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A look back at 2023
It’s hard to believe that March is already here! This month, we’re looking back at all that the Network did in 2023. From Firesoul tours to picnics, webinars and connection lunches, we had a vibrant and momentous year. With new Sacred Places cropping up across the country, we have officially welcomed over 200 Firesouls into the Network and are excited to continue to expand and deepen engagement this year.
Thank you to all who joined us last year, in person and/or virtually. Each and every Firesoul brings a unique and invaluable perspective to our Network. You are the heartbeat of this important work, and we cannot thank you enough for taking this journey with us.
Remember: If you have a Network event or program idea, please share with us anytime — we love to hear your thoughts and ideas!
Last year, we...
Gathered
The Firesoul Network hosted 12 programs and events in 2023. In-person events included our Community Farm Tour, Labyrinth Leaders gathering, American Visionary Art Museum gathering, D.C. Firesoul picnic and yoga event and a Baltimore Firesoul gathering at Kirby Lane Park. We welcomed Firesouls from all around the Baltimore Washington area.
In October we traveled to Alabama and had lovely visits with Firesouls there. We look forward to more in-person events and meeting opportunities this year and beyond.
Launched
Early last year, we launched the Firesoul Gateway. Each Firesoul can create their own unique account on our website. This account is your hub for all things Nature Sacred. Through the Gateway, you can find programmatic resources and our “preferred vendors list,” find grant funding information and applications, peruse our programming guides, request new journals and bench maintenance, connect with other Firesouls and more! If you have not created your account yet, please do so at the link in the most recent issue of the Fire Circle Newsletter.
Learned
At Nature Sacred, we’re dedicated to providing as much support to Firesouls as possible. Our diverse Network is comprised of folks from many backgrounds, with many experiences. We recognize the value in the knowledge that you can share with each other and work to provide opportunities for this knowledge sharing to happen. We also recognize that Firesouls have varying levels of experience when it comes to stewarding a public space. Last year, we partnered with fundraising consultant, Lauren Brownstein for 2 ‘Ask Me Anything’ webinars. Firesouls had an open opportunity to ask questions and learn from Lauren as well as each other. In addition, we hosted a webinar with Save Our Trees, an organization local to Maryland who is dedicated to educating and providing resources on invasive species management and mitigation. Firesouls learned how to identify and eliminate invasive vines in their own Sacred Places.
Toured
The Firesoul Network’s very first multi-site tour took place in April 2023. We visited 3 urban farm sites in Baltimore — Stillmeadow PeacePark, Strength to Love II, and BLISS Meadows. We shared the special Saturday with both new and familiar faces from Filbert Street, The American Visionary Art Museum, Baltimore Clayworks, Madison and Whitelock Park, Annapolis Maritime Museum, Wangari Gardens, Anne Arundel Medical Center, Kirby Lane Park, Marian House and more. Firesouls on the tour had a fantastic time visiting these other farm sites and learning about each other’s work. Connections were made, resources and ideas were shared, and a wonderful time was had by all!
Supported
In 2023, the Nature Sacred Firesoul Network welcomed 45 new Firesouls into the Network, and offered 12 leadership training, professional development and program workshops and opportunities. Our creative and passionate Firesouls are always coming up with exciting ways to activate their Sacred Places. We are proud to support many of these efforts, having awarded 45 Enrichment and Enhancement Grants to over 25 Sacred Places around the country. From community gardening days to mindfulness coaching, crab feasts and more, there’s no shortage of inspiration amongst our lively group of community stewards.
Grant spotlight: Seeds of Change at the UPenn Museum of Anthropology and Archaeology
Nature Sacred supported The Penn Museum’s 3-day Seeds of Change program series.
The first event, A Night to Celebrate the Earth, was modeled after a science fair and featured leading researchers from the University of Pennsylvania who shared short and engaging presentations on a range of topics related to climate action and earth sciences. Community organizations also shared resources on environmental justice and opportunities for visitors to become involved on an ongoing basis in climate change mitigation.
The second event, Sustainable Saturday, welcomed families and visitors of all ages to engage with community organizations who educated on sustainable activities to incorporate into daily life. Practices such as composting, gardening with native species, and recycling the proper way were introduced and discussed. Educators worked with younger visitors to make seed packets to plant in their gardens at home, storytellers shared books about taking care of our planet, and families participated in a book swap, exchanging used children’s books for new ones.
The final event in the series was an adults-only creative workshop on Shibori (Japanese tie-dye technique). Melanie Hasan of Philadelphia-based textile studio, Modest Transitions, led a workshop teaching participants about eco-friendly fashion using the Japanese natural tie-dye technique Shibori to create beautiful scarves to take home with them.
For more program and event inspiration visit the Resource Center in the Firesoul Gateway.
Here’s to another fantastic year with the Firesoul Network!
