Racial Healing Retreat for Black Women
Donation protected
Help fund a water healing retreat for Black Women - Return & Retreat is a unique, regenerative wellness experience for marginalized communities, with a focus on Black women. It’ll combine silent disco headphones technology with ancient yoga philosophy, in a beautiful outdoor waterscape. Donate NOW through JUNE 27th!
- A 60-minute therapy session costs an average of $80 – $200 per session.
- A S250 donation will SPONSOR retreat access to support one Black woman on their healing journey at the two-hour healing retreat and beyond - provided we reach our $4500 goal!
SUMMER 2021 - Join me in - providing silent disco wireless headphones (rental), certified yoga instruction, event staff, location permits, video documentation and other event related expenses.
The Role of Water in Mental Health - Research suggests that “mental fatigue could be reduced by simply viewing a “restorative environment”. Water sounds are perfect for calming activities such as meditation or yoga and can help soothe periods of stress and anxiety.” _Dr. Deborah Cracknell. The Black community has experienced "a legacy of trauma."_Dr. Joy DeGruy. "Unaddressed PTSD combined with daily recurring racial trauma" has been passed down through generations. Studies have found that “the good memories from people’s day on the water help override the bad memories and images that haunt PTSD patients, and possibly help crack the shell, letting them rejoin the world.” _Dr. Wallace J. Nichols
The Role of Water in Black History - “One finds that water holds a dual role in the history of Black culture. A symbol of spiritual renewal and physical pleasure, water was transformed into an entity of terror in African America, causing many Black people to fear it and reject its cultural value.”_Dr. Tyler D. Parry. This restorative gathering was created to heighten the senses, ignite reclamation of Chicago waterscapes and encourage a community supported, return-to-self.
Chicago, Racism and Water - Return & Retreat will honor:
- The life of historical figure Eugene Williams, the African American teen athlete who lost his life to racism in the waters of Lake Michigan in 1919 for accidentally drifting into the “whites only” water territory. Williams, who even back then subverted the “Black people can’t swim'' stereotype, was described by the coroner as “an expert swimmer.”
- The Pollards, the first Black family to live in Rogers Park in 1886, who achieved exceptional success in various professional disciplines.
About me - A Black woman seeking race-based healing resources, I decided to create a community healing experience that I so deeply crave. In the summer of 2020, while the Black community collectively grieved devastating pain surrounding the murders of Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, among numerous Black lives losses, I found healing in water. After studying water and it’s mental wellness benefits, I realized how privileged I was to be a Black woman in this world, with access to abundant water. This event was born from a desire to create an impactful experience centered in racial trauma communal healing. An experience that much like a single drop of water, will cause a ripple effect.
With love and gratitude,
(Thanks for supporting and sharing)
Flavia Borges
fruttihatfilms.com/flavia
- A 60-minute therapy session costs an average of $80 – $200 per session.
- A S250 donation will SPONSOR retreat access to support one Black woman on their healing journey at the two-hour healing retreat and beyond - provided we reach our $4500 goal!
SUMMER 2021 - Join me in - providing silent disco wireless headphones (rental), certified yoga instruction, event staff, location permits, video documentation and other event related expenses.
The Role of Water in Mental Health - Research suggests that “mental fatigue could be reduced by simply viewing a “restorative environment”. Water sounds are perfect for calming activities such as meditation or yoga and can help soothe periods of stress and anxiety.” _Dr. Deborah Cracknell. The Black community has experienced "a legacy of trauma."_Dr. Joy DeGruy. "Unaddressed PTSD combined with daily recurring racial trauma" has been passed down through generations. Studies have found that “the good memories from people’s day on the water help override the bad memories and images that haunt PTSD patients, and possibly help crack the shell, letting them rejoin the world.” _Dr. Wallace J. Nichols
The Role of Water in Black History - “One finds that water holds a dual role in the history of Black culture. A symbol of spiritual renewal and physical pleasure, water was transformed into an entity of terror in African America, causing many Black people to fear it and reject its cultural value.”_Dr. Tyler D. Parry. This restorative gathering was created to heighten the senses, ignite reclamation of Chicago waterscapes and encourage a community supported, return-to-self.
Chicago, Racism and Water - Return & Retreat will honor:
- The life of historical figure Eugene Williams, the African American teen athlete who lost his life to racism in the waters of Lake Michigan in 1919 for accidentally drifting into the “whites only” water territory. Williams, who even back then subverted the “Black people can’t swim'' stereotype, was described by the coroner as “an expert swimmer.”
- The Pollards, the first Black family to live in Rogers Park in 1886, who achieved exceptional success in various professional disciplines.
About me - A Black woman seeking race-based healing resources, I decided to create a community healing experience that I so deeply crave. In the summer of 2020, while the Black community collectively grieved devastating pain surrounding the murders of Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, among numerous Black lives losses, I found healing in water. After studying water and it’s mental wellness benefits, I realized how privileged I was to be a Black woman in this world, with access to abundant water. This event was born from a desire to create an impactful experience centered in racial trauma communal healing. An experience that much like a single drop of water, will cause a ripple effect.
With love and gratitude,
(Thanks for supporting and sharing)
Flavia Borges
fruttihatfilms.com/flavia
Organizer
Flavia Borges
Organizer
Chicago, IL