The Uplands Center opened its retreat season by hosting a “Young Changemaker” retreat for the scholars from She Wins Inc., a free leadership and social action organization for middle and high school girls in Newark, NJ. While inclusive of all girls, She Wins primarily aims to serve girls affected by inner-city violence.

The young changemakers gathered at the Uplands to engage in a weekend of workshops centered around leadership development. The workshops focused on fostering skills to effectively lead with compassion, assertiveness, self-advocacy, and community advocacy. The weekend also included dream building sessions, in which each girl discussed their vision for themselves in the community, into college, and beyond. Their boundless visions included a range of issues such as women’s access to education, gun violence reform, criminal justice reform, and more.

The retreat struck a balance of work, wellness, and play, as the girls enjoyed hiking, team-building activities, journaling, swimming, evening meditation, and a sound bath. They also enjoyed partaking in an art workshop focused on the importance of wellness, self-care, and self-reflection as a means of turning inward, avoiding burnout and leading effectively.

Thank you, She Wins Inc., for your powerful work in your community and beyond, and for joining us at The Uplands Center once again!