We have a $10,000 match — now til May 15, your donation doubled!
“I’ve learned how to think larger when it comes to my goals and activism. Before, I had one idea — to help fight for Black justice — but from hearing so many other perspectives, I’ve been able to open up my mind to learning more about the struggles of other communities.” — Ariella, 2022 Encamper
Make a difference in young activists’ lives. Giving to the Encampment shows that you care about democracy, economic inequality, racial/sexist/homophobic violence and environmental destruction. The young people who seek out the Encampment are very concerned about these issues and want to make a difference. The EFC provides a transformative experience of lived multicultural democracy, grounding in critical thinking about social justice issues and a set of tools to help them become more effective change agents.
This summer, July 6–25, we are returning to Cal Lutheran University in Thousand Oaks, CA. I’m writing to ask for your support for this summer’s sponsorship fund. We guarantee that every applicant we accept can participate, no matter what their family’s income is. This is one powerful way that we ensure diversity in this next generation of activists. Without this assurance, many young people would not be able to attend the 2023 Encampment.
I’m the program director for the Encampment. I often think back to my own teenage years and what the EFC would have meant for me as a low-income youth in a single-parent, immigrant home. Knowing that many of our young folks experience similar struggles, I feel so grateful to work with an organization that welcomes them into the loving community they so deserve. They have the drive to make change for their communities and our program provides the support to make that a reality.
This summer, the Encampers will work with and learn from grassroots organizers in Ventura County. This is key to the EFC’s educational approach: exploring the community and meeting with activists who are working for change. In addition, we find ways to contribute to the community’s projects that promote justice. For instance, this summer, we will work at a local community garden that grows and distributes organic produce. This addresses both environmental and food justice. By using organic methods, they address the issue that pesticides are harmful to farmworkers and their families, and the surrounding community, through drift. Our year-round project, the Pesticide-Free Soil Project, is working on this issue, particularly for schools and parks. The garden also addresses food justice by distributing produce to local food pantries and shelters.
A highlight of last summer will continue this summer as we learn from indigenous elders from the Central Coast about their culture and our connection to the natural world in multiple ways. The Encampers will do another tomol (indigenous canoe) paddle and may be able to join a work day on Limuw Island, removing non-native plants. This will be combined with learning about current Chumash Tribe justice issues.
Our core Arts as Activism component helps youth activists ignite the power of their imaginations to make change. I asked Ariella about her Arts as Activism experience: “When it comes to activism, being true to yourself is super-important, and the best way to truly understand a topic is to express it through art. Art can challenge someone to think differently, or could educate people in a single glance. Art is a tool that should be mastered, and allowing a space for that is crucial.”
Ariella also shared what receiving a sponsorship last year meant to her: “Thanks to the Encampment, I got to have the best summer of my life. I was surrounded by Encampers of all different ethnicities and ideals. I grew more than I’ve ever grown before and I can’t thank the people responsible enough for giving me an experience that was both eye-opening and comfortable. Those few weeks have changed me more than words can express. Thank you to everyone who was responsible for this life-changing experience.”
Give to our Spring Sponsorship Fund today to make a difference for the newest Encampers whose families cannot afford the full program fee. The cost for this year’s program is $3,500 per person (includes room and board, staff, field trips, materials), but every donation helps.
Please give generously today to fund the development of young people like Ariella who want to use their skills to address climate change, economic inequality and violence against people of color/women/LGBTQIA+, among other concerns. Working with them is our best hope for democracy and justice.
In Community,
Jesus Salcido Chavarria