The Uplands was delighted to host the Byron Fellowship, a transformational experience and a community of generative leaders co-creating a flourishing world, for their annual retreat August 3-9. The Byron fellows for the 2024 cycle are changemakers in affordable housing and urban renewal, climate and environmental justice, electoral integrity, mental health, technology and AI, music and waste management and more. The fellows were chosen from a globally competitive pool of applicants based on their leadership in their community in service of creating a better world.
The Byron Fellowship helps participants articulate their vision, clarify and align their purpose, and embody the practices and ways of being essential for powerfully bringing their vision into reality. The fellows arrived on a Sunday to a “big welcome.” They meet each other with “powerful introductions,” shared connective stories and establish their sense of community for the week. Throughout the next several days, the fellows engaged in a balanced of focused productivity and restorative practices.
Work sessions focused on articulating their sense of purpose and vision for what they hope to create in the world. They explored the notion of living systems, considered where they need to keep learning and reflected on the theme of “transformation.” The end of the week included a Vision Cafe, where fellows shared their visions with the larger Byron Alumni Network participating remotely.
To complement their work sessions, the group enjoyed a sound bath, a group hike, daily movement practices, patio sunsets, evening pool time and quiet conversations over tea. Nourishment from the Uplands garden and kitchen fueled their minds and bodies, with some favorite dishes including grilled gouda cheese with fig jam, sweet potato curry, honey roasted carrots, and a variety of delectable soups and creative salads. Evening deserts featured seasonal peaches and plums, blueberries and organic chocolate.
The group departed after lunch, as stormy weather descended on the area which, later, brought a radiant rainbow in their memory.
The Uplands is grateful for the inspiring work advanced by the Byron Fellowship, and eager to watch the visions of fellows and mentors become reality as they advance, as emerging changemakers and leaders, working to make the world a better place.
