival

roots & origins

unlearning& undoing

L A N DC U L T U R EH I S T O R Y

T I M E

T H E U N D O I N G O F C O L O N I Z A T I O N :

Colonization of people and planetSuppression and denying culture and way of lifeDestroys balanceForcefulTakeover of another people’s land(Attempted) eradication of language and cultureTaking power and landManipulation and indirect colonization - economic

C A M P F R A M E W O R K S

H U M A N R I G H T S

Human rights sources that were discussed at the camp include: Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights, Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, Convention on the Rights of the Child, World Summit on Social Development, The Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

Human rights encompass economic, cultural and social r ights (ie. Right to adequate food, shelter, clothing and social security) A solution-based approach to human rights may be hard to enforce but they are ours todemand.

All r ights are indivisible, universal, and have been internationally guaranteed.

Human rights are legally protected - Oblige states and state actors

They focus on diginity of the human being

They protect individuals and groups

The only limitation on an individuals r ight is that they may not violate the rights of others - we should emphasize balancing collective and individual r ights

C L I M A T E C H A N G E

Dysfunctional relationshopbetween humans and earthExploitation of resourcesCorporate Greed and IndustryImbalance in carbon cycleImbalance in nitrogen cyleRising Sea LevelsOcean AcidificationMass Extinction

R E S I L I E N C E AdapatabilityPerserveranceFlexibilityPreserving culturesSurvival and SupportDiversity and many ways of doing thingsLearning from NatureReciprocityBounce Forward

C A M P F R A M E W O R K S

P O P U L A R E D U C A T I O N

W h a t ?Approach to teaching and learning developed by Paulo Freire - 1980s Brazil. Framework for teaching literacy rooted in political consciousness.Builds on experience Everyone is a teacher, everyone is a learner

W h y ?To uniteValues experience and collective intelligenceDiversity produces better resultsTo speak our own truth, name our own worldEducation should be malleable to different lands and peopleIndividuals are able to learn at their own pace

S o W h a t ?Because we need education to promote emotional intelligence, critical thinking and questioning of norms; confidence and self-awareness, valuing personal and indigenous experience.

N o w W h a t ?Connecting practice and theoryAction-based learning

I F - T H E N T H I N K I N G :

What kind of world do we want to live in?What is the context in which we live currently?

If this is were we are, and that is where we want to be, how do we get from Point A to Point B?

What are the practical step-by-step actions necessary?

O P E N S P A C E T E C H N O L O G Y :

Way of designing multiple conversations at the same time. We hosted open space sessions most days. Anyone could open a topic they wanted to discuss. For example, our Climate Change Open Space session had four conversations on:

+ designing green cities+ alternative economies+ unpacking the education system+ solar panel building

H U M A N R I G H T S W O R K S H O P I I I :

After a morning of public speaking/drama activities, we voiced ourselves in a different way.

As a full group, we chose 3 issues that had come up frequently in the camp:

+ Food Security+ Renewable Energy+ Economic Prosperity that respects the rights of the child and the need to protect the environment

We then divided ourselves into small groups, each tackling 1 issue. We addressed the following questions:

1. What rights are involved?

2. What would it look like if these rights were fulfilled?

3. What solutions/ideas do we need to implement to get from where we are, to where we want to be (fulfilled human rights)?

We then reported our discussions back to the full group.

H o w w e o r g a n i z e d o u r s e l v e s w h i l e i n w o r k s h o p s :

+ sit in circles + consistently shift from small group conversations/actions to full group conversations+ sometimes work all together, sometimes split ourselves up based on comfort level with the topic+ the majority of workshops were done outside, surrounded by trees

E X A M P L E W O R K S H O P F O R M A T

8 S H I E L D S M O D E L

Used in nature education as a method of organizing, planning, and orienting based on the natural cycle of the sun, seasons, and human life. Developed by Jon Young, taken from the Coyote’s Guide to Mentorship.

We would like to emphasize that the 8 Shields Model is based on a number of indigenous knowledges and traditions, eastern philosophy, and practices of many nature-based cultures around the world - we were very mindful of borrowing these practices in a way that does not appropriate them, and rightfully acknowledg-es their roots.

The model provides organizers and participants with a sense of orientation in their educating and learning experience, and can be used as a strategic way of organizing into groups. Conscious Minds organizers found the 8 Shields Model to be helpful in some, but not all, aspects of organizing -- at camp, we learned that planning and structuring our days using the model only worked to some extent. However, we found the model particularly useful for gathering and orienting campers into groups and sub-teams.

E A S T : dawn, Spring, birth, excited beginnings, feelings of renewal, welcome, Excitement & Inspiration

S O U T H E A S T : mid-morning, late Spring, childhood, movement, action, external growth, Orientation & Motivitation

S O U T H : mid-day, Summer, adolescence, hard work, busyness, Focus & Perspiration

S O U T H W E S T : mid-afternoon, Late Summer, “Siesta”, late adolescence to adulthood, internal growth, self-care, nourishment, Relaxation & Internalization

W E S T : sunset, Autumn, adulthood, gathering, community, sharing, Harvest & Celebration

N O R T H W E S T : twilight, Late Autumn, transition into role of elder, reflecting on life and death, letting go, looking back, Reflection & Release

N O R T H : mid-night, Winter, elderhood, dormancy, culmination of experience and wisdom, Distillation & Intergration

N O R T H E A S T : pre-dawn, “thaw” period, death to rebirth, transitioning, mystery, connection between End & Beginning

“ T h e c e r e m o n y w i t h N e n e w a s a b e a u t i f u l w a y t o i n t r o d u c e o u r s e l v e s t o t h e l a n d w e w e r e t o s t a y o n t h e n e x t w e e k o r s o . ”

D a y 1The first day of Conscious Mind Camp was a day of welcoming, settling in, and setting intentions.

After getting a little bit familiar with the space and with each other, we had a special guest and

mentor, Jen Maramba, lead a sacred place making workshop. Campers walked around the land, with

the purpose of setting their intentions with the plants and nature around them, while creating

their own personal “nature bundles” which were collectively placed in a sacred space.

D a y 2On the second day of camp, we started our day

with a guest speaker – Nene Kwasi Kafele. We started the morning with a thanksgiving

ceremony led by Nene. During the ceremony, we gave thanks to all our ancestors that had

brought us to that moment. We had breakfast, while listening to Nene share an inspirational

story. Then we went on a walk to the pond, with the intention of connecting to the natural

environment that we would call home for the next 10 days.

8 S h i e l d s M o d e l : After we returned from our walk with Nene, we introduced our organizing model – the 8 shields model developed by Jon Young and the Coyote’s Guide to Mentorship.

Each camp participant chose a ‘direction’ that best resonated with their individual skills, passions, and personalities.

A W O R D F R O M O U R C A M P E R S

“To a friend, I would tell them that Conscious Minds Camp was the most amazing summer camp I have ever been to without a doubt. I learned many new things, and more than just about the three frameworks of climate change resilience, decolonization and human rights. But also about leadership skills, the importance of speaking out, and letting your voice be heard.”

“A life changing and eye opening camping

trip. A place to explore new things

and ideas while feeling completely

comfortable. It was a huge inspiration.”

“When I describe the camp to my friends I start off with the biggest smile and let them know how happy it made me. I explain it’s a place where I was able to learn many important topics in a new and very engaging way. Topics that help me grow in a spiritual, intellectual and physi-cal sense… It’s a place where many important voices are heard - the voices from elders and youth filled with many important teachings. The great part about the camp is that it’s not only filled with many valuable lessons but it’s also filled with so much fun and joy. Everyone is smiling and always accepting of everyone. You cannot help but feel like you are a part of a great community of people.”

“Conscious Minds Camp is not just a camp. It is a ten-day educational and healing

experience amongst the trees and stars.”

“It is truly an experience to be had; words cannot truly express the type of bonding, personal and group growth that happened there. The feeling of family with such a diverse group is unrivaled and I highly recommend that anyone interested in a truly life changing experience attend the camp.”

“A kind, welcoming space that was eye opening, educational, and loads of fun!”

H o w w o u l d y o u d e s c r i b e C o n s c i o u s M i n d s C a m p t o a f r i e n d ?

“One of my favourite workshops was the mental health first aid workshop. Because I realized just how much I needed that help and the workshop is what helped me with some emotional issues I was having.”

D a y 3After a morning walk and meditation and a few “wake up” games, we gathered for a workshop on popular education where we explored and participated in alternative forms of learning and questioning how to think critically.

D a y 4On day 4, we started with a martial arts session. Then, we had a mental health first aid workshop in the morning where we discussed various mental health issues, coping mechanisms, and shared our individual self-care techniques. Following this workshop, we played Theatre of the Oppressed games. We then had a CMC original workshop entitled Breaking Cycles of Oppression (inspired by Anne Bishop’s Beoming an Ally).

“The Breaking Cycles of Oppression workshop using “ if-then” thinking was one of my favour-ite workshops because it allowed me to actually map out the kind of society I want to l ive in and collaborate with others on this visioning which GREATLY helped to clarify the processes that need to take place in order to create social change.”

A W O R D F R O M O U R C A M P E R S

“I have realized that it takes our own grounding and the support of each other in community to consciously create strategies outside the system. Without a clear foundation of our goals and clear knowledge of the state of the current system we cannot move forward into true social change.”

“ I f e e l t h e n e e d t o t a k e a c t i o n r a t h e r t h a n j u s t t h i n k a b o u t t h e p r o b l e m ”

“I feel l ike I ’ve opened my mind and have be co me le ss self centered and more other centered. I want to ch an ge and improve the world instead of turn in g a blin d eye to all our problems.”

“I question everything now. I feel more knowledgeable on social change now but that only makes me want to learn more and find more ways to perpetuate change. I can really only describe the way I felt leaving camp as conciousness, I realise the importance of social change, it’s not something I brush off anymore by thinking I’m too young or too insignificant to do anything about it. I feel inspired to look deeper into systemic issues, and I’m also more aware of them now. ”

How d id Consc ious Minds Camp influence your thi n k ing on soc ial change & systemic issues?

“ O n e o f m y f a v o r i t e w o r k s h o p s w a s t h e w o m a n ’ s w a l k t o t h e p o n d / t h e f i r e . I e n j o y e d d e e p e n i n g t h e c o n n e c t i o n w i t h t h e o t h e r w o m e n , b u t a l s o b e i n g i n a n e n v i r o n m e n t w h e r e e v e r y o n e u n d e r s t a n d s w h a t y o u g o t h r o u g h b e i n g a g i r l . ”

“ C M C t a u g h t m e t h a t t h e o n l y w a y t o m a k e p r o g r e s s o n i s s u e s o f s o c i a l j u s t i c e i s t o w o r k a s a t e a m , a s a c o m m u n i t y . U l t i m a t e l y , C M C t a u g h t m e t h e v a l u e o f b u i l d i n g c o m m u n i t y . I a l s o l e a r n e d h o w i m p o r t a n t i n v o l v i n g p e o p l e o f d i f f e r e n t a g e s , c u l t u r a l / r a c i a l b a c k g r o u n d s a n d s e x u a l o r i e n t a t i o n s i s w h e n t a c k l i n g i s s u e s o f s o c i a l j u s t i c e . T h e o n l y w a y t o m o v e f o r w a r d i s t o m o v e f o r w a r d t o g e t h e r . ”

D a y 5We energized our bodies and minds with stretching, sensory games in the morning, before diving into Human Rights document reading in the afternoon – this day was strongly focused on better understanding our rights, how they play out in our daily lives and to what extent they are applied or violated. Following this, everyone gathered for a Better World Assembly, where we shared solutions, and formulated demands and plans of action using human rights framing.

D a y 6Day 6 was a day of mentorship and thanksgiving – The morning began with a men’s fire and a women’s walk to the pond. During the women’s walk to the pond, each of the younger girls had an older mentor to be guided by. Once at the pond, the women sang a song to thank the water for all the life that it has and continues to give us, and talked about why it is important to protect water. The rest of the day involved coming together to think of climate change problems and solutions, using ‘Think, Pair, Share’ and Open Space technology.

D a y 7Fun in the sun? More like fun in the rain! Day 7 started out as a rainy day - spent outside playing and dancing in the pouring rain. The afternoon and evening were spent doing human rights strategizing and involved a lot of political dialogue around security and the federal elections.

D a y 8On day 8, we started our morning expressing our appreciation for mother nature by collectively writing a “Love Letter to the Earth”. In the afternoon, a few of the younger participants led a workshop on gender stereotypes -- which sparked discussions around the consequences of stereotyping and how to cope with gender discrimination. The day ended with a poetry workshop and journalling time.

I n s p i r e d b y T h i c h N a h n H a n h ’ s b o o k “ A L o v e L e t t e r T o T h e E a r t h ” . T h i s i s a c o l l a b o r a t i v e p i e c e , c o l l e c t i v e l y w r i t t e n b y 3 0 c a m p e r s . I t t o o k t w o h o u r s t o w r i t e , a n d a n o t h e r h o u r t o c o m p i l e i t i n t o o n e f l u i d p i e c e . W e a r e s o p r o u d o f t h e s e w o r d s . . .

A L O V E L E T T E R T O T H E E A R T H

D e a r e s t E a r t h ,

Your dark brown skin is host to the most beautiful soul curves, and highlighted with fruitful colours. Please let me wear you, as you wear the coverings you have chosen. Your curves become places for me to walk on, run on, play on, and sleep on.

When we touch, I feel your energy f low into me and mine f low back into you. You are me and I am you. There is no you & me – there is only us.

I wish to drink from your water, breathe from your air, dance and drum by your fire, dig and play in your soil. I wish to plant myself into you and hope to grow with you. Your water is my life force – the peaceful ponds, restless rivers, & swelling oceans remind me that you are A L I V E .

Please let me take a moment to appreciate your complex sim-plicity, from your vast bodies of water to your dense network of trees. You are an incredibly rare jewel in the vast universe – a singular moment in space and time connecting us to universal wonder.

Though you are unique and coveted, you are not selfish – you do not demand my attention, but you reward me when I give it to you. You are the perfect lover. You seduce me with colours that change with your mood, attract me with fragrant perfumes, ca-ress me with gentle breezes, sustain me with delicious fruits, and serenade me with an orchestra of a million subtle instruments.

You are patient, faithful, committed – you honour the history of our relationship by to holding on dearly to those things given to you, sometimes preserving them for hundreds, thousands, or millions of years. I love you for everything you have done to get me here today.

I’m so sorry.

I now see that though I am here because of you, I have not lived for you and with you. I apologize for the pollution, the abuse, the exploitation – I have used you, I have taken you for grant-ed, I have been unfaithful, and it has been the root cause of my self-destruction. Please forgive me for disrupting the delicate balance of our living f low, though somehow your unwavering spirit shines on.

I’m sorry – I’m rigid, you’re f luid. I tr ied to hold you – to possess you – but your love f lows right through my greedy fingers. From afar we look so similar, yet I’ve been so selfish. Forgive me for I am still unlearning.

I promise to take care of you, and thereby take care of myself. I vow to support, protect, heal, and cherish you – to appreciate all the life gifts that you provide.

I know you haven’t left me yet – I still hear your voice in the trees, wind, and water. Your unconditional love was here long before me, & will reside long after me, as long as I learn how to nurture and protect you.

I will continue to cry over our mutual destruction, and like the waters rising up, my tears will start a movement.

L o v e , T h e C o n s c i o u s M i n d s C a m p e r s

“ T h e Ta l e n t S h o w : A f t e r a w e e k o f c o m m u n i t y b u i l d i n g a n d b o n d i n g , i t w a s i n c r e d i b l e t o s e e w h a t p e o p l e s h a r e d a r o u n d t h e c a m p f i r e . I h a v e b e e n t o m a ny c a m p s a n d I h a v e n ’ t s e e n t h i s l e v e l o f v u l n e r a b i l i t y a n d w i l l i n g n e s s t o s h a r e a m o n g s t a g r o u p o f s u c h d i v e r s e i n d i v i d u a l s . ”

D a y 9The morning of day 9 involved drama games and public speaking activities, followed by an afternoon human rights strategizing with human rights activist Josephine Grey. The evening was spent around gender mentoring - the women had a women’s fire, where they shared stories of the hardships of being a girl, and sharing advice on how to overcome these struggles in the future. The men went on a hike and talked about the responsibilities that come with being a man in today’s society and the different rights of passages associated with being a man. At night we had a Conscious Minds dance party!

D a y 1 0We came together with the knowledge that this would be our last night together, so we spent the morning talking about how to stay connected after camp and what kind of year round programming we want to organize. We then took an afternoon trip to Henry’s farm, where we were shown sustainable houses/structures, organic gardens filled with fruits and vegetables and healing plants. After this eye opening visit to the farm, we continued our morning discussion, and prepped for the night’s talent show.

“ T h e Wo m e n ’ s F i r e : I t f e l t a s i f w e w e r e a l l f r i e n d s b e f o r e t h a t e v e n i n g b u t i n t h a t c o nv e r s a t i o n w e a l l b o n d e d o v e r o u r s t r u g g l e s a n d e x p e r i e n c e s a s w o m e n . D e s p i t e o u r a g e , r a c e , a n d e c o n o m i c s t a t u s , w e c a n a l l c o n n e c t a n d e m p o w e r e a c h o t h e r b y l i s t e n i n g a n d s h a r i n g ”

“Th e s o l a r p anel work shop was great because it was probably the most practi ca l and engaging to everyone and directly offered everyone a skill to ta ke home wit h t hem and utilize in their own personal l ives.”

We had the honour of hosting Steve McCabe, an ecovillage designer and solar engineer, and his family at camp this summer. Over the course of 4 days Steve led us through how to assemble solar panels. 14% of our total camp spending went towards the material needed to assemble the panels.

The solar panels were assembled during open space and free time, so that all interested campers could participate. The result was 8 beautiful solar panels that remain at the Cobourg Scout Reserve to power outdoors lights for the two outdoor shelters.

Next summer, we hope to send each camper home with a personal solar panel to charge small electronics with at home.

S O L A R P A N E L S

M a i r i H a r t Educational Assistant. Teacher.

Thank you for all your support throughout the whole camp. You helped us run errands, keep the lodge in order, and provided invaluable emotional support and guidance. You were an incredible help, thank you.

S t e v e M c N a b e Natural Resources Canada licensed energy consultant, Energy Systems Engineering Technologist (E.S.E.T) renewable energy designer, ecovillage developer.

Thank you for being an embodied example of sustain-able living. You taught us how to make solar panels, and inspired us in the fields of renewable energy and natural medicines.

A S p e c i a l T h a n k Y o u t o o u r E l d e r s A d u l t G u e s t s a n d M e n t o r s

J o s e p h i n e G r e y Founding Director of Low Income Families Together. Domestic Observer to the World

Summit on Social Development.

Thank you for all of your wisdom, support, and guidance. You taught us the history of those who have come before us, and what we have lost in this country. Thank you for teaching us applied human rights, and for the passion you brought throughout the whole camp.

C h r i s t i n e W a t t s Chair of Low Income Families Together. Board member of the Income Security Advocacy Center. CMC Local Animator.

Thank you for being our Cobourg-connection. You connected us with good food, and helped us greatly in waste management. You healed us with Reiki, and supported us emotionally. Thank you for everything; camp would not have been possible without you.

J e n M a r a m b a Artist, Mentor, Mother, Healing Artist, co-founder of Kapwa Collective.

Thank you forleading the Sacred Place Making workshop. You helped us set the right intentions for the camp, grounded in personal spirituality and connectedness with the land we were on.

N e n e K w a s i K a f e l e Founder and CEO of the Akoma Learning Center. Co-founder of the Health Equity Council. Traditional Chief in Manya Krobo Traditional Area in the Eastern Region of Ghana.

Thank you for helping us to connect our practical every day social justice work with active spirituality. Thank you for leading us in giving thanks to our ancestors, to the land and the trees.

B r y a n t D i d i e rMusician. Producer. Owner of B. Musique Productions. Thank you for your energy and passion. It wouldn’t have been the same camp without the live and recorded music you brought (& the sound system you set up). Thank you for the wisdom and grounding you brought to the Men’s Walk, and to our evening celebrations.

G r e g A l l e nSenior Advisor at Sustainable Edge Ltd. Visionary Architectural Development and Change Expert.

You joined us for an afternoon, but your presence stayed with us through-out the camp. Your vision and life experience inspired us to find hope in sustainable architectural and techno-logical solutions. It was an honour.

H e n r y a n d J o a n n aThank you for hosting us at your amazing farm. It was such an inspira-tion to see farming, construction, and natural remedies being practiced in a sustainable way (both for the earth and your livelihoods). It was the per-fect way to end camp, and you sent everyone away full of practical ideas on how to further our dreams.

“The inclusion of elders, Nene’s ancestral ritual for example, in the group discussions were very engaging and real.”

“CMC helped strengthen my connection with nature. Listening to everyone on the topic of nature helped me appreciate its beauty and helped solidify my conviction that we need to continue fighting as a whole to preserve and protect the environment. Lets not just listen to people but to mother earth as well.”

F I N A N C I A L R E P O R T / T H A N K Y O U !

Honoraria8%

Food33%

Transportation7%

Educational and Camping Supplies

12%

Health Care3%

Renewable Energy

14%

Site Rentaland Insurance

21%

Fundraising2%

T h a n k y o u t o a l l o u r d o n o r s !

Your generous support made this camp a reality. Thank you for helping us inspire a future generation

of conscious leaders! T h a n k y o u t o :

L I F T ( L o w I n c o m e Fa m i l i e s To g e t h e r )Our 2014-15 parent organization, our biggest

funder and supporter!

T h e C e n t e r f o r S o c i a l J u s t i c eOur sponsor organization

T h e C o b o u r g S c o u t R e s e r v eThe beautiful location of our camp!

A l l o f o u r i n d i v i d u a l d o n o r sYou are the backbone of our camp, our crucial funders! We are so grateful to have networks of such caring and

supportive people. You are our stars.

All of the organizations and union locals that supported us either through financial donations,

in-kind printing services, or lending us equipment.

T o t a l F i n a n c i a l D o n a t i o n s : $ 9 , 5 8 0 . 4 1

I n - K i n d D o n a t i o n s :4 Days of Professional Photography > Danelle Jane Tran danellejane.comTents and Camping Equipment > Campers and their families (borrowed)Camping Equipment > Ontario Nature (borrowed)Sports Equipment > 360 Kids (borrowed)Countless Hours of Organizing > 6 Core Organizers Printing of Educational Resources > OPIRG York and Toronto

A W O R D F R O M O U R C A M P E R S

“ S u p p o r t t h i s p r o j e c t b e c a u s e i t i s a b s o l u t e l y i m p o r t a n t a n d m u s t b e a c c e s s i b l e t o e v e r y o n e . ”

“The organizers have created tools for community development and lasting social change, and for this reason it should be funded not only as a fantastic summer camp for disadvantaged youth, but as a transformative experience that will create the leaders of tomorrow who have the confidence to tackle issues of social and environmental change. These young alumni of CMC are the people who will do nothing less than save us from ourselves, and we should do everything in our power to support them.”

“Thank you for everything. I can’t wait to come back next summer.”

“ G r e a t j o b o r g a n i z e r s . A n d F u n d e r s , b y s u p p o r t i n g t h e s e t y p e s o f g r o u p s , w e c a n c h a n g e t h e w o r l d . T h e e n e r g y a n d w i l l i n g n e s s i s t h e r e , a n d w i t h y o u r s u p p o r t , w e c o u l d d o g r e a t t h i n g s . ”

A n y t h i n g e l s e y o u w o u l d l i k e t o s a y t o t h e o r g a n i z e r s o r p o t e n t i a l f u n d e r s ?

“To funders - If you are going to give your support towards helping anything next year, make it this camp. Given so much was accomplished with so little, I can only imagine the impact a better funded and supported camp would have on participants. Funding this camp is most definitely money/resources well utilized. To the organizers - You have already changed the lives of many who will change the lives of even more. Keep it up! You are lights in the dark and needed in these times.”

“Thank you so much for everything!! ! This camp is beyond what words can describe and like a light in the darkness of the world”

“ C M C g a v e m e h o p e t h a t s o m e t h i n g c a n a c t u a l l y b e d o n e a b o u t s y s t e m i c i s s u e s . B a s i c a l l y , i t c u r e d m y c y n i c i s m . I n d o i n g s o , i t h a s c h a n g e d t h e c o u r s e o f m y l i f e m o v i n g f o r w a r d . . . “

W H A T T O E X P E C T F R O M U S N E X T :

Camp was focused on understanding the complex challenges we face, envisioning how we want to live, and cultivating strategies, resources, and friendships to actualize our visions.

Naturally, after camp was over we begun to work on enacting those strategies together. Our organizing team has grown from six to twelve young people and our ambition and determination has grown exponentially.

We are in the process of incorporating Conscious Minds Co-op, a democratic and collaborate corporate model through which the camp will be run, alongside other projects we develop together.

S h o r t T e r m :Over the winter and spring, we will be hosting knowledge and skills development workshops for our organizers and the broader community, to cultivate the skills/knowledge we need to create an ever-improving camp, and co-op. Through these workshops we will simultaneously develop and test new camp programming.

Next summer, our camp will expand to include 60 campers – 30 in the beginner camp and 30 in the intermediate camp. The beginner and intermediate camps will take place simultaneously (and collaboratively of course) for a full two weeks.

L o n g T e r m :Conscious Minds Camp is a practice ground for a broader shift in education we hope to model. We want to take the workshops we develop into schools and community centers. We also have plans of developing a Conscious Minds Educators Camp, for teachers at all levels to learn how to better create responsive and caring classrooms.

As we build up our experience, connections, and credibility we will expand into our very own school/learning village and well-ness center, both in and outside the city. We believe adapting to and mitigating climate change means a shift in our way of life, and so we are shifting our way of life into a sustainable and healthy one as a community.

We hope that you will continue to support us in our vision for transformative educational spaces that inspire hope and action.