Programs
Programs
Our programs develop embodied leadership, increasing vision, coordination, and connection. gs supports movement leaders and supporters to vision new possibilities and achieve powerful collective action towards freedom and liberation.
Want to join a gs program? Our current and past program participants include people who are active parts of movements, including racial justice, economic justice, gender justice, intimate violence prevention, environmental justice, and more.
We specifically prioritize the participation of those who work in our two strategic priority areas: freedom from political repression and state violence, and climate and environmental justice. Learn more about our Strategic Priorities here.
Embodied Leadership for Funders & Donors (online)
This is an introductory embodied leadership program for leaders in the funding world who are committed to redistributing wealth to social and climate justice movements, BIPOC communities, and poor and working class communities. Participants in ELFD connect with deeper purpose and vision, look at personal and leadership challenges, get to know embodied habits that can limit us, and engage in holistic and transformative practices.
Find out more.
BIPOC Embodied Leadership (online)
This nine week course will support movement leaders to vision new possibilities, align actions with vision, and transform toward our longings for freedom and liberation. This course is for Black, Indigenous, and all People of Color who work in social and climate justice movements. No prior somatics experience necessary.
Find out more.
“At the last retreat (Embodied Leadership) I really saw the benefit and impacts of somatics. Some people have a spirit or attitude that is isolated and unapproachable—I am one of them. At the retreat—I saw transformation in people. We decided, we’re just going to be open and be me now, and be honest about what we need to feel whole. I like to feel and connect with people, and I was able to do that totally. Before, I might have been able to do that for a second, but then I dissociated off to mars. With somatics, I could center in my own dignity—in my length—and also center in my width. I could feel the genuine feelings of other people—I could actually feel them. I am loving somatics—it is a vital tool. Now that I know how to use it, it makes a real difference. I use it every chance I get.”
– Ms. Marilynn Winn, Director of Women on the Rise
Daily Practice Space (online)
We transform through embodying new practices over time and it is much easier to stay in practice within community. This 30 minute daily practice space is for movement leaders in this time of ongoing change and loss. This space is open to anyone who has already practiced politicized somatics with gs or organizations who practice with gs methodology. This space is free of charge.
Find out more.
Movement Partners
We have worked with hundreds of movement leaders and their organizations through Movement Partnerships with organizations, alliances, and other formations. We began these partnerships in 2011 with the National Domestic Workers Alliance (NDWA).
We share vision and values with Movement Partners, an understanding of somatics as a holistic approach, and a commitment to have a significant impact. We engage with select partners deeply and develop programs that are relevant and supportive of the unique conditions and needs in those communities.
Learn more
More Programs
gs Teacher Training
gs Practitioners Network
The gs Practitioners Network is an organized network of politicized somatic coaches, therapists, and healing practitioners who have built somatic competence through gs programs.
FAQs
Are gs courses accessible to poor and working class people?
gs is committed to economic justice and to challenging white supremacy, capitalism, ableism and all systems of oppression in every aspect of our work. As part of that, we have a commitment to making our programs accessible and affordable to poor and working class people and people of color who are on the frontlines of social and environmental justice movements. We are committed to making sure that money is not a barrier to participation. Check out our Course Fee Structure Sliding Scale.
How are program costs covered?
In past years, approximately 45% of the gs budget has come from earned income (course fees and contracts with partners). The other 55% comes from individual donations and foundation grants. Program costs are covered in multiple ways:
- Participants in our programs contribute to their fees with their own financial resources
- Organizations and foundations sponsor participants and pay for their program fees
- Participants fundraise their fees from other individuals
- Participants receive financial support from gs. These funds predominantly come from individual donations including solidarity funds contributed and fundraised by gs program participants and community members like you!
How do I donate or fundraise solidarity funds for your participants?
Thank you for your interest! Your support will provide financial assistance to over 80% of participants in our courses and programs. Contact development@staging.gs-dev.mysites.io to donate and/or fundraise solidarity funds today. We thank you for reaching out to your friends, family, and community to support our programs either through contributing to your own course fees or toward solidarity funds that make it possible for poor and working class people (the majority of course participants) to participate! You are a part of a growing network of people whose collective support makes gs possible. gs offers embodied leadership development and trauma-healing to social justice movements. We prioritize the participation of poor and working class people and people of color; and choose movement partnerships with organizations and communities based on alignment with our political values and strategy, not on financial access and capacity.
What access info / Disability Justice info is there for your programs?
We’re in an ongoing commitment to embodying disability justice (DJ) in our theory and practice. gs has shifted key pieces of our coursework, including language and practice, and we continue to be disability justice learners. Our online offers include closed captioning. When possible and needed, we offer ASL and Spanish interpretation. Thank you in advance for partnering with us as we continue to transform and deepen our DJ embodiment. If you have specific questions or access needs to discuss, please email programs@staging.gs-dev.mysites.io.
How can we support you & your movement work?
