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What is HEAL?

HEAL (Healing, Empowerment, Advocacy, and Liberation) is a Healing Justice program for individuals and communities ready to engage in deep personal healing and bold collective action.

Healing Justice is a political and cultural framework that sees healing as essential to liberation. Our personal wellness cannot be separated from the systems we live under: racism, homophobia, transphobia, classism, colonization and all forms of oppression impact our minds, bodies, and spirits. HEAL is a space to name these systems, explore our power, and practice healing as an act of resistance.

Participants in HEAL will:

  • Examine the intersections of personal and collective trauma

  • Engage in art, storytelling, and somatic practices to reclaim power

  • Build advocacy skills and strategies for collective liberation

  • Leave with tools to sustain both personal wellness and community change

    HEAL is not just about feeling better, it’s about transforming ourselves, our communities, and the systems that seek to harm us.

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  • A framework that identifies how we respond to the generational trauma that embeds in our bodies, hearts, minds, and communities. Healing Justice can be accessed through writing, oral accounts, art, and other approaches that can serve as anti-oppressive tools that facilitate critical consciousness.

    We are inspired by Cara Page and the Kindred Southern Healing Justice Collective’s work and their conceptualization of healing justice as a political strategy and framework for movements to address collective harm and trauma.

  • High school students in Sonoma Valley are eligible.

  • The sessions are held at Hanna Center in Sonoma.

  • We require all participants to attend the first two sessions, where group agreements are made.

    There is also a requirement to attend at least 6 of the eight sessions.

    The program is free and a $58 per session stipend will be provided to each participating student ($464 in total, if all sessions are attended).

  • Results from a 2023 analysis of surveys between the beginning (pre) and the end (post) of the program showed that on average, participants significantly improved on four outcomes that were measured. Participants reported that their mental health symptoms were reduced by feeling less left out or depressed, or feeling more companionship. Participants mentioned the benefits of having stronger connections to peers they had already known or meeting new people in the group. They also reported improved knowledge on resources about mental health and substance use. In particular, they liked learning new topics that were usually not talked about in school. Further, better coping skills were observed when dealing with the stress that occurred in their physical and home environments. Some said they were able to overcome their social anxiety to speak up and the program helped their communication skills. Results indicate that participants’ resilience levels improved significantly with better recovery from a stressful event. Please contact us if you would like to have more access to a summary of our evaluation results: contactus@onthemargins.us

  • HEAL Spring Cohort Dates:

    Orientation: Tuesday March 3, 2026, 4PM-6PM

    *For accepted participants their parents / legal guardians.*

    Opening Retreat: Tuesday March 10, 2026, 4PM-7PM

    Session 1: Tuesday March 17, 2026, 4PM-6PM

    Session 2:Tuesday March 24, 2026, 4PM-6PM

    Session 3: Tuesday April 7, 2026, 4PM-6PM

    Session 4: Tuesday April 14, 2026, 4PM-6PM

    Session 5: Tuesday April 21, 2026, 4PM-6PM

    Closing Retreat: Tuesday April 28, 2026, 4PM-7PM

Testimonials

  • “After Covid I wasn’t social as much and was always in my house and never seeing people. I’m not good at expressing myself and my feelings, and I think this [program] has helped me a lot.”

    SV4HJ Advocate, 2023

  • “I’ve learned that I like nature a lot. I wasn’t very involved with nature before Healing Justice but all the trips impacted me and I started going out more in nature. It also made me realize how passionate I am about helping others and being a voice for those who feel like they don’t have the resources to speak up.” SV4HJ Ambassador, 2023

    SV4HJ Ambassador, 2023

  • “Educational, inspiring, and interesting. That’s what healing justice is; all the things public school is afraid to teach you, but all the things that need be taught. “

    Evy Hall, August 2021, Sonoma Valley for Healing Justice participant

  • “It first helped us learn how to help ourselves and then taught us how to help others. It was amazing to learn from people with such diverse skill sets, points of view, and life experience.”

    Arati Goff, August, 2021, Sonoma Valley for Healing Justice participant

  • “This program has not only given me a voice, a family and a passion for change but the courage to put myself into accountability and help others do this as well. Throughout these eight weeks not only have I been able to create such strong bonds with my fellow peers, but meet wonderful mentors with very strong personalities and ideas!”

    -Theresa Perez Barron, August, 2021, Sonoma Valley for Healing Justice participant

  • “I am very grateful and honored to have been a part of this workshop/training. This is an experience I will never forget. I met new friends and learned things I never thought i’d learn. Everyone in the workshop was already so educated and after the 8 weeks I felt even more educated than I already was about all new amazing things. I thank all the speakers and leaders for their time and efforts with such amazing students.”

    Kate Jernigan, August, 2021, Sonoma Valley for Healing Justice participant