2011-2012 YES! Jams and Other Programs

New Jams and programs are being added all the time; information and applications for each of these Jams will soon be available, so check back!

The Global Youth Leadership Collaborative is key to organizing many of the Jams in the coming year.  Upcoming Jams and Jam-like events include:

Colorado Mini-Jam II: March 10, 2012, Boulder-Denver, CO - A gathering to collect the wisdom, strengths, and power, in order to live a better present and envision a better future. Core partners: PeaceJam Foundation and the Patchwork School.

Proyecto Pais: April 2012: An innovative series of workshops to support healing, connections and the regeneration/ revitilization of individuals and communities in Puerto Rico.

Summer Encounter - Philippines, June 2012, Sallapadan Abra Province, Philippines - A 10-day leadership exchange will be held for young leaders in a village in the Northern Philippines. The program will include building community solidarity between the jammers and the host village, co-learning and exchanges among the young leaders, and coming up with plans for future partnerships. Core partner: Asia Pacific Indigenous Youth Network

Virtual Jam: Focus on Sustainability, June 16, 2012: An opportunity for the global Jam community to reconnect virtually and participate in a daylong event focused on sustainability practices, struggles, and visions. In collaboration with the Shift Network and Sustainable World Coalition.

North America Jam, June 24 - July 1, 2012, Quaker Center, Ben Lomond, CA – A dedicated effort towards building community, healing, and connecting the dots -- essential to respond to the upheaval and opportunities of our times and to co-create the world we want, a world that includes everyone.

Anatolia Youth Leadership Jam, July 2012, Bayramci, Turkey – The 2nd Jam to unite social changemakers in Turkey focused on ecological renewal, community connection, social entrepreneurship, health/healing, and community media. Core partners: Aysegul Guzel/Zumbara Time-Banking and Hanzade Germiyanoglu/Sabancivakfi Foundation.

Selma Jam, July 2012, Alabama, USA - In a historically divided city, this Jam would create a safe space for gentle truth telling, healing, compassion, and understanding across races, promoting a healthy foundation from which reconcilitation could happen and the Beloved Community could be built. Core partner: Malika Sanders-Fortier.

Sweden/Scandanavian Jam, Summer 2012, Sweden - Bringing together a diverse group of youth leaders of many nationalities and religions from around Sweden/Scandanavia, who are seeking social change, healing, and integration into connected community. Core partners: Ibrahim El-Ali and Frederik Jonsby.

Moroccan Women's Circle, mid-August 2012, Morocco - An opportunity for the next generation of women activists to connect, grow, and discover their power and potential. Core partner: Soumaya Maghnouj.

India Youth Leadership Jam, September 3-9, 2012, Maharashtra, India – The 3rd Jam to unite social changemakers from around the subcontinent. Core partners: Naveen Vasudevan, Vartika Poddar, Roy Jacob, Sukhmani Kohli.

Tipping Point Network Mini-Jam, September 13-16, 2012, Sierra Friends Center, Nevada City, CA - The fourth annual TPN Jam will convene mavens, connectors, and influencers working within and across diverse sectors to support a tipping point towards social change.  This Jam is intergenerational, transpartisan, multicultural, and interfaith.  Core partners: Ocean Robbins, Malaika Edwards, Amanda Roman, Joseph McCormick, and Jessica Norwood.

Cape Breton Mini-Jam, September 20-24, 2012, Nova Scotia, Canada - This launch event seeks to create a new community for amazing young people within Cape Breton, where they can feel welcome, supported and INSPIRED to continue doing their work, to partner with people across the island, and to explore new ideas and projects that improve the island and our world.

Middle East Youth Leadership Jam, October 14-21, 2012, Wadi Rum, Jordan – The 5th Annual Event to gather a diverse group of young leaders from around the region, who are committed to hope, possibility, justice and peace for all peoples. Core partner: Youth Spirit Center.

Standing In Our Power, October 25-28, 2012, Ohio, USA - In collaboration with Spirit in Action, this gathering will bring together an intergenerational group of women of color to learn from one another and develop congruous and relevant leadership models for our times.  Core partner: Spirit in Action.

In the works...

Social Entrepreneurship and Alternative Economies Jam

Food Movement Jam

EMERGE: Connecting the Dots of the Environmental Movement (in collaboration with Spirit in Action)

AWIHU: Intergenerational Women's Jam, TBD 2012, Yawanawa land, Brazilian Amazon - A gathering of spiritual Indigenous women leaders and women allies, for building alliances, supporting each others' work, and strengthening Indigenous and Non-Indigenous women as spiritual and cultural artisans.  Core partner: Laura and Tashka Yawanawa.

Children's Jam, 2012-13, Mali or Bolivia - Focused on bringing a world community of children and parents, who will collectively generate stories, games, and other materials that reflect values of love, compassion, truth, justice, and diversity.  Watch Coumba Toure and Valentina Campos, the co-convenors, talk about it below:

Completed 2011-12 Programs

Global Collaborative World Jam and Annual Meeting: Oct 23-31, 2011, Chiang Mai, Thailand - A first-ever World Jam to bring together Global Collaborative members with their local/regional partners, in a whole community dedicated to carrying forward work at the intersection of internal, interpersonal and systemic change.  Core partner: the Global Collaborative.

Check out this short film with images from the 2011 World Jam!

Thai Mini-Jam, Chiang Mai, Thailand, October 29-31, 2011: Held parallel to the World Jam, this first-ever event brought together mostly college activists from Chiang Mai and Bangkok, as well as members of the Karen indigenous tribe, for a focus on personal growth and community solidarity. Collaborative partner: Kwanmuang Institute. 

Nuestra Escuela Mentorship and Support Systems Workshop, Puerto Rico, November 13-15, 2011: Nuestra Escuela has put in practice an advisory program called Círculos (Circles), to support the members of its community to achieve their biggest goals in life, or quest (su estrella). In the central mountains of Orocovis, Puerto Rico, in Casa Collores, YES! helped to co-facilitate a workshop for the community to reflect on its mentorship practices and support systems.  Through new activities, games and processes, people enriched their skills and knowledge. The result was inspiration, love for one another and a renewed sense of purpose for the work.

Colorado Mini-Jam I: December 2, 2011, Boulder, CO - A gathering of Boulder-Denver's boldest and brightest students, artists, teachers, parents, activists, entrepreneurs and philanthropists. Core partners: PeaceJam Foundation and the Patchwork School.

Oakland Peace Center Community Exchange and Launch, Oakland, CA, January 14-16, 2012: In collaboration with numerous Bay Area-based organizations dedicated to peace, justice and a thriving world for all, YES! will support the launch of the Oakland Peace Center by co-organizing and sharing our work through a practitioners' exchange, a community fair, and a film festival.

The Gandhian Legacy Continues, Oakland, CA: February 2, 2012: In collaboration with IDEX and the Oakland Peace Center, an engaging conversation with Dr. Prakash Tyagi from GRAVIS, an organization based in India inspired by Gandhi's vision and values. What can we learn from their experiences that is applicable to our struggles for peace and justice here?

New Jams and programs are being added all the time; information and applications for each of these Jams will soon be available, so check back!