<div>Welcome! Join us in supporting <a href="https://www.solidarityyaadjamaica.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><strong>Solidarity Yaad International</strong></a> through this heartfelt fundraiser, organized by <a href="https://www.earthlodgecenter.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><strong>Earthlodge Center for Transformation</strong></a><strong>,</strong> a <em>US-based 501(c)(3)</em>, under the loving guidance of Principal Steward Queen Hollins. Since 2016, these organizations have worked together on impactful projects in Jamaica, St. Maarten, the US, and Canada.
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<div><strong>Why Should I Contribute?</strong>
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<div>We are thrilled to share that we have successfully raised the funds needed for a permanent, sustainable <a href="https://raj.xposureapp.com/listing/St-Ann-06/Lot-2-Spring-Garden-St-Ann/2nzv6?u=23876" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><strong>home base</strong></a> for our work in Jamaica. We are on our way to securing our home base hub on the neighboring property, complete with the infrastructure to elevate our work. We raised $291,719 making this dream a reality on September 30, 2024 as we envisioned! With the support of over 100 people and over 15 organizations, we are ready to trail blaze even more tremendous impact! Because of the generosity of spirit, ancestors, land, money, logistics, prayers, offerings, trust, love and powah, sweat and tears we are READY to begin the next chapter of our journey, transforming our communities and beyond.
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<div><a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/C-A1E7cODkM/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><strong>Solidarity Yaad International</strong></a> centers care under the auspices of programs that fosters healing justice, food security, climate resilience, and economic advancement through an intentional learning community focused on the transition to regenerative technologies based in rural Jamaica. Since 2016, our team has been uplifting BIPOC women, LBQT and gender-expansive folx utilizing indigenous, somatic, arts, healing, and land-based practices. In the past 4 years, we have had a <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1gTatIjE1Au8gb7HZbqJ-BC0QTaT5Q9TS5YLvl1dAtwc/edit?usp=sharing" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><strong>revolutionary impact</strong></a> on our communities! After acquiring our current farm in October 2021, the challenges of pandemic-related costs and Hurricane Beryl’s impact have made this next step more urgent than ever.
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<div>In this video: <a href="https://youtu.be/mk_lwGJrFuk?si=4yPjGeQw0JXf12HA" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><strong>Afia Walking Tree shares what this homebase means</strong></a> 
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<div><em>Back porch overlooks the 12 acre riverfront food forest</em>
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<li>This climate-adaptive home base will empower us to tackle gender, climate, food, and economic challenges head-on. By securing and rematriating this house and land next to our farm, we’re creating a stable and nurturing space to expand our mission. This isn’t just about land—it’s about providing a sanctuary for our team, offering a safe haven for our community, and anchoring programs that uplift and protect. It’s a place where we can grow, heal, and thrive together.
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<li>Our critical care stewardship supports assigned women at birth and LBQT+ Jamaicans facing violence, offering immediate, accessible indigenous tools and strategies while creating fair-wage jobs. Acquiring this ready-to-move-in property, with its existing structures alongside the land we currently steward, will empower us to build strong internal systems and operations, allowing us to cultivate high-yield, high-revenue crops, and enhance our farming operations, providing the infrastructure needed to manage our mature tropical food forest effectively.
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<li>Launching Solidarity Yaad from our new home base enables us to rethink our approach to the built and natural environment and society, empowering women and LBTQ folks with the tools, strategies, and opportunities needed to combat gender-based violence and climate crisis barriers. It provides a solid foundation to build a future rooted in care, protection, and justice, where climate, food, healing, and economic equity intersect.
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<div>By investing in this campaign, you’re driving lasting change and supporting a more sustainable future for everyone. Together, we can make this vision a reality, fostering a more just and compassionate future for all.
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<div><strong><em>Solidarity Yaad Team:</em></strong><em> Jamaica: Shawn, Afia, Afe, Tae, (Neville, Ms. V, not in photo); US: Laurie Lynn, Trinity</em>
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<div><strong>Why Does Solidarity Hub Matter Now?</strong>
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<div><strong>Endorsements from Community Partners</strong>
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<li><em>In Jamaica, one in three women experience gender-based violence, and many never seek help due to a lack of safe spaces. Our Hub is vital in addressing this urgent need, providing a sanctuary for women, LBQT, and gender-expansive people who face significant challenges in a society often marked by misogyny and homophobia. This space will offer immediate refuge, healing, and a strong sense of community where everyone’s well-being is honored and protected.</em> ~ Principal Steward, Afia Walking Tree
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<li><em>The Hub isn’t just a safe space—it’s a powerful tool for change. Situated on land rich with underground springs, waterfalls, and a 17-mile river, this property will help us nurture our community with clean air, water, and food. It’s about more than just physical safety; it’s about reforesting eroded landscapes, cultivating organic medicines and herbs, and offering hands-on education that’s relevant to our climate and culture. </em>~ Community ally, Trinity Watkins
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<div>Your contribution and sharing with your networks will ensure that we secure a lasting operations base for this essential, transformational, BIPOC women-led, queer-run land-based refuge.
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<div><strong>OUR IMPACT SINCE 2020</strong>
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<div><strong>FOOD SOVEREIGNTY:</strong> 13% of Jamaicans are food insecure. This percentage reflects the challenges faced by many in accessing sufficient, safe, and nutritious food. Organic food is scarce and costly, while farmers' low income hinders food security.
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<li>We’ve fed over 400 vulnerable families and individuals with free or low-cost, chemical-free food and herbal medicines, and provided financial security for 10 staff members through our 12-acre certified organic farm.
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<li><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/C9uThKlOwy_/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><strong>Soil Regeneration</strong></a> is an integral part of our focus to nutritious accessible food for our community.
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<div><strong>HEALING JUSTICE:</strong> Our communities live with the realities of pervasive verbal, mental &amp; physical violence. Trauma from gender-based violence goes unaddressed for at least 70% of our communities.
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<li>We’ve shared mental health, drumming, yoga, lifestyle coaching, spiritual guidance, and various wellbeing practices with over 500 BIPOC LBQT people across the gender spectrum.
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<div><em>Collecting Carbon/Browns for making Compost</em>
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<div><strong>CLIMATE RESILIENCE: </strong>Unregulated widespread use of chemicals in agriculture is linked to public health threats. Extractive mono-cropping by farmers results in land, human, and food poisoning, extreme drought, flood, fire, and food desert conditions.
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<li>We’ve trained over 40 community members in sustainable practices, indigenous land skills, permaculture, solar power, and soil fertilization. We’ve also installed alternative power sources for water, electricity, and refrigeration, planted over 50 fruit trees, and sequestered carbon in our tropical rainforest.
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<li><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/C_so8eZOYX6/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><strong>Acknowledging our indigenous roots</strong></a> is integral to our earthworks and is interwoven in all we endeavor because we see the land as a living library of our ancestors and Orisha.
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<div><strong>ECONOMIC ADVANCEMENT:</strong> 6% of our population is unemployed. Limited resources and education are systemic barriers that result in unskilled labour and homelessness. Women and LBQT people are most vulnerable.
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<li>We’ve funded trainings and apprenticeships for our team and over 40 individuals. We’ve transitioned our volunteer team to fair wage paid positions and are implementing cooperation, mutual support, and collective ownership practices.
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<div>We’re asking you to help us bring this vision to life. Partner with us by sharing our campaign with your networks and contributing to our goal. Together, we can create a lasting impact and reach our finish line.
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<div>Earthlodge is proud to be the Fiscal Sponsor of this GoFundMe campaign, co-organized by Dania Davy, Laurie Lynn Hogan, and Afia Walking Tree. We are deeply grateful for your generosity and support during this crucial time. Your tax-deductible donation will bring lasting change to the lives of many.
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<div>Thank you to our Solidarity team, to the Earthlodge team, and our extended community of beautiful beings for pouring love and blessings into our mission and vision to bring it alive and accessible to our communities. We will soon have a list of our donors and supporters who helped us make this possible.  Please stay connected with us by joining our newsletter here.
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