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"Rarely, if ever, are any of us healed in isolation. Healing is an act of communion." 
– bell hooks

In partnership with Tulane University, Ashé Cultural Arts Center, and a diverse Working Group, Imagining America (IA) invites participants to submit a proposal for the in-person IA National Gathering on October 14 - 16, 2022, in New Orleans.

This year's Gathering theme Rituals of Repair and Renewal invites participants to engage in joyful celebration of the magic in being together. Taking place in the city of New Orleans, where culture is daily born and reborn, the three-day immersive event will set the stage for participants to enact rituals of reflection, repair, renewal, wellness, and imagination. Culture makers and movement organizers alike know that ritual is central to creating community and building power for change. When ritual is collective it forges the sacred consciousness of "we" – the knowledge that we are all in it together. Embodied ritual, singing, dancing, laughing, marching, and making things together helps us grieve and heal, sustains our spirits, and inspires hope and joy. When ritual is intergenerational it joins the past and present to carry us into the future. Creative rituals help us imagine beyond both the mundane and serious challenges of our daily lives, building energy for shared struggle.

Submit a proposal to present at Imagining America's 2022 National Gathering Rituals of Repair and Renewal. Review the call for participation for more information about Gathering themes and how to apply. Whether you intend to submit a proposal or simply join in the rituals of repair and renewal, mark your calendars! We look forward to seeing you there! The deadline to submit your proposal is Friday, June 10, 2022.