Sanctuary of Hope hosted a 3-day Trauma-Informed Lived Experience Policy and Advocacy retreat with 20 young adults in Palms Spring. The young adults represented diverse populations of young people – child welfare and justice impacted, low-income, housing and economic insecure, and parenting, and LBGTQ+. Facilitated by national and local known leaders in policy, advocacy, and activism, attendees gained greater knowledge of storytelling, organizing, policy and advocacy, and collective engagement for systems-change leadership. Attendees also participated in a dinner teach-in about character and leadership and mock school board meeting. Swag bags with “The Deeper The Roots” books signed by author Michael D. Tubbs were given. The retreat closed with a tour of Section 214 by Urban Palms Springs to educate about land theft, indigenous culture and cooperative economics, and reparations.
