ATL wasn't ready for these green girlies! The amazing team at Girl Plus Environment took a moment to disconnect from our day-to-day and connect as a team. Can you believe that some of us have been working together for over six months, and this was our first in-person meeting? As soon as we met, the vibes were up, especially with DJ Raine on the aux. Conversations flourished, and we instantly hit it off as we mapped out our Community Guidelines. We found that there were a lot – and I mean A LOT – of overlapping values.
I cannot even put into words how refreshing it was to know from the beginning that the space we found ourselves in for the weekend was not only safe, but also understanding, accommodating, and full of kind, genuine, hard working womxn of color.
Despite spending two and a half hours in the trenches of the Bamboo Forest, it was an extremely refreshing and rejuvenating experience. This hike allowed us to step away not only from our technology addictions but also to connect with our passions to fight for climate and environmental justice. When I say we were hiking, let me tell y'all, we covered the entire trail. With the amazing views, company, snacks, and frequent sightings of dogs along the trail, the two hours flew by, and we left feeling empowered.
The most memorable part of this retreat, for me, was during one of our closing sessions when our Founder, Diamond Spratling, reminded us that we're not just working to empower, engage, and educate our community – we are our community. The power that we hold as a community is unmatched, and if there's one thing I took away from this retreat, it's this: there is nothing we can't do.
This retreat was not only a blessing but also most certainly needed. Not many organizations have the opportunity to host a retreat, so we would like to give a HUGE thank you to the Legal Defense Fund for sponsoring our retreat. These GPE girls are coming back refreshed, rejuvenated, and re-inspired to work for the change we need to see in the environment and climate justice sector!
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