A New Way Forward ~ Transformational Healing Weekend

San Francisco ~ In the spirit, we answer the pledge to do what neither public policy nor political will alone can, the 60-member New Way Forward Braintrust of scholars, physicians, wellness experts and faith and community leaders, under the leadership of Susan L. Taylor, founder of National CARES Mentoring Movement (NCMM) and editor-in-chief emeritus of Essence magazine, are convening a second weekend of healing and transformation designed to address the unprecedented crises facing Black children and our community.

The consciousness-changing training sessions are hosted by Oakland Bay Area CARES, one of 57 CARES Mentor-Recruitment Circles in the nation.

After successfully completing its first training session in December, where attendees said that they were personally transformed, the demand for follow-up was clear. Academy Award winner Louis Gossett Jr. said, "My experience at the A New Way Forward (ANWF) retreat excised illness, caused true revelations and was a wonderful healing experience. The trainings should be recreated over and over and shared often with as many people as possible."

The consciousness-changing curriculum is created to anchor Black men and women solidly in our Highest Self, help heal the hurt, depression and self-denial, rarely named or recognized but internalized over generations."These trainings," coordinated by Dereca Blackmon, ANWF project director, "are for the transformation of African Americans in body, mind, spirit and community, to help "reculture" our community and bring us home to ourselves."

This second training weekend in Oakland, March 18th and 19th, is based on the information offered in the manual A New Way Forward: Healing What's Hurting Black America, a beautifully illustrated guide, edited by Susan Taylor, that encapsulates the history of Black people from our most glorious moments to our most challenging ones, focusing sharply on the work we must do today to mitigate the stress caused by racism and the competing pressures in our lives. The manual offers the best practices for wellness, balance and joy, offered with love, from the ANWF Braintrust, each one of whom is deeply devoted to rooting in the hearts and minds of African Americans what we need to restore our wholeness, reclaim our young and repair the village.

"We invited community leaders and men and women who want to strive for wellness in body, mind, spirit and community and who want to work together to be the protective shield for our vulnerable children," explained Taylor. "As National CARES has grown, it's become evident that we adults must heal ourselves so we will link arms and aims and take care of our suffering children. So many are in peril, and our love and support are their only hope," she added.

"We will never be able to fix what most affects our children," stated ANWF Braintrust member Harry Belafonte, "until we finally fix what most affects us."

"The great majority of us are overworked and underappreciated, dealing with mountains of stress and all its many tentacles. Before we can go out and give to others, we have to figure out how to give to ourselves. That's what these weekends are about," says Rev. Andriette Earl, pastor of Heart and Soul Center of Light and chair of the Oakland Bay Area CARES Mentor-Recruitment Circle.

ANWF Training Part II will take place on Friday, March 18th, from 6:00PM to 9:00PM and Saturday, March 19th, from 9:00AM to 6:00PM, at the Hilton Garden Inn, located at 1800 Powell Street in Emeryville, CA. The donation is $35.00.

To register for the weekend, visit http://www.caresnewwayforward.eventbrite.com. To learn more about ANWF and its transformational trainings, visit http://www.caresmentoring.org and click on A New Way Forward.

A New Way Forward trainings are made possible by a grant from Congresswoman Barbara Lee through the U.S. Department of Education, and support from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, Fannie Mae and the National CARES Mentoring Movement.

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