YES! is known for its global support of young leaders who strive to make internal, interpersonal and systemic social change real. CXC is known for making inner practice accessible to activists so that the way we do change will change.
After Ocean Robbins, who co-founded YES! (Youth for Environmental Sanity), stepped down after twenty years as the organization’s director, CXC and YES! began developing a strategic partnership, one that merges the best of each organization and gives all activists the opportunity to bring practice and actionable experience together. Both organizations strongly believe that the only way to bring about change is by addressing what’s inside of us so that inner change will inspire outer change.
One of the primary parts of the strategic partnership will be to join the support of the YES! Jams, which bring together the change makers and allow for creative dialogue and growth across a diverse spectrum, with CXC’s deep practices of yoga and meditation. This will give CXC a concrete vehicle from which to bring practice to activists and YES! a chance to deeply root in inner practice. No matter what, we’ll maintain a continuity of knowledge, experience, wisdom and practice from both organizations.
Aqeela Sherrills and Michele Robbins, have stepped up as acting interim co-directors. Aqeela, who is the Principal of The Reverence Project and co-founder of several successful non-profits and social ventures, has extensive history managing organizations, raising funds, and leading grassroots social change movements. He has been active with YES! in many roles since he participated in his first Jam in 1999, and he has served on the YES! board for five years.
Michele started with YES! in 1994, serving as a tour member and office manager. Then in 1997, she helped YES! incorporate as its own non-profit organization, serving as Executive Director and then President for nearly ten years. She has been a cofounder of Community Alliances Initiative, a leading convener of Spirit and Social Change and of Transforming Philanthropy.
The new organization, which is still searching for just the right name and has a home at the Center’s location in Berkeley, also has the support of former YES! board members: J. Manuel Herrera, Shilpa Jain, Austin Willacy, and angel Kyodo williams (founder of CXC). Connecting the YES! international network of inspiring and hopeful leaders with the strategic analysis, technological savvy and depth of rigor CXC envisions for our movements opens up worlds of possibility.
Our first official outings together are the upcoming are holiday fundraisers (by invitation), in San Francisco, Boulder, and New York City. Hope to see you there!
If you can’t attend, but want to show your support, connect here.
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