Swamp Jam 2
Black Soil Invitational

June 7, 2025
at the Avila Center in Durham, NC

Swamp Jam is a celebration of environmental justice work, past present and future. An open door for those looking to make an impact in their communities. A space that places art, artists and culture as essential to the world we are building. 


Join us in conversations, experiential learning, shared meals, dynamic participatory workshops, lots of play, and immersive art. We will engage ideas around local and national climate policy, building backyard solutions for everyday life, and creative pathways into environmental justice work. We will also have space to process the grief around what we have lost and honor the possibilities for what we can still create together. 

SCHEDULE

Installations and Offerings from Grounded Possibilities Fellows will be shared throughout the day.


Welcome
10 AM

Orientation with Grounded Possibilities co-founders Monét and Derrick
with music by Shana Tucker

PRAXIS PREP
10 AM – 5 PM

Each hour features different styles of workshops to choose from:

11 AM
EJ History
Land Walk
EJ Elders in conversation

12 PM
Contemporary Policy
Genealogy
Solo/Small Group Reflection

1 PM
Farmers Lunch with Tall Grass Food Box

2 PM
EJ History
Group Embodiment Practice
Solo/Small Group Reflection

3 PM
Contemporary Policy
Land Walk: Afro-Indigenous History
Solo/Small Group Reflection

4 PM
EJ Every Day with Grounded Possibilities co-founders Monét and Derrick


JAMBOREE
6–9:30 PM

featuring music by Kamara Thomas,
Lance Scott and Friends

What You Need to Know

  • Housing space is limited on Avila’s campus, prioritizing Black, Indigenous, people of color from Eastern and Western North Carolina (or more than 2hrs away). Please fill out this housing request.

    Prefer to make your own housing arrangements for the weekend? Book your stay at Hampton Inn & Suites Durham/North I-85, a ~15 minute drive from Avila. Or call the hotel directly at 919-688-8880 and refer to "Grounded Possibilities Swamp Jam 2025"

  • We're here for the community builders, tree huggers, muckrackers, organizers, artists, accidental leaders, solution seekers, world builders, dreamers, and folks who don’t know what do you but are willing and ready to try

  • Grounded Possibilities Fellows –
    Assata Goff
    Brian Kennedy
    Eggy Strange
    foster weems
    Khalisa Rae
    Maxine Eloi
    Quay Weston
    Resita Cox
    Sonia Olivia

    Guests –

    Dr. Rania Masri, NCEJN

    Alex Trapps-Chabala

    Rev. Kearney

    Beverley Scarlett, Indigenous Memories

    EJ History

    Shana Tucker

    Kamara Thomas

    Lance Scott

  • The Swamp Jam is one of our offerings to strengthen our collective imagination around environmental justice work, and center artists as important context experts.

Register to Join Us!

Space is limited.

Swamp Jam is free and we would gratefully benefit from your support, a love offering. Any amount would mean so much and allow for a more dynamic and sustainable event. Every donation is tax deductible.
DONATE HERE

OUR SPONSORS

Grounded Possibilities is funded by the Hive Fund and fiscally sponsored by Southern Vision Alliance.