Refresh, Renew, Regenerate
In the aftermath of the elections, it's crucial for environmental justice leaders to recharge and prepare for the challenges ahead. Tamara Toles O'Laughlin, North America Director of 350.org, emphasizes the importance of rest from the outset of any campaign, mobilization, or training to ensure sustainability.
Leaders in this field employ a diverse range of self-care strategies to combat burnout and maintain their effectiveness. Mindfulness, nature immersion, emotional resilience practices, and leadership self-awareness are key approaches. Guided nature walks, solitude and contemplation in natural settings, journaling, meditation, and intentional group reflections that nurture emotional health and address eco-anxiety are among the strategies used.
Moreover, emotional mastery and adaptability are deemed essential leadership skills. Intentional self-care is positioned as a critical part of sustaining one’s capacity to lead effectively. Retreats like the "Spirit of Activism Retreat" offer dedicated time away from daily pressures to slow down, reconnect with the earth, and process stress and grief collectively and individually through activities designed around mindfulness and nature connection.
Leaders also foster growth by embracing challenges that encourage personal evolution and resilience. Valarie Sandjivy, for instance, intentionally pushes boundaries and develops emotional mastery through diverse experiences.
In youth leadership programs tied to environmental justice, self-care is often integrated with sustainable living practices and holistic wellness education. Urban gardening, nutrition, and herbal wellness reinforce physical health alongside leadership skills, helping young leaders build long-term resilience for environmental advocacy.
Not all leaders follow the same self-care routines. Unlike Mustafa Santiago Ali and Dallas Goldtooth, who run and disconnect from social media, Tamara Toles O'Laughlin uses dark humor as a way to combat burnout, utilizing climate change as a source of humor. Elizabeth Yeampierre, Executive Director of UPROSE, prioritizes taking care of her community and loved ones as a means of self-care. Her routine includes daily check-ins, storytelling, joking, and sharing food with others.
Yessenia Funes, climate editor of Atmos, and Dallas Goldtooth, Keep It in the Ground Campaign Organizer at the Indigenous Environmental Network, also have unique self-care practices. Goldtooth disconnects from social media for at least two hours daily, while Funes's self-care methods are not specified in the provided information.
In conclusion, self-care for environmental justice leaders involves a blend of emotional regulation, nature-based restoration, community support, and intentional personal growth practices aimed at sustaining activism over time while preventing burnout. These practices not only help leaders maintain their well-being but also contribute to the long-term success of environmental advocacy efforts.
Tamara Toles O'Laughlin, in contrast to leaders like Mustafa Santiago Ali and Dallas Goldtooth who disconnect from social media, uses dark humor as a means to combat burnout, finding humor in climate change issues.
Elizabeth Yeampierre, Executive Director of UPROSE, prioritizes taking care of her community and loved ones as a form of self-care, engaging in daily check-ins, storytelling, joking, and sharing food with others.
Journaling, meditation, intentional group reflections, and guided nature walks are among the various strategies environmental justice leaders use to nurture their emotional health and address eco-anxiety.
Youth leadership programs often integrate self-care with sustainable living practices and holistic wellness education, reinforcing physical health alongside leadership skills, promoting long-term resilience for environmental advocacy.
