gs logo

2021 Course Application

The mission of gs is to support social and climate justice movements in achieving their visions of a radically transformed society. We do this by bringing somatic transformation to movement leaders, organizations, and alliances. Our programs engage the body (emotions, sensations, physiology), in order to align our actions with values and vision, and heal from the impacts of trauma and oppression. We aim to advance loving and rigorous movements that possess the creativity, resilience, and liberatory power needed to transform society.

 

In particular, in this moment of escalating crisis and growing resistance, gs is committed to supporting movements working toward freedom from political repression and state violence (including criminalization, militarization, surveillance, imprisonment, policing, etc.) and building scalable alternatives (such as transformative justice); and those creating climate and environmental justice (just transition, land sovereignty, environmental racism, etc.).

 

1. Freedom from Political Repression and State Violence

We understand this work to include—ending state and non-state sanctioned repression and abuse; halting surveillance, mass targeted deportations, and the criminalization of dissent; abolishing the prison industrial complex, and sustaining the right to freedom of expression. This priority area also includes ending militarized and racist policing, which is connected to war and imperialism; and supporting alternatives aimed at creating safer communities including advancing transformative justice.

 

2. Environmental and Climate Justice

We understand this work to include—fostering a just transition (see movementgeneration.org) from an extractive economy that severs the relationship of people and place, toward life-affirming and equitable ways of meeting the needs of all. This includes halting environmental racism, the climate crisis, and assaults on the earth and creating regenerative economies that foster ecological restoration, community resilience, and social equity.

 

To learn more read about our Strategic Priorities here. 

 

Please read through the Course Description before filling out the application. 

It will take you about 30 minutes or more to fill out this application. Please allot enough time to answer thoroughly, as the courses are competitive. Your responses will help us know more about you. 

 

All text based answers have a limit of 200 words maximum. 

 

You will hear back from us by 4-6 weeks before the start date of the course.


application header

Which course are you applying for?
Contact Information
Movement Work
Organization Affiliations (if any) - If you aren't affiliated with an organization, leave this blank.  You can add up to two.
Movement Role(s) - Please pick one or two primary roles 
I primarily work with: (choose one)
Sectors - Pick one or two primary sectors
Connection to gs

More about you
What is your gender identity? Feel free to check more than one box.
With which of these do you identify? Feel free to check more than one box.
What is your sexual orientation? Feel free to check more than one box
Is there anything else you want us to know about you? Feel free to check more than one box
With which of these do you identify with, currently? Feel free to check more than one box. 
Click here for a resource explaining these class categories and to help you place yourself in one.
Your length of life so far?
Short Essay Questions
All answers have a limit of 200 words maximum. Don't see any questions? Each course has a different set of essay questions, to see them, you must select an option in the very first question "Which course are you applying for?". Once you pick a course, the full application will appear.
Embodied Leadership

We are committed to developing social and environmental justice leaders and formations that are able to do their work more effectively, powerfully, and resiliently, contributing to more vibrant, life-affirming liberation movements. We know that somatics is a compelling methodology unto itself, and we want to hold ourselves to the standard of producing embodied skills that will concretely magnify the power of our participants and movement partners. Read more here - gs Strategic Priorities. This course is for practitioners and movement leaders to deepen your skills in order to be a bigger contribution to liberation movements.


Commitment and Course Fees

COMMITMENT: To participate in gs courses, we ask you to commit to attend ALL days of the training, pay your full fee, do prep readings, fill out course evaluations, do all homework between sessions, and be in daily somatic practices, as relevant to the course.

Online BIPOC Embodied Leadership 

SESSION 1: Thursday, September 23

1pm - 3 pm PT / 4 pm - 6 pm ET (2 hours) 

SESSION 2: Thursday, September 30  

1pm - 3 pm PT / 4 pm - 6 pm ET (2 hours) 


Coaching group: Thursday, October 7, Timing TBD (1.5 hours)

SESSION 3: Thursday, October 14

1pm - 3 pm PT / 4pm - 6 pm ET (2 hours) 

Coaching group: Thursday, October 21, Timing TBD (1.5 hours)

SESSION 4: Thursday, October 28

1pm - 3 pm PT / 4 pm - 6 pm ET (2 hours) 

SESSION 5: Thursday, November 4

1pm - 3 pm PT / 4 pm - 6 pm ET (2 hours) 

Coaching group: Thursday, November 11, Timing TBD (1.5 hours)

SESSION 6: Thursday, November 18

1pm - 3 pm PT / 4 pm - 6 pm ET (2 hours)


Cancellation Policy
If you cancel 15 days or more before the first day of the first session of the course – the cancellation fee is 20% of your course fee. For any cancellation made less than 15 days before the first session of the course – you will be charged the full course fee.

COURSE FEES: Sliding Scale
Please do not let cost be a barrier to applying. gs is committed to economic justice and to challenging white supremacy, capitalism, ableism and all systems of oppression in every aspect of our work. As part of that, we have a commitment to making our programs accessible and affordable to poor and working class people and people of color who are on the frontlines of social and environmental justice movements.

At the same time, the cost to run courses is significant. These costs are covered in multiple ways:
  • Course participants contribute to gs course fees from their own financial resources.
  • Organizations and foundations sponsor participants by contributing part or all of their gs course fees.
  • Participants fundraise their gs course fees from friends and family. 
  • Much of the cost of gs courses (approximately 70%) is covered by foundation grants and individual donations, including Solidarity Fund donations made by gs course participants! 
For all applicants, we ask that you please consider if there is an organization that you could ask to sponsor your participation in a gs course by contributing part or all of the fee; or if you can fundraise part or all of your course fee from friends, family, or community members.

For applicants who have class privilege, especially those who were raised upper-middle or owning class, we ask that you pay as high on the fee scale as possible in order to support participation by poor and working class leaders. We also ask that you consider supporting gs in our efforts to make gs courses accessible and affordable to poor and working class participants, by making an additional donation to the gs Solidarity Fund.

Our intention is for participants to contribute to covering course costs at a level and in a way that is meaningful, significant, and affordable for you. 

PLEASE CLICK HERE FOR INFORMATION ABOUT OUR SLIDING SCALE STRUCTURE and how to choose at what level you could pay. 

What amount are you proposing to pay? 

After reviewing the sliding scale structure document, please select below what you will be paying for this course.

Please Consider Supporting gs Solidarity Fund

Finally, please consider supporting gs in our efforts to make gs courses accessible and affordable to poor and working class participants, by making an additional donation to the gs Solidarity Fund. We consider solidarity funds anything you would like to offer above and beyond your 100% payment of the full course fee. The average course fee for one student in a gs course is $3515.


Considering Fundraising For Your Course Fees?

If you’re considering fundraising for your course fees from friends and family and you’d like support to do that, please read the Fundraising document.

Thank you very much for your interest and application! Please click "Submit" below to submit your application. You will hear back from us by at least 4-6 weeks before the start date of a course.